How To Make Sponge Filter

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If you've been in aquatics for a long time, then you've likely heard of a sponge filter. If you lot're relatively new to aquatics, y'all may have heard people in forums discussing sponge filters. Sponge filters are an old tool that is coming dorsum into popularity as more people become more involved in the intendance of their aquariums.

Sponge filters, as simple as they are, aren't carried in most big box stores and your local fish store may bear them, but likely has a small selection of them. If you've been looking into trying out a sponge filter, the lack of availability of them may have deterred you. The good news is that with a few aquarium items and things you lot tin can catch at hardware stores, making your own DIY sponge filter is a relatively easy projection that you tin can accomplish in an hour or ii.

Outset, permit's comprehend what a sponge filter really is and what the benefits are of using 1. So, keep reading for step-past-stride instructions for making your own sponge filter!

What is a Sponge Filter?

Sponge filters are one of the almost simplistic kinds of filters for aquariums. They are a keen option for hospital tanks, fry tanks, and tanks for pocket-size invertebrates like shrimp because they practise not deport the same risks that HOB and canister filters practise when it comes to small and weak fish and invertebrates.

Sponge filters are a very bones design and basically consist of niggling more than a tube with a sponge on one end. There is a connexion for airline tubing and the air passing through the inner tube gently pulls water from the tank through the sponge, capturing lightweight waste like small fish poop and particles in the water.

I of the biggest benefits of sponge filters is the sponge itself, and not just because it helps keep your small critters prophylactic. The sponge of a sponge filter creates a perfect surface with a huge amount of surface expanse for benign leaner to grow. This means that sponge filters allow for mechanical and biological filtration, but most lack chemical filtration.

Aquarium Tank — Image Credit: PDPics, Pixabay

How to Brand Your Ain DIY Sponge Filter:

Measure and Cut: Measure your PVC so that it is a couple of inches shorter than the water level in your tank, so cutting it to size. The total elevation of your sponge filter doesn't affair every bit long as all the components are built in the right places, and then yous can brand your PVC every bit curt or tall as y'all prefer every bit long as it is below the level of the water.
Measure and Drill: Measure how far up on the PVC your sponge will cover and marker where the top of the sponge volition sit down. Then, drill pocket-sized holes in the expanse of the PVC that will be covered past the sponge. Approximately viii-10 modest holes per inch of PVC should suffice.

Note: You can employ a hammer and nail to put the holes into the PVC, but it is extremely difficult to do without risking injury or harm to the PVC piping. This should exist a last-ditch option for if a drill is not available for you lot to employ.

Cap PVC: Encompass the end of the PVC that volition sit down in the sponge. Y'all can use a PVC cap, or you tin apply any other aquarium-safe cap that volition fit snugly over the cease of the PVC pipe. If you are using a twist-on PVC cap, and so twist information technology tightly into place and then that information technology is airtight. If you are using another type of cap, then you may need to utilise hot glue or superglue gel to brand sure the cap fits snugly and is airtight.
Put Sponge into Place: Slide the sponge into identify, ensuring all of the holes in the PVC pipe are covered by the sponge and the capped end is inside of the sponge.
Thread Airline Tubing: Only above the level of the sponge, drill one more hole that is large enough for y'all thread airline tubing through. The fit should be tight without occluding the airline tubing. If the hole is besides big, air volition bleed around the tubing and the filter volition not function correctly. And so, thread the airline tubing in through the hole and out the open end of the PVC pipe.
Pull Air Stone into Place: One time the tubing is pulled out of the open up PVC end, attach a small air stone. The air rock should be modest enough that if can fit inside of the PVC tubing without occluding the tubing completely. Back the airline tubing out through the hole, pulling the air stone down the PVC most to the level of the hole.
Put Sponge Filter in Place: Your sponge filter is gear up to go to its new home in your tank. Y'all can fix your sponge filter into place nonetheless you prefer. If yous accept suction cups with clips, like yous'd use to attach a heater to the wall of your tank, and then you lot tin use those to prune the sponge filter to the side of your tank. You lot tin can too set up your sponge filter on the bottom of your tank. If you don't want to take a chance your sponge filter getting knocked over, you can attach an aquarium-safety weight to the bottom of the filter. This tin exist done past either putting the weight inside the PVC beneath the level the air rock sits at, putting the weight inside of the sponge only outside of the PVC pipe, or adhere a weight to the outside of the sponge and then that it holds the unabridged pump in place.
Turn on Air Pump: Once everything is continued and seated where you lot want it, you're set to plough the air pump on. You lot should run across air bubbles coming out of the top opening of the PVC. You lot should non see noticeable suction pulling water or objects into the sponge. Sponge filters are gentle and create slow, steady suction.

In Conclusion

Sponge filters are a great addition to just about any tank, merely they are not a good option as the only filter for overstocked tanks or tanks with big or heavy waste producing fish, like goldfish. For these tanks, sponge filters are an splendid supplement to a HOB or canister filter that improves oxygenation, water period, and beneficial bacteria colonization.

Making your ain DIY sponge filter from scratch tin can relieve you time and coin, plus exit you with a sense of accomplishment when yous come across it at work in your tank. Sponge filters require little in the way of cleaning and maintenance and volition not need much more than an occasional cleaning of the interior of the tube and a quick rinse of the sponge in dirty tank water just to knock off solid waste product.

If you have been considering adding some blazon of biological filtration to your aquarium, and so a sponge filter may be the way to go. Making a sponge filter from scratch is a functional, cost-effective projection whether you have one or dozens of aquariums.

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