Easy Build Sponge Filter

loraxchick

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ive seen the link to the DIY sponge filter. just thought id give another construction (which IME is easier and works on the same principle, only no lift tube)
these are great filters betta folks (or anyone else for that matter)! they work much better than even small commercial filters and are easily customizable for your tank size/stocking. no current for your betta and keep water stats perfect!
here goes. sorry i dont have step by step photos to share...perhaps one of these days when im bored and have more time on my hands ill get to that. so here ya go folks. any questions feel free to ask. i just copy/pasted this from a PM...may be some info in there that doesnt pertain to anyone in general, but ignore that. the build is the same regardless.

if you have an established tank, use some media and MAKE your own filter. heres how to make one. ive given advice to a few members so ignore any info that doesnt pertain to you. any more questios feel FREE to ask!

here's how to make one. it is reallllly simple.

list of things you will need:
- an old fish food tub or any other container with a lid depending on the size of the tank to house it (like an old peanutbutter jar (plastic of course), big yogurt container, sour cream container, etc.,).
-something to poke holes in the plastic- a nail and hammer or a drill with a small. sized bit
-gravel or some other material to weight it down
-filter media (sponges work best)
-air pump
-airline tubing


now to build it:
-take the clean container and poke some holes in the bottom. like 8 or so about a mm or so in diameter.
-poke a hole in the lid of the container that will accommodate the airtube and be just a BIT wider than the tubing(so the air can get out as it bubbles)
-take an amount of gravel and put it in the bottom (a small handful will be enough)
-put the airline tubing thru the hole in the lid and then run it in the container right down into the gravel
-pack the filter material nice and tight around the airline tubing. you can cut sponges to fit. just make sure its packed well. if not, the airbubbles will have lots of "options" to escape. the idea is to get it so that there is good suction thru the filter as the bubbles rise. if there is lots of airspace in there, the bubbles take the path of least resistance and suction will not be as good thru the media as it should be, and the filter will not work as well.
- put the lid on the container that now is weighted with gravel and packed with media.
-turn on the airpump and viola- nearly instant and cheap filter!!!

some troubleshooting advice:
-if it seems to float, add more gravel to weight it down
-test your water daily and do appropriate waterchanges until it cycles.
-if using mature media, ive found that they usually cycle within a week or so (or sometimes instantly if the bio load is low).
- if you dont notice reduction of ammonia within a week or two, try packing with more media...or if it was REALLY jam packed, maybe take a bit out.


these filters require VERY little maintenance. they are NOT mechanical filters (do not remove the solid waste in the tank) so they dont get all gunked up with waste. i have not touched my filter media in months!!!! although this means that with water changes, you will have to syphon out the solid waste- these filters do not do that for you. they just take care of the chemical filtration (turning ammonia into nitrites into nitrates). they do circulate water quite well tho.

good luck and feel FREE to ask if you need any further instruction or clarification. they truley are very very simple to make. once you make one, you might not buy a filter ever again. i know i wont smile.gif its a little extra work to clean the solid waste up, but if you regularly do partial water changes anyway, it is not a big deal as you should be syphoning up the poo anyway.

good luck and have fun making your filter!
cheers
 
Heyy, i tried this out and i now have a filter lol, was a quick and easy filter and its working well and making the new boy happy! :D
Thanks ;)
 
SUPER!
glad to have helped. i have these in all my betta tanks.
have fun with your fish~
cheers
 
while that is a good link and a good diy filter, there are many unecessary pieces and parts which will discourage folks from making one (ie powerheads, more tubing etc.). the cost and ease is much more to build this type but do a fine job.
the simplicity of the sort of filter i have given instructions to build i easy and cheap and they work WELL!!! chances are most fish keepers have 95% of the items needed for my build already laying around and even if they dont they are so inexpensive (a small airpump costs less than $10(us), and would be the "expensive" part of the filter. and you can buy airpumps with multiple air outlets so you can hook up several filters to one airpump if you need to build them for multiple tanks. powerheads are not cheap (or are generally several times more expensive than and airpump), but if you find yourself with an extra one the DIY filter in the above link works well too.
cheers
 
So if I got this right, the bubbles go through the media?
Yep thats right, if you have an airstone it bubbles yes? your basically doing this inside the 'filter'. Its brilliant, i have a little blue turning tap on my air pump so i can lower and higher the strength of the bubbles, its brilliant and at bedtime i just turn it down and its just really good. :good:
 

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