Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Sponge Filters - homemade

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Andrew (Andrew Taaffe)
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08 Aug 2010 21:52 #1 by Andrew (Andrew Taaffe)

Sponge Filters - homemade was created by Andrew (Andrew Taaffe)

Was looking at making a sponge filter for my segregated breeders tank, 5 sections are covered with the last section noticably thinner but that is where the powerhead for the tubing that feeds water onto each section and the heater fits. Anyway I know I need airline, tubing, an airstone (is a bigger stone better or does it matter?) and also sponge of course - but what type of sponge ?
Has anyone got an article on making these?
Andrew

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email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
see the ITFS tab above for more information www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/itfs

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Andrew (Andrew Taaffe)
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09 Aug 2010 13:19 #2 by Andrew (Andrew Taaffe)

Replied by Andrew (Andrew Taaffe) on topic Re:Sponge Filters - homemade

I was going to use a sponge for washing cars but maybe the pores are too small and would clog leading to ammonia or nitrite spikes, any ideas for a sponge to use?

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09 Aug 2010 16:37 #3 by igmillichip (ian millichip)

Replied by igmillichip (ian millichip) on topic Re:Sponge Filters - homemade

I'd stick to the ones tried and tested for aquarium use. They are not really that expensive (you an buy a big block from some places).

ian

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.

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sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
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09 Aug 2010 18:03 #4 by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)

Replied by sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie) on topic Re:Sponge Filters - homemade

Why not try a mineral bottle, that way u can bore holes in it fill with media like bioballs, ceramic rings etc and top with filter wool just run an airline and airstone in the top and volia a small internal filter

Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild

currently 25 tanks, and breeding is the aim of everything i keep
location:Limerick

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Andrew (Andrew Taaffe)
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09 Aug 2010 23:30 #5 by Andrew (Andrew Taaffe)

Replied by Andrew (Andrew Taaffe) on topic Re:Sponge Filters - homemade

Thanks for the replies, the problem to overcome is that the section is quite narrow, not too tall yet quite deep, and the powerhead for the tubing takes up space too, I will get the tape measure out tomorrow and figure it out.
It would have to be a small bottle to fit in so a long sponge with maybe 2 airlines and tubing may be the answer. If I can get a decent photo I will post up
Thanks again
Andrew

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10 Aug 2010 00:23 #6 by Jaffacakehead (John McPartland)

Replied by Jaffacakehead (John McPartland) on topic Re:Sponge Filters - homemade

Here's a link to a how to make a sponge filter article. www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-filter/19.asp

It uses a powerhead but they are easily made to just use an air-pump.
Use some PVC pipe with an elbow. Seal the end and drill holes where your sponge goes. Then you just push your airline down to the base of the pipe and secure it in place. The air bubbles coming up the pipe draw in the water from the tank.

If you can't find the right type of open cell foam you could use a margarine tub or lunchbox full of gravel which is known as a box filter.
Drill holes in the sides of a piece of rigid pipe at one end. Stand this in the box and fill the box with fine gravel. Just push your airline down to the bottom of this pipe and it works in the same way as a sponge filter. Its kind of like an old fashioned undergravel filter.

Neither of these look great in a display tank but they are very effective for fry tanks and breeding tanks and fry often feed on the infusoria in the sponge.

I quite fancy doing an article on this if I can get the time.

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JohnH (John)
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10 Aug 2010 00:52 #7 by JohnH (John)

Replied by JohnH (John) on topic Re:Sponge Filters - homemade

Andrew,
Please be advised that not all foam sponges are aquarium-safe.
I might have mentioned this before but many years ago when I lived in England a good friend of mine was on the technical side at Algarde.
They were designing the 'Biofoam' filters and had to experiment with lots of sponge types before they found one with the right properties.
Having said that, I have personally use the foam sponges with plastic scourer attached (quite large yellow ones) cut into 1" cubes and put into mesh bags (the sort of one which you buy garlic cloves in) in external filters and I don't think anything has died as a result of it. But like Ian says you can buy blocks of foam for certain types of Pond filters which work out fairly cheap and trim them down to size.
John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.

ITFS member.

It's a long way to Tipperary.

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10 Aug 2010 12:29 #8 by igmillichip (ian millichip)

Replied by igmillichip (ian millichip) on topic Re:Sponge Filters - homemade

JohnH wrote:

Andrew,
Please be advised that not all foam sponges are aquarium-safe.
I might have mentioned this before but many years ago when I lived in England a good friend of mine was on the technical side at Algarde.
They were designing the 'Biofoam' filters and had to experiment with lots of sponge types before they found one with the right properties.
Having said that, I have personally use the foam sponges with plastic scourer attached (quite large yellow ones) cut into 1" cubes and put into mesh bags (the sort of one which you buy garlic cloves in) in external filters and I don't think anything has died as a result of it. But like Ian says you can buy blocks of foam for certain types of Pond filters which work out fairly cheap and trim them down to size.
John

The main reason that I would give a cautionary note on using sponges is where there may be a temptation to use sponges from an sofa cushion.....some fire retard chemicals may be added that wash-out with time. I'd say that the dishwashing sponges are tested for toxicity (they should be by rights), but maybe not the old sponge from an old sofa cushion.

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.

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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Sponge Filters - homemade