[Aqualady]

I have a 10g RCS planted tank. I have noticed for the last week the filter flow is slowly getting lighter to the point today I noticed it is beginning to trickle. I did take it apart (as I routinely do) and cleaned it, which it still isn't doing any better...so my question is...I have a dual sponge filter that is used in combination with an air pump in another tank....can I run the sponge filter only and it be sufficient filtration?

 

[Aqualady]

Okay, great, thanks for the replies.....jk...I figured it out...I have never cleaned the fluval sponge the I have covering the intake pipe due to the yummy stuff my shrimps love to munch on...wellllll that must have been clogged...soooo...nothing a good lil hard rinse couldn't fix.....

 

[Whiskey]

Too late now,.. but I was going to say that lots of people keep shrimp tanks with only sponge filters. In fact it seems to be the method recommended by most of the articles.

Glad you got it working!

Whiskey

 

[Aqualady]

Too late now,.. but I was going to say that lots of people keep shrimp tanks with only sponge filters. In fact it seems to be the method recommended by most of the articles.

Glad you got it working!

Whiskey

Really? I didn't know that...hmmm ...so if all else fails...I do have a backup filter...great...thanks for the valuable info...

 

[aquarist]

Yup, a sponge style filter is what is recommended for shrimp tanks.

 

[Aqualady]

Okay since they are recommended....how would you keep it from clogging like my fluval intake sponge did?

 

[aquarist]

There is no way of keeping it from clogging, it will fill with detritus and will need to be rinsed out, this it just how it works, even the sponges in canister filters have to be rinsed out. With most sponge filters they will have two sponges, and when you do a water change you can take one sponge off and rinse it till the water runs clear, and then the next water change do the other sponge. This will help you maintain a decent Bio load while also providing good filtration for your shrimp.

 

[ravensgate]

I put sponges on the intakes of all my filters, canisters and HOBs. They will eventually slow the filter down or the sponges will even start to collapse in on themselves if they get to gunked up. I squeeze rinse them in tank water only and put them back on. Make sure you don't rinse them in tap water or hot water.

 

[H2Ogal]

I think that rinsing a prefilter sponge from a HOB or canister in tap water is fine ... but not of course the sponge on a sponge filter where it is the home to the primary BB colony.

 

[aluka]

you can use a filter guard instead of a sponge.

 

[Whiskey]

The sponge filter (not the one on hob intake) pulls far less water through, and their fore doesn't clog as quick.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[petlover997]

You can try mesh filter guards.
Someone used to sell them here
But you always check ebay