how good are sponge filters?

[fish_chic]

okay today i am going to do a wc and clean the inside of the glass. and i am wanting so bad to take this UGF out. well i have a emperor 250 (i think?) and i was wondering if i could take out the UGF and add a couple of sponge filters temperarly until i get my 2 emperor 400s for my 90 gal.

when i got the 400s i was going to add the smaller emperor to my 55 gal and start getting it cycled so i can add my angels (a tank to them selves) but was also wondering if a coulple of sponge filters will do the trick to.

 

[MissFishy]

I use sponge filters in some of my tanks. I really like them. Of course, they don't filter out the water from debris, but then again neither does a UGF, so you should be good. Get that UGF out of there! You do need pumps to pump the sponge filters though, and that can get expensive.

 

[fish_chic]

well i have air pumps a whisper 100 and a 60. i was going to use the 60 for the 55 gal.

is there a certain type of sponge filter i should use, should i use more then one?

i have also heard of people making there own, is this cheaper and easier to do or would i just be better off buying some?

okay and also when i remove my ugf how should i do that? should my fish come out?

 

[MissFishy]

I'm sure you could make one, but I would just buy one, they aren't that expensive. I'm not sure what the biggest size sponge filter is that they make, but I would suggest buying two, such as maybe two 30 gal sponges for the 55 gallon, then place them on opposite sides of the tank. You can buy a double outlet thing to put on the air pump if it doesn't already come with one, then run tubing to two sides of the tank from the same air pump. Sponges work by having bacteria colonized on them, so if you are setting up a new tank with sponge filters, you can have an instant cycle by placing the sponges in an already established tank and just letting them sit in there for a week or so.

 

[fish_chic]

great i will do that. i was also going to take some gravel from my 90 gal and add that plus all the fake plants are going in there too and i was thinking when i do my wc today i was going to add some of my water to the 55 with clean water would that be a good idea or the gravel and fake plants should be enough.

 

[MissFishy]

The water won't do much, and it will probably be really dirty if you are removing the UGF. I would just do the gravel and plants, that should get a good cycle going. Just make sure to add a couple fish at the same time so the bacteria doesn't die out, this needs to be done within 24 hrs (you could just put your sev in there for the time being). Also, remember to dechlor the water before any of the cycled gravel/plants go in, otherwise all the bacteria may be killed off.

 

[Pure]

When ever I set up a new tank using cycled sponge filters to get it going I always put the full load of fish intended for the tank in there and let them be for 24 hrs without filtration. This accumulates "food" for the filters when they are added. Add as many filters as it takes to keep perams at 0.

 

[nealio]

Instead of getting a sponge filter, why don’t you use the UFG in reverse?

It would be WWAAAAYY more effective that a sponge filter.