# Is the airflow on my sponge filter too strong?



## miyukiwynter (Dec 18, 2012)

I'm new to sponge filters. There is about a half inch of space between the bubble output and the water surface and my new betta keeps swimming up to it and getting pulled up slightly with the bubbles and then he swims away. He keeps going back and doing it over and over so I can't tell if the bubbles are too strong and actually pulling him in, or if he's actually playing with it.

It is set up in the corner of the tank (2.5 gallon) and I have a large decoration on the opposite side so he can hide from it, but he just keeps going back over to check it out. 

When he's farther away it doesn't look like he is struggling against any type of current (I have had a fish that struggled against the filter before, and this guy isn't acting like that one did). 

Unfortunately the airflow isn't adjustable... Anyone seen a betta do this before?


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## miyukiwynter (Dec 18, 2012)

He's essentially doing what this fish in this video is doing, but on a smaller scale since there isn't much space for the bubbles to push him. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56h3LTGq_-k


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

It sounds like he's just having fun. If you are concerned about the airflow you could always get a gang valve and bleed of some air to slow it down. You could also simply poke a few pin holes in the airline to reduce the bubbles. Tetra Whisper pumps come with a control valve to adjust airflow, although inhibiting the airflow could shorten the life of the pump. It's better to bleed the air out.

The sponge filters I use have a lift tube that deposits the water gently above the surface. You might be able to rig something similar up with some rigid air tubing.

http://www.amazon.com/Elite-A900-Single-Sponge-Filter/dp/B0002AQGZQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1434670161&sr=8-3&keywords=hagen+sponge+filter%5C


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## DangerousAngel (Mar 26, 2015)

A Hawkeye airpump is also small and adjustable. I am using 2 of them at the lowest setting.


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## miyukiwynter (Dec 18, 2012)

MikeG14 said:


> It sounds like he's just having fun. If you are concerned about the airflow you could always get a gang valve and bleed of some air to slow it down. You could also simply poke a few pin holes in the airline to reduce the bubbles. Tetra Whisper pumps come with a control valve to adjust airflow, although inhibiting the airflow could shorten the life of the pump. It's better to bleed the air out.
> 
> The sponge filters I use have a lift tube that deposits the water gently above the surface. You might be able to rig something similar up with some rigid air tubing.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Elite-A900-Si...34670161&sr=8-3&keywords=hagen+sponge+filter\


Thanks for the link! For now I'll probably go with the gang valve and see how that works for a while. I'll see how that goes and maybe check out other sponge filters like that one in the near future.


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