Having a somewhat overstocked goldfish tank, I run two HOB filters: the Tetra Whisper 60 and the Marineland Penguin 350, but what I really needed was more biological filtration, and something I could rely on. The Penguin is not self-priming, and so in case of power failure, it often stops working. Even the Whisper filter is somewhat unreliable when the power goes out, and will not immediately resume working after. The motors in both of these filters will eventually burn out, but my Hydro Pro sponge filters with their simple and effective design will always work.
Due to the circumstances described above, I decided to install two Hydro IV sponge filters in my goldfish tank to increase biological filtration. I needed something reliable and simple that would work, no matter what. As all fish enthusiasts know, biological filtration is the most important type of filtration in any tank, and using a sponge filter is the best way to establish a good bio-filter, especially when your tank exceeds its recommended bio-load.
I run mine in the simple way, with airstones, using a Tetra 77855 air pump. I have been running these for over a month now, and my fish and I have been quite pleased with the results. The water in my tank actually seems cleaner and clearer, and there are no expensive cartridges or parts to replace. It's no wonder most pet stores don't sell these as they are so economical. As long as you rinse them once a month, you never have to replace them, and there are no complicated parts. I rinse mine in a bucket of used water from my aquarium every month, and that's all there is to it. Even though my bio-load is too high, I must say my water quality is excellent, and I have a healthy, happy tank. Even my apple snails are happier. They like to crawl on the sponge, eating any particles of algae or food that get trapped in the outside.
One more benefit of having this type of filter is that it can help quickly cycle a new tank. I have a 40-long tank that formerly housed some mollies. I did a complete water change to prepare the tank to house two black moors, and I needed to cycle it. I squeezed water from my sponges as a source of bacteria, and I put this in my new tank, eventually trading one of my 'dirty' sponges with a new one to more quickly establish the new tank. After trading filter cartridges and bio-wheels in my Penguins and waiting a week, I found no ammonia or nitrites in my tank, and it was ready for the moors. I could have never done this without the quality bio-filtration that these filters provide. I now plan to install Hydro Pro sponge filters in every tank.
I've used sponge filters in the past to polish aquarium water and keep baby fry from being gobbled up by the normal filtration. This Hydro IV works great and the design makes it easy to clean.
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Most aquarium filters now use a motor to force water through some kind of filter pad which must be replaced at intervals. However, before there were reliably sealed electric motors, most home aquariums moved water using the "airlift" principle, in which a rising column of bubbles pulled water through the filtering material. This is an elegant and just about failsafe method. Debris in the tank cannot ever jam the external air pump which feeds the filter, and if electricity is interrupted, the filter cannot lose siphon, it simply starts bubbling again when power is restored to the air pump. Many fish love to play in the rising stream of bubbles.
Hydro Sponge filters, first marketed in the 1990's, are a more recent application of the airlift. Hydro Sponge IV is intended for tanks up to 80 gallons. Made of dense, strong plastic with a weighted base which holds the sponge up away from the aquarium bottom, they dismantle easily for cleaning of the sponge. The pores within the sponge provides an enormous surface area for colonization by beneficial bacteria providing very thorough biological filtration. They can be powered by an air pump with or without an airstone (using an airstone will give finer bubbles and make less noise), or with an electric powerhead for those with larger tanks or who simply feel the need for more energetic water movement.
It is difficult to imagine such a simple device working well. Surprisingly, they are excellent, and can be used as the only filter in the tank for many applications. I've used them on tanks sized from 10 gallons up to 75 gallons, always with good results. The local fish store where I shop has an expensive trickle filter for their dozens of tanks, and every single freshwater tank also has a Hyrdo Sponge or similar sponge filter as well. Apparantly the sponge is doing something which the trickle filter doesn't?
Maintainence is as simple as the filter. When you perform your periodic aquarium water change, (20% every week) save some of the old water in a bucket. Separate the top and bottom parts of the filter and remove the sponge from the tank. Squeeze it out in the bucket. See all the stuff which the sponge removed from the water? Reinstall the sponge and refill your tank. Go have dinner with the money you saved not purchasing replacement filter cartridges.
In sum, a clever and elegantly simple device which works very well.
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I use these in all my fish tanks. Very affordable, excellent filtration. The "Pro" series lasts alot longer and filters better.
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The sponge material used on these is extremely inferior. It loses its shape and tight fit around the lift tube fairly rapidly from cleanings. The pore size isn't really ideal for most common applications, it should be larger for better flow and less clogging. Most don't need a fry safe size, if you do it's something you use only as long as needed since a larger pore is more effective. The pedestal base is also a poor designsponge filters are generally better set directly on the bottom, or even partly buried into the substrate. For the size, there really isn't that much sponge for bio-filtration, an awful lot of it is the unnecessarily bulky plastic pedestal. The extra wide lift tube really isn't an asset, sponge filters are much more effective with only a low to moderate flow ratea faster rate is counterproductive.
EDIT:I do see from the description the "pro" line now claims to use a reticulated spongewhether or not this is actually different or better than the ones I have owned I'm not certain, but it may address some of the earlier problems. I still feel it is a 1 star product due to the other issues, as well as the exorbitant pricemuch better filters can be purchased at half or less.
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I am driving 2 sponge filters from one air pump. This was supposed to split the line and look nicer than the plastic manifold I was using. With only one valve open the air flowed fine. With both open, I didn't get any flow through the manifold. I went back to the plastic manifold. I tried it on multiple pumps and no dice. Don't waste your time with this.
