Any Opinions On These Sponge/Bioball Filters For My Tank?

[MegaraSai]

I am considering this filter to replace my Co-op Nano sponge filter. Also this one.

I would dearly LOVE to just replace the sponge on my current filter with a finer sponge, but the Co-op doesn't have those. The coarse sponge isn't hacking it with the newly added blue rasboras and garra plus the phosphorus being under control (catappa leaves dissolve into a lovely mess now instead of just turn black), so I figure its a good time to look into slightly heavier duty filters with finer sponges. The Hygger is reminiscent of a previous AA filter I had which worked very well but didn't have replacement sponges beyond what was in the box and the way the air hose was hooked up it would be displaced from the back corner at the slightest nudge which drove me nuts after a while. The current version of the Hygger on the other hand seems to have the hose attached at the top which would work much better.

The Aquatop in the second link also seems like a viable option, especially being cheaper and easier to hide, but I don't know if my bioload (see signature) would be too much for it or not. I did try a Sicce Micron early on in the setup, but the first broke and the second wouldn't stay in place so back to Amazon they went before I threw them against a wall.

Any thoughts or opinions on which filter I should pick?

--MS

 

[DMD123]

I like the idea of the Hygger giving you a second replacement sponge but am concerned with what they call the “fine hole bio sponge”. Seems like it would clog easily. Just the fact they say “Squeeze the sponge until it is full of water making it sink into the bottom of the tank.”, makes me think it will clog really fast and the water flow through it may not be the greatest. Plus I believe they say to clean every two to four weeks. Seems like it may be a very high maintenance filter in the long run. Just my thoughts.

I haven’t used the Co-Op sponge filters but have used the pre-filter sponges on my aquaclear intakes and have like the high flow nature of their coarse sponge.

 

[DMD123]

@MegaraSai, forgot to mention but the second link you posted is still the Hygger not Aquatop, so I didn’t comment on it since I wasn’t sure what model you had in mind. Might want to edit the link.

 

[DMD123]

Moved this to Equipment section

 

[John58Ford]

I don't believe single purpose ceramic media is worth the hype over sponge filtration. When starting this hobby as a science minded adult, research pointed me the direction of ceramics or other super materials, at face value in specific testing, they are a sound choice, practical experience has steered me a different, easier, but effective direction. I do like using ceramic as a seed material to move around and start tanks, but in all my set ups other than the 125, I rely on the sponges to do all the real work. The 125 has floating bio balls in almost a fluid bed set up that I stir every few services. The advantage to a fluid bed system is very real in the fact the media self cleans bacteria as it sloughs. Ceramic media is good on paper as the porous nature gives a ton of extra square footage for things to cling to, but in most situations it gets plugged up over time and the square footage is reduced quickly.

A "medium" sponge has been what I find to be the best work horse, in practical experience. though I run mine on water pumps vs air so they likely draw with more force. I find as they season, they gain more fine filtration capabilities as the pored close up until the water flow is too low, a quick squeeze in the bucket and they run again, still providing all the bacterial conversion I need, every time. Cleaning ceramic isn't as easy, or in my practical use cases, as quick to recover. In a sterile grow out tank, a hand full of rings can get me through the process, then they are cleaned and dropped back into an every day tank that runs primarily on sponges. I have some in my new nano tank for now, but it will be primarily filtered by it's cute little nano intake sponge once it's ready, and the ceramics will go back home.

What about your filter are you trying to improve? A slightly larger sponge could give you longer before cleanings. The downfall to your posted replacements in my opinion are just that they are larger, and using space for ceramics that can't easily be repurposed and likely won't actually help in the long run.

 

[MegaraSai]

Link fixed! Thanks for the move, too, I wasn't sure where to put it.

DMD- my Co-op filter also needs cleaning every couple of weeks, and only comes with a coarse sponge that doesn't keep detritus trapped and there aren't any pre-cut sponges of other coarsenesses for it. I've tried the plastic bag removal method but with the shape and size of my tank and location of the spiderwood (in the middle) it doesn't work to keep most of the detritus from spilling into the tank. Also, I want a box so I can add Phosguard or other media which is impossible with plain sponge filters; just hanging a bag or pad in the tank took up too much real estate, so currently there's a bag in my water change jug.

John - The Hygger has a larger sponge than the Aquatop, so I'll count that as a vote for the Hygger. I basically want better trapping of detritus plus the ability to add media to the filter which is not a feature of most straight sponges of small size. I actually did consider something with a small powerhead and will probably upsize the air pump, but my dragon betta is doing very well keeping his fins intact with just a mild current (he's mostly white and platinum with tints of yellow and black now as opposed to how he appears in my icon) so that kind of upgrade will have to wait for a few years. heh...and now that I've said that just watch, he'll have an actual normal or longer betta life expectancy! XD XD

--MS

 

[sir_keith]

I really like the Hydro-Sponge Pro series filters, and have them in several of my tanks (Hydro Pro). This is from the product description-

'The Hydro-Sponge Pro series is a sponge filter workhorse. The “reticulated foam” is heavy duty, extremely porous and stiffer than our standard sponges, which allows even greater colonization and mechanical filtration using higher flow rates without clogging. This is serious filtration. These units have the same quality design and function as the standard Hydro-Sponge, but have the heavier constructed foam.The two key factors that differentiate this product are the reticulated foam sponge and its ability to withstand higher flow rates without damage to the foam.'

Note that the standard Hydro-Sponge filters have a fine sponge, and the Hydro-Sponge Pro has a coarse sponge. IME the Pro Series filters are vastly superior, and their high colonization potential obviates the need for media.

 

[John58Ford]

Yes, between those two the hyger has my vote too. An overlooked advantage to that one wouldn't so much be the ceramic media that's included. But if you were to have to treat with meds or have a chemical issue you could drop in some loose charcoal as needed to get the water clean.

For a low flow betta a really good, inexpensive and usually attractive option is a corner matten with a tiny little pump behind it, hiding the heater too, for the outlet, running a section of cpvc painted black, with 1/8" holes drilled in it across the back of the tank distributes flow very evenly. You can get a big section of foam from Amazon very cheap, use a couple scraps of glass from Lowes siliconed to the tank to make the frame to hold the sponge into form, or even cut the corner of an old black trash can and silicone that in to make the frame. I used the same old trash can to make a bunch of corner matten filters and still run one of them in my 45 gallon corner tank. Corner matten filters have typically lasted me 3-6 months between service intervals and give a great grazing area for shrimp and snails.

 

[MegaraSai]

Sir Keith - the media need is because of high phosphates in my source water and my desire to have a different option for including Phosguard. The Pro sponges look a lot like the Co-op ones, too, tho the company does say that media can be dropped into the middle of them. Hmm!

John - Had I known about matten filters when I set it up last year I probably would have gotten one of those pre-gathered parts kits and tried it. Might try it next time I setup/re-setup a tank.

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

--MS

 

[MegaraSai]

I've decided to hold off on changing the filter for now. I'm not having a huge problem with floating particles anymore after two squeezings/washings of the sponge filter which seems to have *finally* removed what was left of the large dissolved catappa leaf, and the mulm that's left settles quickly into the gravel or is easily bastered up. Plus with the new rasboras and re-instituting Friday Fast Day after they grew a milimeter, the plants have taken off! I don't even need to use as much Easy Green as before, tho I doubled the potassium and will add one more root tab to the second planted water sprite.

--MS