# How to set up a sponge filter?



## eemmais (Oct 28, 2012)

I plan on dividing my ten gallon and I want to add small sponge filters in each section. How do I use sponge filters? What do I need to buy?


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## Laurenie (Aug 5, 2010)

eemmais said:


> I plan on dividing my ten gallon and I want to add small sponge filters in each section. How do I use sponge filters? What do I need to buy?


How many sections do you plan on making? IME it isn't necessary to have a seperate filter for each section--assuming the dividers allow for adequate water flow between them and you use a filter rated strong enough for the size of the whole tank. I'm a big fan of sponge filters and highly recommend them, when I had my 10 gallons divided into 3 sections I would just place the filter in the middle section and had no problems with it efficiently filtering the entire water column throughout the sections.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Basically all you need is airline tubing, an air pump and a sponge filter. 

Optional extras are a check valve and a control valve to slow or increase the rate of air being pushed through the sponge filter.

All you have to do is connect your airline tubing to your pump and then connect the other end to your sponge filter.

Sponge filters will float when you first add them, so give them a good squeeze until the sponge is completely saturated and all the air is pushed out. It should sink then. 

If you go for three filters, you can run all three off a single air pump using a gang valve. I run fifteen sponge filters off the one pump in my room.


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## Otterfun (Dec 31, 2012)

LittleBettaFish said:


> Basically all you need is airline tubing, an air pump and a sponge filter.
> 
> Optional extras are a check valve and a control valve to slow or increase the rate of air being pushed through the sponge filter.
> 
> ...


How is a sponge filter different from an airstone? do they have the same function as in getting oxygen via the air pump only one with and one without sponge? I am confused.


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## tekkguy (Jan 28, 2013)

Otterfun said:


> How is a sponge filter different from an airstone? do they have the same function as in getting oxygen via the air pump only one with and one without sponge? I am confused.


The sponge filter is designed so that as air runs through it and toward the surface, water is drawn through the sponge. The porous nature of the sponge allows for bacteria growth - the water is essentially dragged through a serving line of bacteria, who feast on all of the nastiness in the water. This is biological filtration.

It also adds a bit of mechanical filtration (i.e. poop catching) as the water is drawn to and through the sponge, because moving water obviously will drag solid waste with it to some extent. This will get trapped on the sponge.

Cleaning a sponge filter is easy - just dip it into a bowl of tank water (like when you perform a water change) and give it a few squeezes.


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## eemmais (Oct 28, 2012)

Alright thanks everyone!


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