DIY sponge filter - how much sponge?

I want to make small sponge filters for a couple of two gallon betta
tanks. They are planted, but I think they could do with a bit of
filtration and some gentle water movement. I found these directions but
I will use an airlift rather than the powerhead.
http://www.hagblomfoto.com/article_spongefilter.htm

I got some 1/2" rigid tubing and the airline. How much sponge do I need
for one betta? Would a chunk about 1" square and 4 or 5" tall do the
trick? Also, is open cell filter sponge even the best material or
should I be considering using some sort of matting? I'd like to make
something small, simple and low-maintenance.

Thanks for any ideas.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

"Altum" wrote in message
. net...
I want to make small sponge filters for a couple of two gallon betta tanks.
They are planted, but I think they could do with a bit of filtration and
some gentle water movement. I found these directions but I will use an
airlift rather than the powerhead.
http://www.hagblomfoto.com/article_spongefilter.htm

I got some 1/2" rigid tubing and the airline. How much sponge do I need
for one betta? Would a chunk about 1" square and 4 or 5" tall do the
trick? Also, is open cell filter sponge even the best material or should
I be considering using some sort of matting? I'd like to make something
small, simple and low-maintenance.

Thanks for any ideas.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com


Altum, i was thinking about that my self, the hang on the back filters cause
to much movement then when turned down dont do their job, what kind of
powerhead are they talking about? i have a powerhead on my bigger tanks
connected to an underground, is that what they mean, would that cause to
much movement in the water. do they sel the sponge at any pet store.
nik
You know i was thinking it would be nice if they made bigger sized of those
penplex four compartment holders for betta, for people who have a lot of
them, like make them 5 gl but connected, never mind i am probably not
explaining it right.

"Altum" wrote in message
. net...
I want to make small sponge filters for a couple of two gallon betta tanks.
They are planted, but I think they could do with a bit of filtration and
some gentle water movement. I found these directions but I will use an
airlift rather than the powerhead.
http://www.hagblomfoto.com/article_spongefilter.htm

I got some 1/2" rigid tubing and the airline. How much sponge do I need
for one betta? Would a chunk about 1" square and 4 or 5" tall do the
trick? Also, is open cell filter sponge even the best material or should
I be considering using some sort of matting? I'd like to make something
small, simple and low-maintenance.

Thanks for any ideas.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

whats a air lift? and how do you use it in place of a powerhead?
thanks nik

Nikki wrote:


whats a air lift? and how do you use it in place of a powerhead?
thanks nik



An air lift is a vertical plastic tube into which air is bubbled near
the bottom, either directly or with an air stone. The mixture of bubbles
and water is less dense that the surrounding aquarium water, so it
rises. This technique is used to pump water through undergravel filters,
sponge filters, plastic box filters and air-driven hang-on-back filters.
With some of these filters you can use a powerhead on top of the lift
tube, eliminating the need for an air pump.

Filters driven by electric motors are a fairly new thing in home
aquarium-keeping, with widespread use beginning in the 70's. Before
that, filters used an "air lift" and some still do. Of course, at one
time people used kerosene and alcohol lamps for heating, too .

"Nikki" wrote in message
...

"Altum" wrote in message
. net...
I want to make small sponge filters for a couple of two gallon betta
tanks. They are planted, but I think they could do with a bit of
filtration and some gentle water movement. I found these directions but I
will use an airlift rather than the powerhead.
http://www.hagblomfoto.com/article_spongefilter.htm

I got some 1/2" rigid tubing and the airline. How much sponge do I need
for one betta? Would a chunk about 1" square and 4 or 5" tall do the
trick? Also, is open cell filter sponge even the best material or should
I be considering using some sort of matting? I'd like to make something
small, simple and low-maintenance.

Thanks for any ideas.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com


Altum, i was thinking about that my self, the hang on the back filters
cause to much movement then when turned down dont do their job, what kind
of powerhead are they talking about? i have a powerhead on my bigger tanks
connected to an underground, is that what they mean, would that cause to
much movement in the water. do they sel the sponge at any pet store.
nik
You know i was thinking it would be nice if they made bigger sized of
those penplex four compartment holders for betta, for people who have a
lot of them, like make them 5 gl but connected, never mind i am probably
not explaining it right.


For the sponge filter, a 1x4" rectangle (4sq") would be a little tight
against your 1/2" pipe (giving you 1/4"x4" surface). I would go with
something wider (1.5" to 2") and 3 to 5" tall. For an air drive, have your
1/2" rigid extent a few inches above the sponge filter (or the flow will
defeat the upper section of the sponge), and your air line to drop down
inside to about 1" from the bottom. It will need very little air at a
steady rate, so it'll probably be sensitive to depth (you'll notice it
running stronger when the water level is dropped during water changes ;~).
Airstones help maintain a slow flow if the design allows for them. Have you
figured out how to fasten the airline to the rigid to maintain a constant
depth? Maybe drill a hole in the rigid to thread the airline through.
--
www.NetMax.tk

NetMax wrote:

For the sponge filter, a 1x4" rectangle (4sq") would be a little tight
against your 1/2" pipe (giving you 1/4"x4" surface). I would go with
something wider (1.5" to 2") and 3 to 5" tall. For an air drive, have your
1/2" rigid extent a few inches above the sponge filter (or the flow will
defeat the upper section of the sponge), and your air line to drop down
inside to about 1" from the bottom. It will need very little air at a
steady rate, so it'll probably be sensitive to depth (you'll notice it
running stronger when the water level is dropped during water changes ;~).
Airstones help maintain a slow flow if the design allows for them. Have you
figured out how to fasten the airline to the rigid to maintain a constant
depth? Maybe drill a hole in the rigid to thread the airline through.

Thanks for the help. I want it to be tall and thin so it will sit
unobtrusively at the back of the bowl and I can hide it with plants.
That's why I don't like the Jungle filters. I'll probably go 1.5" by
5". I was going to drill a hole in the rigid tubing and thread the
airline through, exactly as you suggested. I'm hoping that if the hole
is snug enough, the airline tubing will stay in place. If not, I'll
silicone it.

I've noticed how commercial sponge filters are sensitive to depth (as
are airstones). I may be able to use one of the disposable white
airstones used for UGF lift tubes. I'll see if it fits into the tubing.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

Altum wrote"

I got some 1/2" rigid tubing and the airline. How much sponge do I need
for one betta? Would a chunk about 1" square and 4 or 5" tall do the
trick? Also, is open cell filter sponge even the best material or
should I be considering using some sort of matting? I'd like to make
something small, simple and low-maintenance.

I would recommend about a 3" by 2" or more sponge. Also the density and
amount of pores in the spong can make a BIG difference. A dense, porous
sponge can filter 3 to 5 times as much as the coarse spong pictured in
the diagram from the URL you posted.
http://americanaquariumproducts.com/SpongeFilter.html

Carl

On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 12:14:25 -0500, "NetMax"
wrote:

"Nikki" wrote in message
...

"Altum" wrote in message
. net...
I want to make small sponge filters for a couple of two gallon betta
tanks. They are planted, but I think they could do with a bit of
filtration and some gentle water movement. I found these directions but I
will use an airlift rather than the powerhead.
http://www.hagblomfoto.com/article_spongefilter.htm

I got some 1/2" rigid tubing and the airline. How much sponge do I need
for one betta? Would a chunk about 1" square and 4 or 5" tall do the
trick? Also, is open cell filter sponge even the best material or should
I be considering using some sort of matting? I'd like to make something
small, simple and low-maintenance.

Thanks for any ideas.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to reply.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com


Altum, i was thinking about that my self, the hang on the back filters
cause to much movement then when turned down dont do their job, what kind
of powerhead are they talking about? i have a powerhead on my bigger tanks
connected to an underground, is that what they mean, would that cause to
much movement in the water. do they sel the sponge at any pet store.
nik
You know i was thinking it would be nice if they made bigger sized of
those penplex four compartment holders for betta, for people who have a
lot of them, like make them 5 gl but connected, never mind i am probably
not explaining it right.


For the sponge filter, a 1x4" rectangle (4sq") would be a little tight
against your 1/2" pipe (giving you 1/4"x4" surface). I would go with
something wider (1.5" to 2") and 3 to 5" tall. For an air drive, have your
1/2" rigid extent a few inches above the sponge filter (or the flow will
defeat the upper section of the sponge), and your air line to drop down
inside to about 1" from the bottom. It will need very little air at a
steady rate, so it'll probably be sensitive to depth (you'll notice it
running stronger when the water level is dropped during water changes ;~).
Airstones help maintain a slow flow if the design allows for them. Have you
figured out how to fasten the airline to the rigid to maintain a constant
depth? Maybe drill a hole in the rigid to thread the airline through.

Does the old standard for adjusting the speed of a foam filter so that
you can count the bubbles, or at least see each individual bubble
still hold true?

-- Mister Gardener

Altum wrote,
I want to make small sponge filters for a couple of two gallon betta tanks...

Back in my pet shop days we sold those (flat sided) drum goldfish bowls
for bettas. We also sold the sea shell lighted top, the round under
gravel filters, and even the 5 watt mini heaters (haven't seen those in
years). Those round under gravel filters would not fit into the 1/2
gal. drum bowls. One of our breeders kept her male bettas in those 1/2
gal. drum bowls, and made her own sponge filters. She used the bottom
section of a small hang-on filter's return tube - the one with the
slots. For the sponge, she used those foam slip-on pre-filter socks
(mabe 1/8" thick. She put a glass marble in the bottom of the lift tube
to keep it from floating. Using PVC glue, glued a 1/8" rigid airline
tube 1/8" above the glass marble inside the lift tube. Her filter was
about 4" long and mabe 3/4" round...
Since one sq. meter of foam can metabolise nearly one gram of ammonia
per day, seems her filter media was large enough for a much larger
bio-load than one betta could produce............... Frank

"Mister Gardener" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 12:14:25 -0500, "NetMax"
wrote:

"Nikki" wrote in message
...

"Altum" wrote in message
. net...
snip
Does the old standard for adjusting the speed of a foam filter so that
you can count the bubbles, or at least see each individual bubble
still hold true?

-- Mister Gardener

I guess I'm to young to remember this standard ;~) (digs when I can get
them), but it sounds completely reasonable. For small tanks, seeing
individual bubbles would probably be ideal. Too much air would slow it
down, as it's the gap between bubbles which carries the water up.
--
www.NetMax.tk