SPONGE FILTERS ARE THE BEST FILTER FOR A NATURAL AQUARIUM

Natural aquariums do not need to be treated like garbage dumps. They are not overfed, are not overstocked, and are not incapable of removing ammonia without substantial help.
A natural aquarium is balanced. It is self sustaining. It feeds its inhabitants. and it is a joy for the fish keeper. The very best filter for a natural aquarium is the sponge filter.
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[@ulhas2637]

I wasn't fan of those bubbles and big sponge in the tank. But after using it in one of my sand base tank it did the magic. A crystal clear water with just a sponge filter. Now I have found a way to hide it behind plants/rocks and saved money running behind those HOB or Canisters :)

[@FatherFish]

As have many of us discovered!

[@sagrath1982]

Could not be more agree with FF, I have a bettarium running with sponge filter with hight light it’s thriving like a "hight tech aquarium". You’re the best!

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Sagrath.

[@marypaigeflynn4512]

Oh I love the shirt and I'm going to have to have one 😁❤️ Always great information and a wonderful video. I never knew about Sponge filters until a couple years ago... couple that with plants and you have a great ecosystem going on! Self-sustaining Natural aquariums are one of the best way to go 💚 deep substrate all the way around ❤️❤️ not only is the sponge filter a blessing to us in the aquarium hobby so are you....thank you Father Fish 🙏🌿🐟🌿

[@FatherFish]

You are so welcome! Mary. See you Sunday. Glad you are feeling better.

[@jamesgreen9372]

Great insights ! I appreciate you looking at a filter from the function, need, and engineering for the system. Most videos center on what is best for the aquarist. Just smart enough to know the fish matter more, Jim

[@FatherFish]

Smart man, Jim. You nailed it.

[@JessieStolar]

Thanks. Such a sassy old dude. Thanks for the good information

[@FKJ_WORLD]

For sure sponge filters works for some aquariums while it doesnt for other. Informative share boss

[@FatherFish]

THANKS JAMAICA

[@herpdiversity9152]

With the exception of creating extra flow for more interesting behavior in stream fish i 100% agree

[@FatherFish]

stream tanks need to be very imaginative.

[@reyramirez2443]

Sponge filters are simply the best even for large fish like cichlids. They are cheap efficient and will last years. If power goes out you don’t need to prime. The only down is they are not the nicest to look out l, just cover with rocks. I even use them successfully for saltwater tanks

[@elliea9557]

Every filter failed with my Betta in a 7g tank until I switched to sponge filter + airflow controller (since even the slowest setting on the air pump was too much for him). Now there are about two bubbles coming up per second, and he’s absolutely zen. He rests on the plants… roams on the sand .. I’m happy and grateful.

[@sq33qs]

I have a sponge filter in ALL my tanks, they are the best bang for buck product in the hobby. :)

[@FatherFish]

If you are not overfeeding they are perfect.

[@thenextpoetician6328]

Never had an aquarium. No plan to have one, however the channel was recommended while discussing aquaponics which a friend of mine is most interested in, so now I can vicariously enjoy what the fuss is all about. :)

[@FatherFish]

Very cool. Welcome to the fish brawl.

[@xray4326]

Using dual sponge filter that comes with a motor. Love it! When it comes to maintenance, spongy is the winner.

[@FatherFish]

Totally agree!

[@SkullAquatics]

Another great video Father Fish.

[@FatherFish]

Thank you skull.

[@samueljackson6188]

I like canister filters because you can customize the filter Materials and control the flow of water. Basically, I just use lava rocks and a scoring pad. Cheap and easy. I only touch the thing once a year.

[@regosilver1147]

Great video 👍👍 awesome topic to talk about

[@FatherFish]

Glad you enjoyed it Thank you Rego.

[@gerlandkent6377]

[thank, you father fish for you're helpful videos and you're info. I, was heavy in to fish and fish tanks back in the 90s but I, never new anything about what you're are explaning so I wanted to get back in to fish and fish tanks so I google up some info on fish and fish tanks and I seen you're videos on Google so I viewed one of you're videos off of Google and wow I've learned a lot that I did not know plus I'm still learning more and more on you're videos and you're info] 🙏🙏🙏

[@charliemalinis5028]

Love them have them in all my😀 tanks

[@AQUAGUYUK]

Agreed to an extent depending on other tank mates and substrates also allowing algae to grow helps

[@FatherFish]

YES!

[@julianjamesfayers9101]

Brilliant information. I thank you very very much sir! 👏👍

[@Ratsnake]

Well I guess if you absolutely need some type of filter I would highly agree that a Sponge Filter is the best filter for a natural style Aquarium (That is what this videois about and not any other style of aquarium). If you're trying to use one on a loaded up cichlid tank that has a bare bottom, you will probably find a Sponge Filter far less than adequate. So I Sponge Filter is an awesome tool in your arsenal of aquarium keeping tools.

[@FatherFish]

Precisely. You got it!

[@scottmerrow7617]

I now use sponge filters and Lee's triple flow corner filters in all my aquariums. 1" lift tubes fit the medium size Lee's box filters. Whether I need them or not. Never ever going back to undergravel, HOB or canisters

[@FatherFish]

Totally agree Scott.

[@scottmerrow7617]

@@FatherFish I'm 60, been in it 50 yrs on and off and have come full circle. Less is more. Nature knows what it's doing. Thanks for you and your channel

[@pinheadlarry2506]

amazing shirt lol. Also, after seeing a couple of your vids, i decided I am going to redo my tank and make it as natural as possible. I currently have 3 inches of sand, fake plants, and a HOB filter. i have guppies and platys who are bredding uncontrobaly lol. I think i will donate them to my local fish store and restart with an inch of pottin soil, 2-3 inches of sand( I will reuse my current sand), and ton of plants. Im going to try and make a carpet of grass at the bottom along with having some standard easy plants and frogbit on the top to finish it all off. Also gonna get a sponge filter to help keep my frogbit alive . i tried to care for them with my HOb filter but they alwayd die to too much water agitation and because the filter dunks them under way to often. Wish me luck, ill report back in maybe 6 months to a year.

[@FatherFish]

Join us at the Father Fish Shoal to keep up to date. discord.gg/G4fkAE6qNw

[@pinheadlarry2506]

@@FatherFish i think I will, thank you!

[@Aliholic]

I appreciate all the info provided. It's a radically different view at maintenance from what I'm used to hearing from other channels, but it's much closer to my personal goal of a "0 water-change" tank. I've incorporated a small aquaponics system onto my 55 planted tank (mint, lettuce, golden pothos, trifasciata and bamboo). There is no dirt in the tank, it was started before I heard about the Walstad method, and frankly I don't want to tear up the tank and damage the roots - the tank has been going for about 18 months now. I am curious if you ever test for nitrates in your tanks. I've been hovering over 40 ppm, which, I am guessing based on your previous advice, is likely due to overfeeding and overfiltering (tank is running on a canister, which I am likely going to swap for a big sponge + internal power filter for more flow)

[@FatherFish]

40 Nitrate is not high. It should be held down by the plants. You are stable. No need to try to change anything.

[@scotth9881]

You should check out some if the air driven filters that are being built on the Fishman KZbin channel. There's some pretty interesting stuff on there using air, gravel,and plants in them.

[@FatherFish]

Will ck it out. Thank you.

[@dax8753]

i love sponge filters for shrimp , they provide a constant food source , saying that once the tanks mature i want no filters at all

[@FatherFish]

Perfect Dax. Share pics of your tanks on DISCORD: discord.gg/RUPV2nPE

[@dax8753]

@@FatherFish just got to get a memory card for my camera and i will

[@teetowwelds8251]

I have a mountain of used HOB filters that I removed from all my aquariums , I went with sponge filters for all my tanks , a aquarium with no equipment hanging on the glass, makes the aquarium look so natural and clean, and a sponge filter provides that better than the HOB filter , because you can hide a sponge filter, but you can’t hide the HOB, all you see is a black air liner that if you line it up against a back corner it’s almost invisible.

[@rehan_awan1]

What's the best place to put the sponge filter

[@jacobkavinsky1813]

@@rehan_awan1 you might not read this because its been 3 months but i think it cleans the best in the verry middle of the tank so the debris and scum doesnt have to float far before the sponge sucks it up but for looks i prefer to put it in the back corner

[@no-knickers-emma1112]

@@rehan_awan1 Inside your aquarium

[@A1-Aquatics]

Any changes in water quality ? I’m thinking of doing the exact same thing All my tanks have hob & sponge, but I want to remove all the hobs

[@AntiquatedApe]

I have a decorative filter in my tank,but i may consider ditching the disguise in favor of more tank space

[@frankieromantv7653]

Thanks very informative planning on getting an aquarium soon

[@krystled2944]

Hey Father Fish! Love your videos! I have a couple questions: For a 4-foot tank like a 55 gallon, would you recommend multiple sponge filter spaced out at the back for more even flow? Also, how often do you clean your sponge filters? Thank you so much for all the insight you’ve shared!

[@FatherFish]

Yes, absolutely. 2 is enough. I clean them when they become so heavy they are bleeding detritus.

[@killthecoils8634]

i tied a pouch of activated carbon to my sponge filter for an extra type of filteration, brainstorming a way to put carbon inside and having it secure.

[@Christian-ql4vw]

Father fish - can you show us how you would clean the filter please? Thanks for all you do

[@bojohannesen4352]

Take some tank water, put it in a bowl. Take the filter and lightly rinse it in this tank water. Often it's enough to just dip it one time, maybe wring it lightly one time. Don't overdo it, you want as many bacteria to survive as possible.You just want to remove the worst gunk. Do not rinse it in clean water afterwards.

[@jennifermartin506]

Father Fish. I have one sponge filter and a hang on back filter on the other side. 55 gal. I have two Angels 10 blue neons, 5 panda corys, 2 beta and one Siamese algae eater. Yes they all get along. My tank is planted. Should I swap out the hang on for another Sponge filter? I do maybe a 3 gal a week water change. My tank has been doing well for a little over a year. Very little maintenance. I took your advice and feed them every other day.

[@FatherFish]

You need to decide about maintenance. Two different filters is good.

[@Firebird894]

I only use sponge filters in all my tanks either deep substrate or bare bottom breeder tanks I have plants in every tank of a type and or amount that suck up a lot of nutrients if I have bare bottom I float stem plants and hornwort and hyacinth philodendrons and aroids in fact some tanks just have airstones and some have just plants depends whats in it. Lol I don't clean my filters at all except once in a while many months I squeeze out the sponge swish it in some tank water and put it back in.

[@FatherFish]

You are a unique fish keeper, farmer, homesteader with a heart for the natural world. It would be an enormous joy for me to visit your plot of land.

[@toriechuntraruk3611]

Can I replace my HOB filter with a sponge filter. My tank has been running for 2.5 years. Grave capped with sand, lots of plants

[@user-ce2jm1hz4t]

Dear Faver Fish! what filter would you recommend for two 30cm axolotls living in a 90cm tank?

[@FatherFish]

I like sponge filters.

[@A1-Aquatics]

I’m new to the hobby & haven’t done a water change in over a year, just add some water when it runs a little low from evaporation

[@FatherFish]

That's great!

[@neutronshiva2498]

I love canister filter, but I use underpowered one (less turnout than recommended). Also you can cover the intake pipe with a sponge :D 2 in 1 Never understood why some fishkeepers use theese obscenely powerful canister filter that create very strong current. What is the purpose in that? My underpowered ones worked just fine and didnt move fish like tornado.

[@FatherFish]

If you keep mountain river fish it may be a good thing to create a swift current. Otherwise I agree totally!!

[@BlatentlyFakeName]

I took my canister out and made a large sponge filter which sits in a corner. It houses the heater and a pump. It never needs cleaning and it made zero difference to the water. I planted some ferns in to the outside of the sponge too and the shrimp like to search it for food.

[@scottmerrow7617]

I think an inch of dirt, 2-3 inches of gravel and 3 inches of sand over that is even better. (for a tall tank)

[@FatherFish]

Makes a very deep substrate. I like more depth for very large tanks.

[@Ann__333]

Always good info, but difficult to take anyone seriously when they are wearing their own face.... 🤣

[@FatherFish]

Strange comment. Care to explain

[@Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I have a HOB filter that is for a 50gal tank, on a 29 gal tank. The tetras like the current, but now they've started breeding. The suction is pretty high on the intake. Should I downsize this filter or try to modify the intake? I'm worried the fry are going to get sucked in. I plan to get a sponge filter in the future but the HOB has media that is very established.

[@FatherFish]

Tetras are egg scatterers. Put them in a bare 10 gal tank in the evening. They should spawn in the morning. You can have a fine mesh screen for the eggs to fall through or 2 layerrs of marbles to protect the eggs from being eaten. Remove either eggs or parents.

[@Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@@FatherFish Thanks. I think they already laid the eggs but I can’t see them. They did many mating dances yesterday after I fed frozen brine shrimp

[@FatherFish]

@@Chick-In-Of-TheSea They will lay eggs every day for weeks. You can still do this.

[@Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@@FatherFish wow! I didn’t know they were so busy! Haha I love your channel.

[@khoffmann1978]

What about fluid filter medium like happy life or easylife ? Does it break Down harmful chemicals, or is it a waste of money ? Best regards Kim from Denmark

[@FatherFish]

deep substrate does it better.

[@Max-Turbator]

how do you get a dirted deepsand bed compatible with african cichlids that can dig really deep in the substrate?

[@FatherFish]

Add 2 more inches of sand. CA cichs will dig to bedrock. Best no dirt with them and VERY deep sandbed.

[@boobye6305]

what kind of dirt? from the garden or bought from a diy store?

[@FatherFish]

4 kinds: 2 humus, 1 soil, 1 compost, and 1/4 FF supplement.

[@itsmedeathwants]

What are your thoughts on using a matten filter? Isn't it just a sponge filter, but larger?

[@FatherFish]

Yes. The only issue is they are cumbersome to clean.

[@gerlandkent6377]

[thank, you again]

[@Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Coarse sponge or fine sponge?

[@FatherFish]

It is a matter of personal preference. I prefer the fine. Some folks like the coarse because it works quicker but it need more routine cleaning.

[@darrenwallace7471]

Love my sponge filters in my 10 gallon tank, first time using them after setting it up with soil,sand, plants and lightly stocked, I put 2 small sponge filters in there so I can alternate cleaning if needed, but to be honest haven’t needed to touch them in weeks unlike some HOB I’ve used in the past. 👍

[@XCCON2009]

Hi! I also have a 10 gal and first time using sponge filter. What filter did you get? I got mine from Amazon - Moonorange Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter.

[@bettyb.7971]

Hi Father Fish, I've recently come accross your channel. Very intriguing what you say. 3 - 4 years ago, when I had a difficult time at work, I started to neglect my tank - no water changes, fed the fish but only once a day or skipped a day... I was even thinking about stopping keeping fish as I didn't give them enough attention with water changes etc. One day, I looked at my fish tank critically and to my surprice I noticed that there was no more algae, fish looked very ok and all survived, plants were growing like crazy. It was a more or less self-maintaining tank. So what you say, I already tested myself. The proper filtration is a very valid point. However, if the leaves rot at the bottom (I've got snails which help a lot) won't they harm fish like corydoras or betta? On other channels people always say that the river current cleans the bottom and corydoras forage in a clean sand. Greetings from UK!!! :)

[@FatherFish]

If it were clean they would starve.

[@bettyb.7971]

@@FatherFish True, it makes sense. Thank you! Hugs from London :)

[@jasonmillwood2893]

With proper substrate and plants are filters even needed?

[@user-pm6nc3xg9c]

Perhaps needed for a few weeks to setup, but after is it needed.

[@BlatentlyFakeName]

Nope, but it does provide a backup incase plants die off I suppose. Also it makes it quicker to seed a new tank if you need to, just move the filter and some water and its already cycled.

[@RJ-vb7gh]

I kind of have to disagree here... Although sponge filters work just fine, box/corner filters work better. They are easier to clean and you can add specialty components depending on your tanks special needs. And yes, I went the sponge filter route some 20 years ago... and the day I had to steralize an infected aquarium, I realized just how much easier it was just to boil or replace the lava rock, toss the floss and bleach the filter. As tp durability, my first box filter bought in the 1960's at Two Guys is still in service, right next to my Metaframe Bubble bought in the same store about 1 year later... now using a Kordon glass bead airstone that's only been in service 15 years... And yes of course, I'm sill using a Hush 1,. but on a different aquarium... I might note, I've used Jumbo box filters in aquariums up to 55 gallons with no issue, they were used as grow out tanks for hundreds of fish at a time.

[@FatherFish]

You go RJ. It's a personal thing.

[@fdpcompdm]

Father fish do you need to clean the sponge filter over time?

[@FatherFish]

I rinse the sponge filter out in aquarium water about once a month

[@kingdomstorm4205]

Is it ok for me to have a Dead Sea sponge in my freshwater aquarium as a hide spot plz let me know

[@FatherFish]

Real sponges typically rot if left in water.

[@kingdomstorm4205]

@@FatherFish ok thank you

[@herpdiversity9152]

Comment

[@FatherFish]

reply

[@jayblomquist3339]

Old fashioned box filters filter floss say a live bearer fish breeder

[@FatherFish]

Old Timers gotta stick together.

[@worddunlap]

Lets not all overthink this.....*Natural. With caveats as always. I use them because they work and are very economical in both the short and long term. The bang for the buck is tremendous with sponge filters. Being frugal allows me to enjoy my hobby more.

[@FatherFish]

You betcha.

[@arkansasboy45]

Prime Time Aquatics just uploaded a video absolutely degrading the sponge filter. His tirade against the sponge filter was way out there in left field.

[@FatherFish]

REALLY?

[@arkansasboy45]

@@FatherFish Yeah. I didn't even finish the video.

[@sagrath1982]

He uses sponge filters on his shallow tank, and cleans them with tap water!🤷‍♂️

[@andreashessler838]

I saw that video. Not sure he degraded them at all. He just said that different situations require different filter options and I agree with him. Jason is an advocate of washing filters in straight tap water. Can't say that I am brave enough to have tried it, but the guy is a professor of biotechnology, so I would think he knows what he is talking about. He also talks about matten filters, which are criminally underutilized in the hobby.

[@arkansasboy45]

@@andreashessler838 Well, some things he discussed, such as them being ugly in a planted tank is kind of picky. That has nothing to do with it's effectiveness as a filter. If you're going for asthetics then hide it with plants maybe. I don't know, he seemed to be making a mountain out of a mole hill. But what is a matten filter? I don't think that I have heard of that one.

[@Ratsnake]

None.

[@FatherFish]

SOME

[@gregwallace6159]

Sponge filters suck.

[@FatherFish]

Yes. Literally. They are very good at sucking.

[@RennLaRoux]

​@@FatherFishI was going to say the same thing hahaha.

[@johnjaro]

Yep totally agree😂