If you are looking for a filter to put in your fish tank, you have run into the AQUANEAT Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter during your research. So, is this product worth getting?
To find out, you can check out this review article from Aquarium Blueprints.
Set Up
When it comes to installing the AQUANEAT Bio Sponge Filter in your fish tank, it is important to note that you need to get your own air pump and airline tubing. For the tubing, the inner diameter must be 3/16” in order to fit he air inlet of the filter.
We currently use the Tetra Whisper Easy to Use Air Pump and AQUANEAT Aquarium Airline Tubing to go along with our sponge filter.
As long as you use other compatible products along with the filter, then setting it up should be very easy.
Flow Rate
The flow rate of the AQUANEAT Bio Sponge Filter is dependent on the power of the air pump it is connected to. In our case, the 100-gallon Tetra Whisper Easy to Use Air Pump is more than enough to deliver adequate water flow for our 20-gallon shrimp tank.
If you have a long fish tank, such as our 4-feet long 55-gallon tank, then you might have to place the AQUANEAT Bio Sponge Filter near the middle to ensure that the flow rate covers all areas of the aquarium.
If you have another product that can create water movement, such as an air stone, then you should be able to place the sponge filter on one end of the tank as you should be able to get plenty of water flow from the other device.
Mechanical Filtration
The AQUANEAT Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter does a great job at keeping the tank free of free-floating debris. The spaces between the sponges are super fine, which means that it is able to trap the smallest of debris.
Biological Filtration
Beneficial bacteria will grow all over the tank, especially in the sponge of the AQUANEAT filter, which should provide plenty of surface area.
With that said, it may take weeks, or even a few months, for the ammonia- and nitrite-consuming colonies to fully establish themselves within the filter.
Thankfully, there are several ways that you can speed up this seeding process.
Cleaning
Cleaning is a lot simpler with the this product when compared to having to open up a canister or hang-on-back filter.
All you need to do is to squeeze and un-squeeze the sponge part in order to free the debris. For more specific instructions, you can follow the steps from this AQUANEAT Bio Sponge Filter cleaning guide.
What we like about the AQUANEAT Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter
What we like most about the AQUANEAT Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter is its affordability. For a fraction of the price of a canister or hang-on-back filter, you will get the same performance when it comes to biological and mechanical filtration.
This is especially true if you already have an air pump and airline tubing as you don’t need to get any other extra equipment.
Furthermore, the AQUANEAT Sponge Filter should be simple to set up and easy to clean. In comparison, you will need to unplug and open up a canister or hang-on-back filter in order to clean it.
What we don’t list about the AQUANEAT Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter
The only problem we have with this product is that it is rather big. Therefore, you will have to make some room in your fish tank in order to accommodate it.
Furthermore, its height can be too tall for some short tanks. To see what you can do if you find that this product is too tall, you can check out this troubleshooting post.
Overall
The AQUANEAT Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter is an affordable and very effective way to add biological and mechanical filtration to your fish tank. Once you set the product up, it should also be very easy to clean and maintain as well.
We have been using the 60-gallon versions of this product in two of our tanks for nearly two years. The filter is still going strong and will most likely maintain its effectiveness for our aquariums for many years to come.
If you are interested, you can purchase the product from Amazon with the following link:
- AQUANEAT Aquarium Bio Sponge Filter (#CommissionsEarned)
