How To Make A Sponge Filter

[bluesword23516]

Hey guys, so I was wondering if any of you knew how to make a sponge filter? 

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Dou mean how to manufacture a sponge from scratch or do you mean what parts are needed? Usually you cannot DIY a sponge any better or cheaper than what you can buy one for.

 

[bluesword23516]

What parts are needed? 

 

[betta fish]

I've recently made one, just used on old washed pasta jar label removed, some cut up pieces of sponge I had laying around, a plastic tube ideally taller than the jar and an airline and pump to power it, to make I just put the plastic tube in the jar with a little sponge underneath it,  then stuffed the sponge pieces around  it and put the airline at the bottom of the tube and voila! it works well, I have one that I bought too and they are cheap to buy but even cheaper to make if you have the bits lying around 

 

[bluesword23516]

I've recently made one, just used on old washed pasta jar label removed, some cut up pieces of sponge I had laying around, a plastic tube ideally taller than the jar and an airline and pump to power it, to make I just put the plastic tube in the jar with a little sponge underneath it,  then stuffed the sponge pieces around  it and put the airline at the bottom of the tube and voila! it works well, I have one that I bought too and they are cheap to buy but even cheaper to make if you have the bits lying around 

Can you post a photo? I actually think I have all the stuff. What kind of sponge do I have to use?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Please do not put the sponge in the jar- this makes it about as inefficient as one can and still have it work. Here is how and why sponges work.
 

 
Putting sponge in a jar greatly restricts the flow through the sponge. Removing the uplift tube or shortening it reduces flow. Using finer/smaller bubbles by adding an airstone type diffuser makes it more efficient but is not required. The more of the sponge surface through which water can pass on its way through and up the tube, the more effective the filter is.
 

 
The above design uses an internal skeleton to hold hols the shape. Buy these sponges and pars here (cheapest place i know for them): http/www.kensfish.com/aquarium-supplies/aquarium-filters/ati-sponge-filters.html I suggest the Pro over the regular.
 
Poret foam sponges (more pricey but much better) are done as cubefilter. A foam sponge is attached to a piece of tile to hold it down and an uplift tube is inserted into the top of the sponge:
 

 
But these cubes here (sole dealer in the USA): http/www.swisstropicals.com/wp_site/wp-content/uploads/Cubefilters-4-inch-300x327.jpg They are avail in other colors as well.

 

[attibones]

I made a sponge filter for about two dollars.

I took a soda bottle (20 oz), rinsed it really well with some vinegar and water, rinsed again with water. I drilled holes along the bottom of the bottom and one in the side. Then I attached an old heater suction cup into the side hole of the bottle. I threaded some airline tubing through the hole in the center of the bottom of the bottle until it was poking out of the neck. Added some used ceramic media to the inside, attached an airstone to the end of the tubing sticking out of the neck of the bottle, and then found a sponge laying about. I cut out a portion of the inside so that the neck of the bottle would fit snuggley inside. I drilled holes into the lid of the bottle and had planned to keep the lid on the bottle to keep the other media in, but my dog stole and ate it. At that point I put the filter into the tank, sponge side down, attached the suction cup to the wall of the tank for some stability and plugged in my air pump. Works really well. I only had to buy the soda bottle and a new air stone.

 

[betta fish]

The Jar is not completely sealed there is still a 2 inch gap all around the tube on the top that water is drawn down into, the sponge filter I bought is a box corner filter that just has slits on the top so I would imagine it works the same way. I would only ever use them for small tanks with delicate fish such as fry or shrimp, the one I made is currently in my rotifer tank as I'm trying to raise some rots to feed my clownfish fry, the water is quite green in there as they feed on suspended algae otherwise I would take a pic