Hello Everyone,
We have another comparison – sponge filters vs hang on the back! We have used both so we talk a little about which one is better. Feel free to share your thoughts on both in the comments section below – which one do you like better?
Thanks for watching!
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I prefer internal filters. They’re typically pretty quite and easy to use. Mine has a wave maker on it and allows me to filter water and move the water properly.
I use both in the same tanks.
I use hang on the back. Made my own cartridge which is basically a sponge and simply clean it off in the sink. 2 years running on 2 separate 10 gallon tanks planted tanks with at least 20 full size guppies in each tank. The population is 4 years old and thriving/overpopulating.
What would the difference be with just running a HOB filter with just a sponge as the filter? would it not be a very similar filtration ?
I can’t speak for sponge filters, but I can hang ons. I’ve used aquaclear, fluval c series, and the Seachem tidal. Aquaclear has a lot of in filter area for media, but a little loud in my experience. The fluval c series are basically a hang on wet dry filter due to the trickle plate. A nice design. The tidal filters have almost the same area as the aquaclear filters, but incorporate an internal pump (manufactured by Sicce) so you don’t have to worry about power outages. Has a built-in surface skimmer as an added bonus.
As much as I love being mesmerized by that beard I think showing your tanks would increase the amount of views.
Also thanks for the info
My first fish tank had an under gravel filter powered by an air pump, it also had a reservoir on the top that held carbon for chemical filtration, you might explore that as an addition to your sponge filter.
Can you use sponge filters with turtles?
Thank you.
Nice to the point, facual , from experience.
Been a fish keeper over 50 years.
I agree on every point. Learned a few things I can use. Hope you make some money and save thousands of fish in your
Endeavor.
M.
The King of filters on bang for the buck are HMF filters. Big surface area, don’t clogg, highly biological active, easy to buy or to build your self, fry, Shrimp proof, no moving parts, low electricity use.
Great video. I personally use hob filters and canisters, but I resently got a breeding pair of angel fish and was looking for another type of filtration. Sponge filters was the answer. They are good for the fry and allow a tube for the angels to lay there eggs on.
its people like you who should be called saints thankyou Sir!
I believe each have theyre purposes, I use a sponge in my 20g breeding tank to keep water movement lower allowing better conditions for egg fertilization and fry to handle better. i use two hang on the backs in my 80g community tank. and for the 10$ it costs (where I live at least) i buy the intake sponges for both because more places for good bacteria sounds good to me and it really saves on having to clean the inside of the hang on back
Canister filter master race
Once I had a Kuhli loach that managed to get inside a HOB filter and die inside but that’s the only major issue I’ve had with them.
Great video! So informative!
Question why is it that you see people use 3 or 4 sponges rated for 60 gallon tanks instead of using 2 that are rated 120 gallons. I see it all over youtube is there a advantage or a reason? What’s your opinion?
hi jason can you tell me if these sponge fillters are good for fantail gold fish?
canister vs over-tank wet/dry trickle pls
I get a sponge and skrunch it up into a hob and hoom 2 in 1
Great! Now…. Will you do another?… UGF VS cannister? Ta.
I love sponge filters, especially for people who are just getting started because they are dead nuts simple. There isn’t many things you can say “get this, put it in your tank and your fish will do better” and sponge filters are one of them. I keep one running in my sump at all times in case I need to quickly set up a tank for whatever reason, their utility as an instant cycle filter is awesome. My experience with hang on back filters is not the same. They rattle, gurgle, slurp, splash, they have expensive cartridges that always seem to get clogged up whenever you don’t have spares, necessitating a trip to the fish store to buy another, breaking them down and cleaning them is a chore.
I would rather having that sponge filter working in a corner with a few bits of val in front of it than a hang on back. You take it out, you squeeze it in some tank water, you put it back. Simple and easy.
Very good
Aquaclear 70 uses 6 watts; so 300 40 gallon tanks can run off of one 15 amp circuit; assuming lights/heaters on other circuits. If you add the sponge filter to HOB intake, you now have both filters. Cost is the biggest issue. If you set up 100 tanks at once, you’ll always go the cheaper route. If you buy your tanks slowly, you won’t notice the cost of another HOB. I prefer HOBs… but then I currently run canisters on all my tanks – go figure. 🙂
What category are canister filters in?
You’ll never get the great water flow of a HOB with a sponge. See the vids with a couple bubbles rising from a lift tube – minimal filtration at best. Great for fry tanks tho.
I have a 75 gallon planted rainbow/angel tank. I was so worried when I got into the hobby that I wasn’t going to have enough filtration. Started with a canister filter, then got an aquaclear 70 HOB, and then I got two sponge filters. Oh and every intake has a sponge on it. At first I was thinking that it was all way too much but it has allowed me to put tons of chemical/mechanical filtration in the canister filter and load up the HOB with bio filtration. It’s total overkill but it cracks me up watching it all.
Side note: I have a few different Aqueon quietflow HOB filters and they always start after a power outage. Obviously they don’t have the media bin like an Aquaclear but you can still hot rod them really well.
will the hang on filter be enough for a 70 gallon with a flowerhorn or do u suggest a canister filter?
why choosing between these two ?? canister master race 😛
How many sponges can be ran on 1 air pump? Thanks and great video
thanks!!! Amazing video
can i get away with a sponge filter ONLY in a 10 gallon with a betta