Best Sponge Filter?

N

NYK

New Member
Hello everyone. Thinking of switching to sponge filters in my 30 gallon fry tank. But thought I will ask fishbox for some advise first. Do this things actually work?? And which one should I go with hydro sponge or hydro sponge pro. Only difference I could see is the pro sponge is black.

Thanks!
 
Madness

Madness

Well-Known Member
Staff member
One is more porous than the other. The best sponge filters I have ever used
 
pbmax

pbmax

Active Member
BallardFishGuy said:
pbmax said:
Swiss Tropicals Cube Filters - hands down the best out there, in my opinion and experience (having owned hydro sponges in the past).

http://www.swisstropicals.com/Poret%20Cube%20Filters.html

Buy on this page:

http://www.swisstropicals.com/Poret%20Filter%20Foam%20Pricelist.html
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What makes them better?  Always good to hear about other products...
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They're pretty cheap for what you get.  They have more media surface area and you can select the density of the foam.  They have many fewer parts - easier to maintain.  They come with a small bubble-size lifter and for a bit more you can get the directional lifter.  With the hydro sponges you have to add an air stone to get small bubbles.  I think the foam is more durable too... poret is pretty good stuff.  I know the hydro sponge pro has better foam, but i'm not sure it's as good as poret.  The base is more stable as well (it's a tile siliconed to the foam :cheers:).  The foam on the base line hydro sponge filters is junk... same stuff on most basic sponge filters.  It doesn't last very long and it clogs relatively quickly.
 
C

cichlid-gal

New Member
I haven't tried the poret cube sponges but I have looked at them. Now I will have to try them.

I do use poret foam in almost all my tanks in that I buy their foam sheets and cut pieces to fit into both my HOB's and canisters. It is the BEST foam around and will probably last forever. I also have a couple of their Hamburg-Mattenfilters running on my 20G long tanks. I love them.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
If you use sand and african cichlids.  Not so great but still works. The Effer dominant male of the tank keeps digging sand up on to the sponge. Sand goes into the pores. Have to clean it weekly and lose 1\2 cup sand weekly.
 
L

Lamental Jester

New Member
SiRWesDragon said:
If you use sand and african cichlids.  Not so great but still works. The Effer dominant male of the tank keeps digging sand up on to the sponge. Sand goes into the pores. Have to clean it weekly and lose 1\2 cup sand weekly.
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But it's better than the sand getting into your HOB or canister and damaging the motor
 
N

NYK

New Member
True. Just got rid of using sand. I was getting tired of getting it in my canister filters. Have crush coral now. Felt bad getting rid of the sand though my cichlids just loved it like crazy! But I hated it!!! Just way to messy.
 
Madness

Madness

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Cichlids do that, they redecorate there home. So allow them this simple pleasure.

I have huge C&S Am. Cichlids that move sand constantly, my sponges dont need cleaning every week, Id say more like once per month.
 
N

NYK

New Member
Yeah kenyi's go crazy with the digging! I actually had to rehome mine for the reason they kept knocking down my rocks.
 
N

n9643750

New Member
Hey folks,

I'm thinking about getting some of these poret foam filters from swiss tropicals. I was hoping someone could weigh in on how large of a cube filter I might need for effective bio-filtration in a 10 gallon crowded fry tank? A twenty? Also, what is the purpose of the jet lifter instead of the cube lifter? Is it simply for producing current or is it somehow making the filter more effective?

thanks in advance!!

Brandon
 
pbmax

pbmax

Active Member
I use a single 4" cube filter in my 10g tanks (including one crowded platy fry tank) and a pair of them in a 20g tank.  They do have larger ones for bigger tanks, but I have no experience with these.  It definitely wouldn't hurt to put a 5" cube filter in a 10g, beyond the space it would take up.

I would go with 20ppi and no denser since these clog up much slower than 30ppi on up. Most of mine are 30ppi, but the last two I ordered are 20 and the one I'm using is definitely lower maintenance. The trade off, of course, is less bio filter surface area. My fry tank has 30ppi foam.

The only benefit of the jet lifter, as far as I'm aware, is redirecting the current horizontally.  I prefer the jet lifter over the standard lifter, personally.  You can really tell the difference in current.
 
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