Sponge Filters [Archive]

TrystanV

11-03-2009, 01:50 AM

Okay so I've been looking for a good sponge filter, problem is there are like 50 different kinds, so my question is...what do you guys use as in quality wise

Thanks

Trystan

Eddie

11-03-2009, 06:42 AM

Okay so I've been looking for a good sponge filter, problem is there are like 50 different kinds, so my question is...what do you guys use as in quality wise

Thanks

Trystan

Hydro Sponges are top quality. I like the newer Hydro-Sponge Pro Series ;)

http://www.kensfish.com/aticompletefilters.html

HTH

Eddie

TrystanV

11-03-2009, 12:25 PM

Thanks Eddie I'll check those out:)

mmorris

11-03-2009, 01:42 PM

Any 'ole sponge filter should be fine. The sponges, in my experience, seem to be interchangeable as well but then I've only used a couple of different kinds.

David Rose

11-03-2009, 02:07 PM

I got mine at Jehmco.com and am very pleased with the customer service, pricing and fast shipping.

http://www.jehmco.com/html/hydro-sponge_filters.html

diamond_discus

11-03-2009, 03:21 PM

I got mine at Jehmco.com and am very pleased with the customer service, pricing and fast shipping.

http://www.jehmco.com/html/hydro-sponge_filters.html

Yep, I ordered hydro filter from both Jehmco and Kensfish ... both sponsors are great.

j_li8

11-03-2009, 03:31 PM

I too get my sponges at Jehmco. As a matter of fact i just placed another order for 6 more a few hours ago.

Eddie

11-03-2009, 07:48 PM

David Rose

11-03-2009, 07:57 PM

Kensfish is a sponsor and his prices/shipping are exceptional. Many people forget to support the forum when possible and if you are gonna save money, plus get great info here....what is there to lose, NOTHING.

Jehmco is not a Simply sponsor as someone mentioned above.

Eddie

Sounds a little preachy Eddie?

We all can offer our opinions and support to the vendors we have experience with. I think DD just had a typo regarding both vendors being sponsors.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Ken's at all. Just haven't ordered from him yet and wished he had pictures of their products on their website.

Just my two cents as they say...

PS: BTW, I've mentioned to John at Jehmco that he should become a sponsor here. :)

Eddie

11-03-2009, 08:07 PM

Sounds a little preachy Eddie?

We all can offer our opinions and support to the vendors we have experience with. I think DD just had a typo regarding both vendors being sponsors.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Ken's at all. Just haven't ordered from him yet and wished he had pictures of their products on their website.

Just my two cents as they say...

PS: BTW, I've mentioned to John at Jehmco that he should become a sponsor here. :)

Preachy...your lucky this forum is here. Dont preach to the choir.

David Rose

11-03-2009, 08:12 PM

Preachy...your lucky this forum is here. Dont preach to the choir.

Nice Eddie.

Eddie

11-03-2009, 08:21 PM

Nice Eddie.

Guess I could have worded it better David. I am always looking for ways to support the forum, thats all. Also if others can save money, there is no harm in that. There is definitely no harm in referring to other companies and I wasn't saying that it was bad, but it wasn't "preachy". If you feel it was, you could deal with it via PM, not call me preachy for trying to help both the forum and its members.

Eddie

ifixoldhouses

11-03-2009, 08:26 PM

I buy most of my stuff from Ken's ,theres a link on his pages to a picture of everything he has.

David Rose

11-03-2009, 08:27 PM

Not saying you're preachy at all bud, but not everyone may know you or know what you meant. That's why I asked and used a question mark in my first sentence.

I agree with you 1000% that we should support our sponsors whenever possible and I do on a regular basis.

David Rose

11-03-2009, 08:29 PM

I buy most of my stuff from Ken's ,theres a link on his pages to a picture of everything he has.

I've noticed "for picture" before, but if it's a link, it doesn't work for me. Maybe it's IE 8.0 browser issue?

Eddie

11-03-2009, 08:34 PM

William Palumbo

11-03-2009, 09:02 PM

I love doing business with Ken...Great stuff...prices...and fast shipping. I will be the first to admit that his website has a lot to be desired. Maybe we should tell him...LOL. I use all kinds of sponge filters. Hydros I love/hate. The plastic gets brittle after awhile, crack, then won't stay together. Tons of debris get caught under it. I like the Tetra sponge filters and the other version of it I can't think of the name. Hate the suction cups. Nice to position on the side of the tank, out of the way...but they slip and fall off. As said, most will work...just have to decide what is best for you...whether it be convenience or money. I like the sponge filters with the slate bottoms, and the bigger HMF sponge filters like Hans sells...Bill

Jhhnn

11-03-2009, 09:47 PM

I use and like the H-III sponge filters from both Jehmco and Kensfish. They're small enough fit easily through the glass top openings for cleaning, big enough to hold a large bacterial colony. I also like to use small airstones in each one, and put an extra HS-A riser under each filter, making it easier to siphon gunk from the base. I also found that my fish would get scraped on the ends of the clear tube risers when they spooked, even though I'd smoothed the ends meticulously w fine sandpaper. Like many other hobbyists, I finally pitched the tubes w/ no ill effects...

Not to be preachy, but I buy from Ken when I can, when he has what I want. His prices are highly competitive, service excellent, and he offers goods that I haven't found elsewhere. Web ordering and Paypal are also a big plus in my book.

I have a rather pricey Ranco controller on the heaters in my 120- I like having backup temp control. I recently acquired a finnex controller from Ken for 1/3 the price, $25, and it's working every bit as well on my other tank, so far... Haven't seen them offered anywhere else, and I plan on more as I set up more tanks. It's cheap insurance coupled to his bargain priced Jager heaters.

OH, yeh- I also use a H-III fine sponge on the prefilter adapter as a prefilter for my canister- does a much better job of keeping gunk out of the canister than the coarser foam it came with...

smiley

11-04-2009, 07:46 AM

I too buy stuff from ken...Even giving international orders and those high shipping charges..but its worth it..I am waiting my next shipment of food supplies :D

smiley

11-04-2009, 07:54 AM

amazing i just got a call from our delivery section....my box has come...is this coincidence or what....amazing!!!Just finsihed typing and bang....woohooo...

Eddie

11-04-2009, 08:08 AM

amazing i just got a call from our delivery section....my box has come...is this coincidence or what....amazing!!!Just finsihed typing and bang....woohooo...

Wow, thats almost scary! In less than 10 minutes from your post.

Eddie

smiley

11-04-2009, 08:12 AM

I know...hope ken doesnt Sell voodoo as well :D ..Never expected this call..i cant believe myself

seanyuki

11-04-2009, 10:17 AM

I have noticed not many people are giving comments to the new ATI HYDRO SPONGE PRO FILTERS.....from Ken(kenfish.com)....I do find them better than the old version...people still buying the old version,just curious:confused:

diamond_discus

11-04-2009, 10:46 AM

Wow, sorry to create such mess by my ignorant typo ... I didn't know Jehmco is not a sponsor ... I just assume they are because there are so many referal in the forum to Jehmco. My bad .....

I never even try to compare price between Ken and John. They are both good and like I said earlier, I ordered from both of them quite often. John helped me out quite a bit on plumbing related questions .. and Ken helped me out on discus food.

BTW, I am still using the original sponge filter, not the pro version. What is the different and why is it better ? Ken's website indicates that pro filter is good when using a power head ? Why are they better then for breeders, hatcheries and heavily saturated tanks ? Maybe I will give Ken a call.

seanyuki

11-04-2009, 11:13 AM

The new version is more coarse surface and won't go out of shape after numerous cleaning with PP......the old version is smooth suface and will be out of shape in time.

here are some pics.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh127/seanyuki/th_2009_11040001.jpg (http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh127/seanyuki/2009_11040001.jpg)
Smooth surface
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh127/seanyuki/th_2009_11040005.jpg (http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh127/seanyuki/2009_11040005.jpg)
Coarse surface
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh127/seanyuki/th_2009_11040004.jpg (http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh127/seanyuki/2009_11040004.jpg)

Hope this helps

Wow, sorry to create such mess by my ignorant typo ... I didn't know Jehmco is not a sponsor ... I just assume they are because there are so many referal in the forum to Jehmco. My bad .....

I never even try to compare price between Ken and John. They are both good and like I said earlier, I ordered from both of them quite often. John helped me out quite a bit on plumbing related questions .. and Ken helped me out on discus food.

BTW, I am still using the original sponge filter, not the pro version. What is the different and why is it better ? Ken's website indicates that pro filter is good when using a power head ? Why are they better then for breeders, hatcheries and heavily saturated tanks ? Maybe I will give Ken a call.

diamond_discus

11-04-2009, 11:22 AM

I clean my sponge filter every other day, by squeezing them in bucket during water change.

Anyway, it's not that much more expensive with the pro version. I guess I will order those when I finish with my current smooth surface stock.

Anyway, thanks for the picture.

fishorama

11-06-2009, 08:25 AM

Eddie

11-06-2009, 08:39 AM

I asked Ken about his website (he's local-ish for me) he said he doesn't use pics etc so people with dial-up (gasp!) don't have to wait forever. Lots of his customers can't get high speed service.

I went with the finer sponge thinking that bigger stuff would be easier to clean off rather than out if you know what I mean. I haven't used it yet though so I don't know.

The Pro has its pros and cons, LOL. The finer is great, just after a few years they start sagging and lose shape. Its no biggy though, by then you'll most likely have a new one cycling or already cycled for replacement. ;)

I just ordered 4 Pro IVs from Ken yesterday, the thought crossed my mind about getting the OGs.

Eddie

jeff@zina.com

11-06-2009, 11:23 AM

The HydroSponge Pro (Which is my choice of sponge filter) is coarser and flows more water, but small fry can become trapped (not usually an issue with discus fry). The Pro is perfect for power head use. Both series are still available.

As for sponges, I've tried just about all of them, from DIY to commercial of all kinds. The ATI HydroSponge is inexpensive, all parts are easily replaced and available from Ken's (Big plus). You can also buy replacement foam of all kinds, such as Poret, to fit the ATI system. Doubling or ganging sponges is easy too.

The major concern about these sponges that I have seen is price. A DIY sponge is half the price or less. Not factoring in that my labor is worth something, I'd have to be buying hundreds of sponges to see a real difference, and I'm not about to sit and make hundreds of sponges.

Jeff

jeff@zina.com

11-06-2009, 11:28 AM

...and the bigger HMF sponge filters like Hans sells...

Speaking of these, is anyone using the Poret filters for breeding tanks? I'm considering setting up some 20H tanks that are drilled for overflows behind one of these. I'm mostly concerned about cleaning the sponges, pulling a foot-square sponge is a lot tougher than a 4" cube. :)

Jeff

William Palumbo

11-06-2009, 02:09 PM

I am not using them in my breeding tanks...yet. Awhile back when I first got mine, he did not have the lighter colors he does now. True...no denying it, it is easier cleaning a smaller Hydro filter than one of these. Just with one of these, they do not have to be cleaned nearly as often. When it is time, I just rinse them in my bucket of tank water while doing a wc...Bill

Jhhnn

11-07-2009, 05:10 PM

Speaking of these, is anyone using the Poret filters for breeding tanks? I'm considering setting up some 20H tanks that are drilled for overflows behind one of these. I'm mostly concerned about cleaning the sponges, pulling a foot-square sponge is a lot tougher than a 4" cube. :)Jeff

I'd think you could use an ati sponge on the intake of a durso standpipe arrangement-

http://www.dursostandpipes.com/