Why the Aquarium Box Filter became obsolete - Box Filters Suck!

[@Evangelon]

Why you hating? Don't you know that there is an air driven internal canister filter!

[@robertclements440]

whats it called

[@darrylmoore5847]

When I started in this hobby 40 years ago, I used a box filter and I loved it. I am probably going to pop over to amazon so that I can buy one and take a walk down memory lane.

[@John-Ebsen]

I've never used one, but something occurred to me during the video. It would be a super easy way to run charcoal filtration after medicating an aquarium without having to mess with your HOB or canister.

[@legionaquatics]

great idea! much nicer to use for removing meds in a fish room that is running only on air.

[@Dachsjager]

Exactomundo

[@Qyngali]

I have a box filter for this exact reason.

[@superaquatics]

Yes I used to pack mine with charcoal and filter floss and never had issues with water clarity.

[@mikegilmer3938]

They were phased out for the same reason undergravel filters were phased out, low profit margins for pet manufacturers. Low cost to begin with, and no return business because they last so long. No spare parts to replace, no expensive filter cartridges to buy. What would a pet company rather sell you, a $5 box filter that's cheap to run and lasts forever, or, a $40 power filter with motors and other parts that eventually fail and have to be fixed or replaced completely ? I've used box filters for years and they WORK . . . 👍👍👍

[@Whisslers_Aqua_Room]

Exactly, I’m running 4 corner filters doing perfectly well. He might as well say buy Aquarium co-op sponge filters because the brand sells smh 😂 Aquarium co-op has very good sponge filters but it comes down to preference.

[@superaquatics]

I Agree 100%

[@TismFishing]

Agreed. The co-op is out to make money first. It’s why they make all these products. Box filter is definitely one of the best if not the best for fry.

[@AquariumFun-sy2jt]

A few benefits of corner filters over sponge filters: (1) more media choices, (2) no need to use a zip loc bag to remove the filter from the tank, (3) can very quickly change the filter if you use filter floss over and combined with another biological media (no squeezing!!!), (4) better for smaller particles when using filter floss (clearer water), (5) very cheap and will last forever.

[@scottcahala7779]

I use box filters in all of my tanks in the 90. I still use them today. I fill them 1/4 floss 3/4 gravel. All the spong filters from my original fish room are gone they fell apart long ago. The box's work great.

[@WOW_AQUATICS]

That's crazy I use these things in all 40 plus tanks that I have never had a problem. I use them on bare bottom breeder tanks so that's a difference

[@Guppy_Girl]

I’m serious considering changing all my sponge filters for box filters. I’m tired of clogged sponges on at least one tank in the fish room.

[@loliwon2]

my favorite use for box filters ( in my fish room for breeding) is for water buffering like stuffing it with shells/crushed corals to harden the water or using peat granules to lower ph/blackwater effects. since the whole room is air driven, sponge filters can't help me with these things so having a neat little contained way of doing so is so nice! Also i use both in a tank not one or the other because they both have different niches so covering all basis with using both :)

[@ctsfiddler]

When the box filter is dirty, pull it out and change the floss, pull up the sponge filter and you have a mess going back into the tank unless you catch it with a plastic bag.

[@chrisischannel]

not the lees brand triple flow versions

[@firstclassfish01]

@@chrisischannelthe lee’s makes a mess? He was saying the sponge does, not the box, so I was wondering if you were saying the Lee’s leaves a mess as I heard they don’t.

[@rgac24]

Couldn't you modify the box filter? By putting sponge and ceramic media in it. Instead of just filter floss. Or just use it polishing the water?

[@laattardo]

You can put whatever you want inside it. I love mine.

[@elaineluikart5459]

It makes me nuts when I take a sponge filter out and see all the gunk fall back in. I jst bought 3 box filters last week. I've used every kind of filter. My favorite was the Dyna-flo. The only drawback is trying to get the siphon started.

[@Wintersdark]

Ziplock bag. Open bag, out in tank. Lift the sponge filter a bit, put it into the bag. Lift the whole lot out of the tank. No gunk falling back in, and you can just pull the sponge filter apart, pop the sponge back into the bag and squeeze the crap out of it, dump it out. No muss, no fuss.

[@laattardo]

Ive tried that, its such a pain and makes a mess. ​@Wintersdark

[@ep4998]

I take out my filters with those cheap Walmart .5 gal tanks

[@Glenn_AE6YT]

Grandpa here. When I first started out in this hobby almost 60 years ago, and for many years afterward, I used box filters. We used "angel hair" (spun glass) and bone charcoal in them. I worked my up to air-powered hang-on-back filters, under gravel filters, and then powered HOB filters. Tropical fish gradually got pushed to the side by life, family, and other interests. Then last year, I got re-started in the hobby. Watching lots of videos and visiting my local fish stores (one was still around from the 60s!) I decided on sponge filters. They are the best bang for the buck and are easy to maintain. (I'm not getting any younger!) I did pick up a small box filter, however. Why? The main shortcoming of the sponge filter is that sponge is the only media. I figured the day would come when I needed a special filter media. That day arrived recently. I had an ammonia and nitrate spike in one tank and wanted to use an absorbing filter media to augment my sponge filters. I am running it in that tank and it's helping me out until I can nail down what exactly happened to unbalance that tank. Everybody who runs sponge filters needs to keep a box filter on hand to do the one thing a sponge filter cannot--use special media.

[@Hemmer5]

When I had my 55 gallon in the 70s, I had a large version of that. Loaded it with charcoal and floss. I change the charcoal and rinsed the floss and never had an issue. I can see using them and using bio media and floss. I do like them. I tried sponge filters and just ended up with hair algae. I’m using a canister now.

[@debbieurias5151]

Yes I have used all of those little filters but when I found the sponge filter, I threw them out. I have had aquariums since I was 11and still love them. I've had identical aquariums like the ones behind you, also designed and installed and maintained a 230 gal cold water salt tank in a grade school for 15 yrs in Sitka Alaska, rusted out 2 pick-up trucks during those years hauling sea water😄. It was a true ecosystem. I'm a 68 yr old grandma and still have a small tank and thinking of getting a bigger tank. Love your videos all very interesting

[@stevecox8066]

I have used them in the past when I got into the hobby back about 40 years ago (dang I'm getting old hahaha). Plan to order the green penn plax very soon. I love my Tidal filters undergravel, and sponges, but want one of these for quarantine tank as well as running carbon from time to time. Love the fact that they can be used as temporary solutions or stuffed with poly fil for longer term use. The weight issue was ALWAYS a hassle. I'll probably use magnets this go with one in the box and the other outside the tank. Will be great for quarantine since I can literal pour Fritzyme 7 directly into the poly fil and be ready to go. I try to make quarantine as easy as possible. Cheap five gallon tank, put in water from tank the fish will eventually go into, have an extra small heater, and a sponge filter from another tank. I'll be replacing the sponge filter with this box because I hate moving my sponge hahaha. The whole setup for tank, heater, box is about 25-30 bucks! Good deal for peace of mind. For anyone reading this, quarantine doesn't have to be kept running and kept cycled. Just set up the day off or day before you buy new fish! Easy to setup, easy to break down, easy to store. Too many better solutions on the market to run a box filter full time as primary, but lots of temporary uses for that little bugger. And if you install a gang valve on decent air pump...even easier to use these when needed. But all the drawbacks are definitely drawbacks to run these long term. Totally agree

[@tsuzot8192]

I've been using the Jehmco box for about a year, and I love it. The Jehmco plastic quality is much better than the Lee's triple flow, the Lee's economy corner, and the Chines ones like what you had in the video. It also has a weighted base. Another great benefit is that it doesn't require an air stone. For media, I use polyfil and ceramic rings. I know I'm losing beneficial bacteria when I throw away the polyfil every couple of weeks, but I don't see it in my water parameters. Those Penn Plax bubblers are nice to have on hand if you need to polish your water or use carbon to remove stuff meds. My other 3 tanks use sponge filters, but if they made a smaller Jehmco filter with the same features, I'd switch over to them. I'd love to have a box filter like Fishman makes

[@JohnWood-tk1ge]

Box and sponge filters are pretty much all I run. I grew up on a farm and the old saying you make money with the barn not the barn the animals are in! Sponge in every tank with a box filter with gravel and fine filter floss for water polishing,nuff said. No expensive moving parts to replace.

[@krisr2181]

The work well in quarantine tanks where you need to dispose of the filter media after use. Easy to reset for the next use. Also a great to use with water buffering media that can be easily adjusted refilled or removed. Also great as a shrimp tank filter.

[@dwighterickson6121]

I have an old school box filter similar to that on my 10g Betta tank. One Betta, one Oto, one Amano shrimp and snails. I do have the sponge and bio rings in the bottom of it, so it is hot-rodded a little I love the old school vibe...

[@shannonrhoads7099]

It's kinda funny - I have an old Lee's Quick & Easy air driven cartridge filter. Since it's been discontinued, there's only a handful of cartriges left to buy. I got it out of nostalga because my grandma used them in her guppy tanks back in the 1970s and late 1980s, and I planned to just let the box sit on the bookshelf. I didn't expect to find myself actually using it! It's just as much of an eyesore as the sponge or clear box styles. Penn-Plax and Lee 's both made versions of this that are mostly parts compatable, but Lee's added plastic prongs in the suction base so only Lee's Discard-A-Stone airstones fit. Yay, marketing! Penn-Plax's version was molded in an almost algae green, while the Lee's version is a very noticable blue color. Although mine's turning algae green over time. I wonder why? 🙃 However, it gets around that floating thing by having suction cups that let it mount in the corner of the tank. That also means it doesn't have to be at the bottom of the tank. The entire filter detaches from that suction cup mount and can be removed from the tank with the cartrige and debris inside. The cartriges consist of a slotted plastic tray full of a mix of carbon and zeolite for chemical filtration, covered in a cloth for mechanical filtration. The cardboard box, dating from 1986, specifically says it's a mechanical filtration system. It mentions the carbon and zeolite, but that's about it. Once I can't source cartriges, I will use it like a box filter, packing it with floss or cut to fit media and using a filter bag for chemical filtration. I don't worry about resetting biological filtration because I have another obsolete filter. I am driving an undergravel filter off the same air pump with just a single lift tube. Sure everything's old school, but don't tell my fish these filters don't work. They think they do, and I have to maintain the illusion!

[@Evangelon]

I know of a place in Cordelia CA simply called Pet Club Fairfield that still has these in stock. Cartridges too! Along with all the old Lee's stock of items including the undergravel filters.

[@shannonrhoads7099]

@@Evangelon Thanks for the tip! My primary source currently is an eBay seller in Ponce, PR, and they are really good considering the distance involved. I will check into this place in CA and find out if they ship stuff. 👍

[@Wissassin]

I still use these with bio media and floss. Work great easy cheap.

[@Justintheinsane]

Ive got a Large Lee's economy box filter in one corner of my 29gallon with a sponge/bio-media chamber combo in the other side. The box filter has some bio-gravel in the bottom half with filter floss in the top half. All i do is switch out the floss when it fills up with crud and trumpet snails. Lol all my other tanks use an UGF.

[@laattardo]

Ive never used a box filter with only floss.. i put biomedia on the bottom and floss on top. Never had a problem. Have never had a problem with it sitting properly and i alway hide it behind rocks and plants.

[@BenjaminMellor]

When you're done with your filter series, I think it would be worth making a video going through all the pros and cons of the filters you've reviewed.

[@michaelcabiroy8126]

I used in my first fish tank. The one thing a box filter can do that a sponge filter can't is you have more filter material choices. You can put activated carbon or zeolite in it along with gravel. You don't have to use filter floss if you don't want to. Personally, I have never found activated carbon or zeolite to be useful to me. I agree with you, I would use a sponge filter before I used a box filter.

[@calebsmith2131]

I have been experimenting with box filters. I have been putting big gravel in it only. Use it mainly for removing physical particles and cleaning it sparsely. Basically, the particles collect similarly to a sifter. I have plants in my tank that act as my filters. Its work really well so far.

[@Curtis.StMartin]

I have never had an issue ever because I cleaned whatever filter completely. I don't currently have any box filter, but whatever filter I do have gets cleaned completely when I do a water change. My sponge filters get cleaned about every 3rd water change. There's more than enough good bacteria in the tank elsewhere to make up for the bacteria that you removed by cleaning whatever filter you just cleaned.

[@AquariumFun-sy2jt]

Interestingly, in the various videos of large suppliers that I've seen, they often have larger versions of the corner/box filter. There may be some benefit that they see to the box filter over the sponge filter. I started out with a 10 gallon tank and corner filter. It would contain [filter floss|activated carbon|filter floss] and we would throw it all out and put more of everything in when cleaning. I'm not sure how our guppies, bettas, etc., survived that constant throwing away of the biological media. :). This video makes we want to start another 10 gallon with a corner filter and see how well it works. :)

[@sammartin6224]

Hmm. The disadvantages of a box might help me in a tank. I have more tannins and particles from not cleaning some huge wood good enough before adding to polish my water? I don't want all the tannins out but want less

[@silitekmodder5681]

I like these over the sponges because you can set them up not only as a biofilter but also to polish the water with pads or floss. Also can have more stable biomedia like lava rock, biohome, siporax, etc rather than a sponge that will eventually fall apart. And if you're still a fan of the sponges, you can simply fill the box with sponge. The muck will stay inside the box when the filter is pulled out instead of going everywhere like the classic sponge filters.

[@ryan2manyfishburgh595]

The white tube holder should be on the outside - above the lid. - it holds the lid in place.

[@olivezelm5897]

I learn something new every video. Thanks Bentley!

[@bensabelhaus7288]

I got one complete and a smaller partial one of these with some old tanks awhile back. Full of old marbles. I'll watch this a bit later. Been wondering about them, but never looked into it yet. Thanks!

[@pas100657]

I used one of those in my 1st aquarium back in the 60’s it got replaced by a Dynaflo HOB.

[@TheArberter]

I used one of these box filters before. I remember buying one as a kid due to it being the cheapest thing to get in allowance money. Unfortunately, I accidentally broke mine while cleaning it luckily, I saved enough allowance money to buy a Hang On the Back filter since it was recommended to me by the pet store owner. I now want to get one now as a backup filter for my aquarium.

[@taintedmeat9740]

Try putting a product like Ammo-Sorb in a sponge filter...box filters still have a legit place in the fish room but maybe not in a display tank.

[@WarrenVenter.]

Im pro box/corner filter I've run them for years without trouble. Easy to maintain and yeah they work well.

[@JWGuppies]

I use them for hospital/ quarantine tanks because media can be disposed of and whole filter can be bleached after using

[@assassin3003]

I still had 1 box filter in a nano tank with shrimps and pygmy corys about 2 years ago before selling the entire set up

[@CatFish107]

I'm thinking a bit of in tank flow through aragonite might be a helpful addition for my guppy tank. My tap water is nearly distilled, so I'm always adding equilibrium and alkaline buffer. I have some aragonite mixed in the gravel, but a little more might be good, as an extra on top of the sponge filters. Trying to keep as much in tank as possible. Pumps and pipes and tubes and valves all add possible leaks, and I deal with enough of that at work.

[@estherabrams7274]

I inherited a 10 gallon setup in the late 70s, and it was ugly, floating loose half the time and more. I didn’t know until I read Walstad recently that charcoal isn’t good for plants, so I had charcoal in there, and every time I moved it, it would spit up granules of charcoal. The substrate was ugly already, a multicolored gravel with most of the color worn off, but with black specks of charcoal added, it looked even worse. The water was almost always clear, but everything I planted died within 2 weeks. Having only incandescent lights didn’t help.

[@cellardoor2197]

I have 2 of those panelex with ceramic rings running the biological filtration. Way effective. I NEVER have to maintenance them.....

[@lakedog3616]

When I got into aquarium keeping back in the 60’s you filled those with glass wool . They were long shards of glass fibers that would break into splinters and impale into your hands . It was a terrible substance to deal with.

[@VanNguyen-ns6ck]

I'm convinced sponge filters are more convenient, more durable and more efficient over upgrade box filters. Thank you for the informative video.

[@andrewdefty6044]

Well, Bentley... What can I say? Just this... I've got a 65ltr (Approx 17US Gallons) set up for White Cloud's using just one of these Pen Plax Boxes (It's the very same type but not Pen Plax branded). So far I have been getting really great results in both Clarity of Water (Great clarifiers with filter floss), and zero ammonia and nitrites, with marginal nitrates (10-20ppm). I never loose my cycle when ditching the floss and replacing it because I have a fine layer of Aqua One's Sintered Glass Stones in the void below the lower plate (Green tray that the tubes attach to). And a layer of Aqua One's Sintered Glass Noodles upon the very tray mentioned. Then I load it up with the floss. This keeps my filter loaded with the bacteria when I need to ditch the floss and replace. So far after almost a full year, I have had no issues with it, or the cycle crashing. And while I agree that your comments are very valid, it can be just as easily remedied with how you look to stock your little box filter to adapt it to your Tank Size and Level of Stock (Bio-load). These things work just fine, and are not just for breeder/shrimp tanks depending on how you approach their uses and your needs. This includes increasing the air-lift tube length and adding an elbow joint to give better current flow. As for the "Chinese Updated" types... Never used them... Can't see how adding a sponge or two would benefit my tank any better than the one I have set up already... Great vid, and plenty to cat about in regards to the differing types of "Old Skool and Nu Skool" box and sponge filters and those combined... But it is what works for you, and how you set it up. This goes for all filters, canisters, hob's, sponge, under gravel, and these lovely little boxes too.

[@lauraboyed8657]

I have used box filters under gravel filters hob canister filters matten filters and internal power filters they all work great it just depends on how you scape your tank box filters work great they even have tall box filters all filters will work it's more just preference

[@superaquatics]

Hi Bentley. Yes I used the humble box filter for many years and it really really helped for water clarity until it broke and I couldn't get a replacement locally and was convinced by the local fish store to buy a powerhead instead. Good to hear the downsides but those problems didn't really bother me as I had an undergravel filter and therefore never really had to think about bacteria getting washed away.

[@Pibblepunk]

They're definitely good for turtle tanks though. You want that hard plastic to keep the turtle from biting the filter, and the good material filtration.

[@ryan2manyfishburgh595]

There's no reason to remove the filter floss- just rinse it. The bottom of the box filter should have some marbles or gravel in the bottom. - it also holds chemical packets if you like. - Easily hidden in the tank.

[@furripupau]

You know you don't actually have to throw the filter media away every time you clean a box filter. I usually rinse and reuse the filter floss three or four times before I replace it (it does eventually get too "worn out" for lack of a better term, after being rinsed clean a few times). I have two corner filters in the aquarium, they're cleaned alternately so it doesn't matter that the beneficial bacteria is "lost", it'll re-inhabit the filter in a few days. Have never had a tank lose "cycle" this way.

[@pattiespetitetanks6181]

I like box filters and the ability to fill it with whatever I want...including sponges...can you pack your sponge filter with ceramic rings sponge and floss ?!?!? Everybody should have at least one box filter on hand.

[@marksterlson]

i used them in 1975, and i used marbles for ballast🤣

[@KoroWerks]

Is there anything a box filter can do that an HOB breeder box can't? Because if you need the low power air driven, those can be filled with media etc just like the box filter can, and can be either air driven or, I like to stick those cheap internal "spraybar" filters into the intake of the breeder box. But theoretically the advantages of the sponge and box filters are the air driven nature right? An HOB doesn't ruin the aesthetic inside the tank as much, and IF you have room for the HOB outside the tank, so what does a box filter do that an air driven HOB wouldn't?

[@travisstreeter5092]

great stuff...well spoken...good guy!

[@tolstoy21]

OMG, first you attack sumps, now box filters!!!!!!! How dare you sir! If these were old-timey times I'd have to challenge you to a duel. I do use a lot of large Jehmco box filters in my fish room (I also use the coop sponge filters, which I do actually like better). I really only use box filters in grow-outs for mechanical filtration. HOBs do work better than box filters, but it's far more expensive to get a bunch of HOBs than it is to buy a bunch of grandpa's box filters. I fill the bottom 50% of my box filters with ceramic media. I do like the coop filters a lot, but I find the box filters are more effective for keeping the grow-outs' water clean. Finer sponge filters also work well, but they plug up too fast to be practical.

[@lizm1840]

I've been keeping fish for over fifty years and still love my box filters! I feel they clean the water better especially since you can add carbon. I agree about them needing to be weighted. I add marbles on top of the carbon. That said. I do use sponge filters too. The great thing about this hobby is there is something for everyone!🐟

[@markknif9876]

While I did enjoy the video, I run these newer corner filters because they are easy to service. Pull the filter up and out without all the debris falling back into the tank from the sponge filter. Yes, some get their hand into the tank with a Ziplock or fish bag to put the sponge filter in while taking it out of the tank. Too much hand in the tank. The old box filter can adapt using a media base, chemical filtration, and mechanical filtration in one, layered. Many years back while working at my Aunts aquarium store with about 75 10-gallon tanks this box filter worked and kept the tanks crystal clean.

[@sibleywarrior07]

As a shrimp keeper/hobbyist. Especially for my CARIDINA species. I love these green penn plax box filters for my caridina tanks of 5 gallons and less. I feel the box filter with active substrate to help buffer the water/PH. Then put a super thin layer of substrate on bottom that is easy to vacuum AND won't keep big build up of food/waste. I do also set up a sponge filter as well. That's to give the shrimp something to feed off of, not just filter. So each tank has 2 filters. Realistically you could get away with just the box filter filled with substrate. Also solves the "weight" issue being filled with substrate. But, overall I can see why for just general fish keeping they not being as useful. Great video!!!

[@patrickgould1535]

These were in every fish shop tank in the 80s, but at home it seems like everyone ran power or under gravel filters. I knew they were functional but they tended to look dirty and didn’t want one in my tank.

[@katastrofygames]

I have turtles. I had to use the box filters instead of sponge filters because turtles are dumb and always have the munchies. So they bite and eat the sponge. It’s the same reason I have to use a bare bottom setup, they will eat rocks and dirt and plants. Rocks and driftwood are the only decor I can use haha. In that scenario, the box filter actually fits in among the rocks and wood.

[@DEAexotics]

well I am a grandpa and I love those filters but I have been switching to sponge just because of convenience and less waist buying filter floss can get costly if you have a lot of filters and its a waist .. I will use the box filter but I am starting to prefer the sponge filter

[@therickmarcus]

Box filters in both tanks. Back up filter system with spong filter makes canister filter work less hard. " 2 is 1 and 1 is none".

[@kakarotprime69]

My first couple of tanks had the box filters. They do indeed suck

[@frhaber]

I used box filters for my first few decades in the hobby, until HOBs came out (and pre beneficial bacteria knowledge). What about a corner filter for fine mechanical filtration with a sponge in the other corner for biological?

[@andrewdefty6044]

That would work as far as I can see. But it would depend on tank size and stock...

[@sancraft1]

I have a corner filter like the on the one you showed. My water is crystal clear. My floating plants don't get battered by a hanp on the back. I can't afford canister filters for all of my tanks and these are cost efficient. I clean them in dirty fish water, so I don't lose my bacteria colony, I easily hid them behind stem plants, they aerate the water and they are quiet. In fact, I just order 2 more from Amazon. So I whole-heartedly and respectfully, disagree. We are moving house and I am setting up some empty tanks in the new house to transfer the fish from the old house. Then I will break those down for the move. I am taking 50% of the water from each tank and there current, dirty filters. I already have the new filters runiing in their tanks to get them full of bacteria. Whenever I set up a new tank, I use the same method. I have not lost a fish, shrimp or snail this way. Also, under gravel filters are great. The only reason I don't use them is the new ones seem a lot more fragile than the older ones and I use a lot of hardscape. I do have one in my sand bottom tank. I just put a tin, flat sponge over it so the water can pass through, but the sand can't. I don't have much hardscape in the tank, just some shells for for the chiclids to make their homes. And only some duckweek that I a put in when the other tanks get overrun. It gets eaten in this tank. I have no lost a single fish and my water is so clearer than clear.

[@sintagarden]

I personally think the box filters look better than the sponge filters. Plus they’re so cheap to operate. You can fill the bottom with almost anything porous, and some guys even use marbles. For filter floss you can use polyester from a craft store for making dolls or stuffing pillows. They work, why fix something that isn’t broken. I don’t mind sponge filters, but the box filter is pretty much the same thing, and they last forever.

[@AQUARIUMFREAK123]

Take 2 ,10 gal tanks of dirty water.. One with a BOX FILTER in one and a SPONGE FILTER in the other.... just compare the water clear vision quality of the 2 tested filters in a few days.. The BOX FILTER wins.... the SPONGE FILTER water will still remain cloudy.

[@deneng0259]

I like the box filters because they are great at keeping the tank clear.

[@RBarn2000]

up next: why sponge filters suck

[@joshuacook3644]

lol I use 40 of them in my first room. Favor them over sponge filters

[@donpettit7107]

Ain’t that a biscuit!

[@laurabustos6560]

I like the idea of a box filter because you can easily alter the media you have inside. But they just take up too much room in nano tanks. I do have a real interest in those little corner box filters though, the little 📐 shaped ones. Those seem like the best...? Edit; I do have a question for you Bentley. I'm lame for having to pay here, but I've missed your last few streams due to health issues, so... I recently switched my row of (3) 6g cube tanks and (1) lil 3g planted nano tanks from nano hob with 1/2 ceramic bio and 1/2 course sponge filters to a 20g Tetra Whisper running nano sponges to try and be more electric economical. These are all in a North facing window so I do have a supplemental led but I never use it. I'm seeing, I think, that I need to do more water changes. I used to just do top offs weekly in the 6g and maybe a 10% change in 3g and now I'm noticing funky foam in the 3g within a few days. Do you think this might be because the sponge just isn't filtering like the hob? I'm at a loss.

[@zaremoskovian5673]

It will be great for chemical media I think

[@wabalaka1565]

Problem with box filters is that it is a bad business for the manufacturer 😂 The thing will out last everything included you. You not gonna get rich selling that thing. Even sponge filter degrade over time.

[@shesellsfish]

Sure have used them. They DO work. They aren't the most attractive, but they last forever. I feel the same way about sponge filters, not the most attractive, but they do work well and last almost forever. Glad you brought up the humble old fashioned box filters. 👍❤️👍

[@thelazyfishkeeper2730]

i do recall,when i was a lad. we had a fish tank. using the old box filter. and every 2 weeks, my dad would catch all the fish, and then use the garden hose to scrub the tank and rinse the gravel in the drive way. then one day cracked the glass no more fish tanks. see you next time.

[@adamselectricuniverse]

We used those as kids back in the 70s, they looked great in the old metal framed aquarium! LOL Sorry, but I'm not sure how you could do a "this rocks" video on this type of filter. Just make sure you get it filmed in time to send those back to Amazon and get your money back! haha 😂

[@BentleyPascoe]

🤣 I don't mind having them for testing purposes

[@stevenheinje181]

Bacteria grow fast, hours should do it. the key to growth, or maybe more important, metabolism is a friendly substrate. Bacteria tend to colonize polar subs like gravel, ceramic. I used them but they are ugly and slow. I agree they dont move alot of water. I love canisters, but man, get a leak and thats bad. I ended up liking sponges, and undergravel (70-80’s). I water change and set up automatic water change, so like he says mostly need biofiltration.

[@jeffkane4391]

😕 ... I'm definitely a grandpa... 🫤

[@BentleyPascoe]

🤣

[@Zezhuanth_Irthos]

Hey dude man ❗❗❗ I'm in the future going to be getting a 20L for a couple of African clawed frogs and they don't like a lot of flow from what I've been hearing. SO would you say under gravel filter or box filler what do you think ❓ would love your input on this.

[@BentleyPascoe]

I would consider ungravel, but that might limit space as they do best with thicker substrate layers.

[@exitar1]

Box filters are great!

[@AQUARIUMFREAK123]

IS CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER IMPORTANT TO YOU ?..... then go with BOX FILTERS..

[@mangala666]

I randomly got a box filter in a miscellaneous Box Of Fish Stuff at an auction several months back. I keep thinking I should use it but I’m not sure where would be best. I’m a little afraid my baby plecos will crawl into it and get stuck, but at least it would be oxygenated so maybe they’d be just fine!

[@trogdordog04smith95]

Commenting for the algorithm

[@alexkerr306]

Evening from Scotland.. Cheers.

[@lakedog3616]

Coming to Scotland next summer. Going to be playing St. Andrews !

[@alexkerr306]

@@lakedog3616 Enjoy..Cheers.

[@AquariumFun-sy2jt]

Noticed that Dan's fish uses them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5CzpGSfhJurppY

[@catfishcave379]

Oh Bentley.... I hate to say it... but I completely disagree! Air powered is air powered - which is what I use in my sponge filters; minimal draft through the filter. Water goes through, minimal debris is pulled in. Horrible idea to use it as a mechanical filter. I prefer medium to large pores for my sponge filters. My prefilters on my canisters and power filters I use medium to small pores on the sponges, depending on size of tank. Box filters - which are always WAY too small to compare to a sponge filter, work great doing both jobs of filtration. especially if you fill them with... drum roll please... FOAM! Not so dense foam at the intake, and smaller pores near the exit. But all that is not my major disagreement. We have learned how to best use each one, but that is not represented in your video. (you will be plagued by duckweed in your toilet for punishment) Sponge filters work best with slow movement of water through them to be bio filters. If you speed up the air - and the water moving through them - they are decent mechanical filters, less so bio filters. If you have one of each, you will rarely have to clean the bio filter, and can clean the mechanical filter constantly, and you will have clean water and no bio loss. But what about box filters you say??? Air driven ones with different porosities of foam are fine in small tanks. I would pair them with a bio sponge filter. But better, is the bigger, power driven box filters. (my home made water bottle ones for example) Bigger, layered, different porosities of foam, can even have bio balls or other bio media inside. All driven by small water pumps. (power head, circulation pumps, whatever). Easy to pull out and clean, and you leave the bio media alone. Ideally, as I do, I have one sponge filter and one box filter in a tank. (I should say, these are for 40g b or smaller tanks) Each are as easy to hide as the other. Foam comes in many colors... you can even cut the sponge filters you show to fit! Lastly, I have to admit... my water/soda bottle models are not box filters... cylinder filters maybe? And more importantly... you will probably call my Cylinder Filters internal filters... and I admit you would be correct; however, they are simply a box filter with a powerhead - which drastically improves the capability of a box filter. Placing a powerhead on a sponge filter REQUIRES another filter of some type. In the end, I think YOUR goal was to show the limitations of air powered box filters. My goal was to show the limitations of each, and how to maximize the usage of each for what the individual wants to do. I hope everyone learned something from both your video, and my long lecture here in the comments.

[@alans4281]

I have 30 box filters along with 30 or more sponge filters. Replace the floss every 12 - 18 months , just rinse it in the meantime . Let me guess nobody is selling green box filters in your country?

[@alans4281]

I should have said our box filters are 80% ceramic media with 20% floss .

[@alfredbguns]

I think your wrong big guy if it doesn't work for you just don't hate

[@BentleyPascoe]

Curious what you'll say after the other video 😁