# Sponge filter question.



## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I am planning to get a sponge filter online for my 5 gallon tank which will eventually have cherry shrimp in it. I am planning to move an already cycled filter to the tank and put 3 red eye tetras in it to keep the cycle going until I get the cherry shrimp. So my question is, how long will it take to get the sponge filter fully cycled?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

May take a while. Why not just add the sponge to the canister you set up for about a month, then once you have the plants planted and the shrimp, move it over to the five gallon? This is how I cycle my media. Canisters are amazing


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I never thought about that. So I would simply put it over the intake tube?


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## LizStreithorst (Jul 16, 2015)

squeeze the nasty looking media onto the new moistened sponge. No waiting time.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I am actually ok with waiting. I will have to wait a while anyway, because I am buying 2 big online purchases and 1 of those purchases will include the cherry shrimp.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

No, open the canister, and plop it in a media basket.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

So I put it lying down into a media basket? Does which media basket I put it in matter?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Yeah just place it in any of the media baskets. I usually put mine in with the floss.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Ok thanks Bev.


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## welok (Jul 20, 2015)

majerah1 said:


> No, open the canister, and plop it in a media basket.


Why did I never think of that? I always set the filters up in the tank as a secondary, will be much easier to take the sponges off and put those in the existing filters...


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I just added the sponges to the canister :. I am lucky if I do say so myself. I only got a little bit of water of my carpet, but I had a towel around just in case Niagara falls decided to come. I had to take the canister apart 2 because I forgot to put something back the first time. Also I may or may not have lost the tube for a sponge filter.http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/hydrospongeparts.jpg
I know that I set it down somewhere in my room, I am just not sure where . 
Well, I actually just realized something. I don't know how to use a sponge filter...... Can anybody tell me how to use a sponge filter?


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## clumsycarp (Jul 28, 2015)

you will find the tube as soon as you step on it.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I hope that I can find it without crushing it.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Also, can I leave the sponges in the canister until I get the shrimp? It may take a few months before I get the shrimp.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

You can leave the sponge in as long as you want.


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## clumsycarp (Jul 28, 2015)

majerah is right ; you can leave them in as long as you wish..when you are ready to use them just squeeze them out in a bucket of tank water until they are clean..they will still be loaded with bacteria..


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Well that's good. I have a question.
How do I work a sponge filter?


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

Well, see if I can explain it into words.

Water is drawn thru the sponge into the center tube, exiting the top of the tube. (Bottom of tube should be closed, tube should have holes in it for water to pass thru)


You can place an air stone at the bottom of the tube, and the bubbles rising draw the water thru the sponge, and exiting the top. 

Or a powerhead can be placed ontop of the tube, drawing water thru the sponge, into the tube and exiting the top of the tube.


1) AFter running a sponge filter. I don't really see how air bubbles can draw enough water thru the filter to do any good. 

2) Powerhead, moves alot more water, but if the PH flows too much water, it *sucks* the sponge in, causing the PH flow to be reduced. (It *inhales* the sponge causing the sponge to clog the holes in the tube, and less/no water flows thru PH. PH makes an awful noise.. Ask me how I know.)


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Ok I didn't understand much of it. Could you give me a picture somehow?


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## clumsycarp (Jul 28, 2015)

actually in our fishroom the only filters we use are either sponge or undergravel...
using a HOB or canister or power head is ok if you are only running a couple of tanks..but not so smart if you have a lot of tanks running..


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I found the tube .


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## welok (Jul 20, 2015)

big b said:


> Ok I didn't understand much of it. Could you give me a picture somehow?


Here is a random Google picture of a sponge filter with a power head:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/sunsunspongefilterwithouttube.jpg

And here is one with the air stone:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/spongefilterflow.jpg

The one with the Air Stone has arrows and words and stuff to explain how it works. Hope this helps!

With the sponge filters I use, I just connect my air hose directly to it, and it does the rest. With a 40 gallon air pump (Tetra Whisper, was $7 with Amazon Prime free shipping, now back up to $10), and 2 of the 2 sponge filters, I get enough suction that when I over feed the fish in the 10 gallon tank at work, I get fish flakes stuck to it for the ghost shrimp to eat (everything in that tank has come from the pond next to the office). It also does not have too much suction that the baby cherry shrimp cannot get away from it. I think they are perfect.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

That really helped me, thanks. I am going to do it with an airstone. Lord knows that I have a lot of air pumps. I doubt I have any air stones left though. They always fell apart, or I stepped on them after they fell out of my box of old aquarium supplies. I still have some air line tubing, but I would prefer to get new tubing.


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## welok (Jul 20, 2015)

I kind of want to try a Hamburg Matten Filter now... Found that randomly after looking up the sponge filter, it's basically a giant sponge filter that goes in the corner of a large tank, spanning the entire height and depth of the tank, with a pump (air, powerhead, etc) pulling water from one side to the other. It looks really neat.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I have a new question. I got ready to start my sponge filters and I couldn't find the airline tubing so I put them inside the fish tank for 2 days. They just sat on some gravel for 2 days while I looked for some gravel. I started them up today and I was wondering if they had lost bacteria because I took the sponges out of the canister and just plopped them in my tank for 2 days. They weren't running during the 2 days.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

nah should still be good to go as long as they stayed wet.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

They were wet for the 2 days. Yay . So I can move the other filter from the tank and leave the sponge to filter the tank by itself now?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Should be able to


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Thanks Bev.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I have a final question. Ok the filter I will be moving from this tank will be going on a brand new 10 gallon tank. I just filled it up with water last night. Can I add fish soon after I move the filter over? I was planning to add 3 red eye tetras.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Once you add fish I'd check your parameters, make sure all is well, do water changes as neccisary as everything balances out because things are never perfect. Otherwise should be good to go.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

I added the fish a few days ago. Should I still check them?


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

it NEVER hurts to check params. gives peace of mind and ability to get problems in check early!


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I have had my canisters on the tanks for years, and I still routinely check the parameters. Never know when your water company will do a flush of their system.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

When I find my test kit I will do another test. I think I left it in my safe.


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