Sponge on intake

[Moonwasaloon]

Good Afternoon,

 

If i have a sponge on the intake of the filter, there is no need for the sponge inside the HOB correct? There will leave more room for seachem matrix/lava rock.

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

[Vpier]

Good Afternoon,

 

If i have a sponge on the intake of the filter, there is no need for the sponge inside the HOB correct? There will leave more room for seachem matrix/lava rock.

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

No need, the sponge on the intake is for making the filter shrimp safe.

[OMG Aquatics]

Pretty sure sponge on intake slows down the filtration speed.

 

Getting han's filter guard is best.

[Moonwasaloon]

No need, the sponge on the intake is for making the filter shrimp safe.

Thanks for the reply, but it also counts as the mechanical filter of the tank correct?

[Shrimple minded]

I have sponges on both the intake and filter box in my AQ 20s, and still find ample space for matrix and some purigen on top.  

 

At cleaning, the sponge in the filter box can be quite "full".......telling me that it does still do some mech as well as bio filtration.

 

I don't see this making a huge difference either way......both would "work".  More of your own preference IMO.

[californiashrimp]

Sponge on the intake works great. Shrimp like to eat all the little particles that get caught in it. I use them a lot, and don't put sponges in my media basket - just fill with bio rings or whatever biological media you want to use.

[Purplepanda]

Yes agree, having a  sponge on the intake negates having a sponge inside, only difference is the sponge on the intake needs regular cleaning say twice a month.

If not it will quickly start reducing your filter flow rate.

 

Just remember to use your water change water to clean it with, amazing how much dirt the sponge catches and not surprisingly how long it takes to clean

[dreamer_yoyo]

Good Afternoon,

 

If i have a sponge on the intake of the filter, there is no need for the sponge inside the HOB correct? There will leave more room for seachem matrix/lava rock.

 

Thanks,

 

Jason

No need. Sponge or Seachem Matrix/lava rock inside filter has the same function creating living space for beneficial bacterial growing. 

[Crackhead Johny]

My HOBs have polyfiber and charcoal in them (no foam) and then I added foam for the intake. I clean the intake foam about once a month as it plugs up pretty fast and then the GPH drops (I should probably do it every other week as has been mentioned).

The massive corner shaped foam I run on my fluval canister is another story though. The GPH never seems to drop (I have cleaned it once). I may switch to a big round one though as I found a 2nd fish trapped between it and the glass. Luckily I found it this time before it died. I'm super careful to get it right against the glass but the tiny fish keep getting in there. I have not already switched as moving the big drift wood it sits behind, is a real pain in a planted tank. I am also letting the foam get as dirty as possible before wringing it out in sand to begin starting a tank (snail box and moss).

I also put a big foam filter on the out take to out end to kill the big current in the tank. Now the out put is nicely diffused and all the inhabitants are happy.

[josu2]

Pretty sure sponge on intake slows down the filtration speed.

 

Getting han's filter guard is best.

 

FWIW, I've had Han's filter guard clog up in a way similar to how my sponges have (this was a bit disappointing, but it's hard to avoid when requiring such small holes). I have it on a highly-stocked, non-shrimp tank and have to clean it with a toothbrush at least once a week or I lose almost all flow.

[Soothing Shrimp]

Maybe the difference is the shrimp pick off particles, whereas in a non shrimp tank inhabitants don't?

[240ric]

I had the Han SS filter on a fish only tank and it experienced the same thing. The filter gets clogged with what look like fish poop. On my main shrimp only tank, I have not seen any build up since I installed it about 3 months ago.