AQUANEAT Aquarium Sponge Filter 4 Pack (Large)

The AQUANEAT Aquarium Sponge Filter 4 Pack includes four large sponge filters, each listed for tanks up to 60 gallons. They run on an air pump: bubbles rise through a lift tube and pull water through the sponge. That gives mechanical and biological filtration with very little current.

Who they suit

AQUANEAT recommends these for small fish such as dwarf cichlids, guppies and killifish, plus hatcheries, maternity tanks and fry tanks. The sponge surface leaves almost no way for fish or shrimp to be pulled in, which is why breeders rely on them.

Size

Each unit measures 4.5 inches across and 8.0 inches high. That’s large enough to hold a good amount of bacteria, yet small enough to tuck behind plants.

Set up

• Push airline tubing onto the top of the lift tube.
• Connect it to an air pump such as the Fluval A402.
• Add a check valve so water can’t siphon back into the pump.

The pump and tubing are not part of this pack.

Cleaning

Rinse and squeeze the sponge in tank water during a water change. Clean only enough to restore flow so the bacteria stay in place.

Why four

A 4 pack covers several breeding tanks, or lets you keep a spare sponge running in the main tank. A seeded spare is useful for setting up a quarantine or hospital tank quickly, since it brings bacteria with it.

Oxygen

The air chamber makes fine bubbles that add oxygen while the filter runs. That helps in warm tanks or ones with many fry.

Each sponge takes a few weeks to build up bacteria in a new tank. Running a spare in an established tank first means it is ready to filter as soon as you move it.

Alternatives

For a single unit, see the AQUANEAT bio sponge filter. For bigger tanks, the DVHEY sponge filter adds ceramic media.