# Power vs sponge filters



## fishbone

I am faced with a dillema. I currently have a 20g tank that is on the underfiltered side as I am running a Whisper PF10 on it. My bioload is that of a 10g so for now I am OK. Just now I did a water change and much to my surprise, I have found a BUNCH of tiny ghost shrimp in the filter. Apparently my shrimp had larvae that hatched.
I was in the process of upgrading my power filter but I've never used a sponge filter before. Are they just as good at filtering the water and harvesting bacteria? Obviously I'd go the route of sponge filters because otherwise I'm going to constantly have to either cover up the power filter's intake with filter media (ugly and a bit counterproductive) or continually checking my filter for caught shrimp.
This is exciting because I've NEVER had ghost shrimp babies survive. So now, just letting mother nature take it's course, I have tiny shrimp


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## fishbone

According to Dr Foster & Smith, sponge filters rank low as far as chemical, mechanical and biological filtration works.
What if I were to just get another PF10 pump and run two of them at opposite sides of the tank and, I guess I'll have to run some sort of fine mesh over the intake.


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## emc7

Sponge filters are great biological. ok mechanical, depending on how often you squeeze them out, and zippo chemical. You can compensate for lack of mechanical with a lot of siphoning/gravel washing and for the lack of chemical by lots of water changes. Honestly, chemical filtration is over-rated. If your water has chemicals in it, you should filter it before you put it in the tank. Most chemical filtration (unusually activated carbon) doesn't work all the way to the next media change, anyway. Lack of biological is usually what kills fish when any little dead thing makes a big ammonia spike. 

IME stores hate sponge filters because they are too cheap to make any money off of. Pro free breeders love sponge filters. The are doing massive water changes anyways, so the cheap sponge is all they need.

In lieu of a sponge filter, there is another cheap tried and true technology that is better at mechanical and chemical. A box filter. You put filter floss and carbon in it like you would a power filter, and run it will an air-line. Like any internal filter, it takes up space in your tank and you have to look at it. But like a sponge filter, its low-flow and safe for most fry. 

If you want to stick to the hang-on-backs, sponge pre-filters are good. They restrict the flow somewhat, but nowhere near the restriction you get if you try a knee-high or mesh. You can make your own with a piece of aquarium filter sponge, like the ones they sell for aquaclear filters. Or you can buy one that comes with adapters to different size intake tubes http://cgi.ebay.com/Lustar-Max-I/1-...er-Lustar_W0QQitemZ290269646372QQcmdZViewItem.


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## lohachata

i have sponge filters in almost all of my tanks.. they work quite well for their intended purpose... maybe not the best mechanical filters unless driven by a powerhead.. but they are fantastic biological filters....
no matter what type of filter i buy ; i always buy one that is rated much higher that the tank that i am putting it in...
if you decide that you want to go with sponge filters ; i would recommend you buy 2 that are each rated for a 30 gallon tank or larger ; even though you only have a 20 gallon tank..


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## rrcoolj

Sponge filters are great biological filters but that's pretty much it. They don't move water like a power filter does and no chemical filteration really. IMO I would go with a power filter just a better investment.


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## COM

It turns out that sponge filters can actually be quite effective. They're also quite unsightly.


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## Toshogu

that's why you run a refugium when possible. All my filtration is hidden in the little 25gal. inside the armoire. Also if you use a water pump you can stick a really big sponge on the pump intake thing for extra filtration.


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## smark

I use both kinds of filters, 2 HOB and a sponge filter off an air line. Together they are unbeatable. When I have fry I just switch to sponge only.


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## fishbone

I've been gone for the longest time.
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I think I am set on trying to pick up a Whisper PF30 and getting one of those pre-filter sponges. If you know of any that would fit, feel free to link them. I'll be searching on eBay I guess.
I totally do NOT like the new EX line of Whisper filters. No adjustable flow, they look more bling than functionality.


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