Sponge Filter + Substrate

DrKebab · Apr 10, 2008

Well I'm new to aquariums and stuff and I've only had a Whisper Power Filter. I am going to set up a new tank for invertabrates, and I was wondering if a Sponge Filter would work best for it? I don't have a lot of money, and I was looking at some sponge filters and they were not as pricey as the other filters. So my questions are,

1. Would they work with sand?
2. Are they reliable?
3. Could they possibly hurt the cherry shrimps(most likely) or crayfish(maybe) that I'm going to be putting in there?

Revision17 · Apr 10, 2008

1. Would they work with sand?
Yes. Sand is dense enough that it doesn't get readily sucked up.
2. Are they reliable?
As long as your air pump (or water pump) works well, yes. I've never seen one fail.
3. Could they possibly hurt the cherry shrimps(most likely) or crayfish(maybe) that I'm going to be putting in there?
Sponge filters will work perfectly for cherry shrimp since they won't get stucked in. I'm not sure how messy crayfish are, but it might be better to get a power filter.