so you decide to try out the sponge filter great in this video we'll discuss
some of the functions and benefits and later I'll show you exactly how to set
one up step by step including how you should modify your sponge filter ready
let's go hey guys welcome back to Kaveman aquatics I'm Kev and in this
week's video we're talking sponge filters I'm gonna put links in all the
parts that we talk about in the description below so make sure you hit
that like button in case you want to reference back to this video and you can
find it very easily also if you haven't already and you're new here please
subscribe so you don't miss any new content so congratulations on
discovering the sponge filter most fish keepers use sponge filters for a wide
variety of reasons one reason is that they're cheap and easy to maintain so
it's very easy to complement the rest of your filtration in your tank with a
sponge filter more filtration never hurt anyone some use it as a standalone
filter for smaller tanks like quarantines fry tanks or grow up tanks
others use it as a seating filter meaning once your sponge filter is
seeded with beneficial bacteria you can use this filter in any other tank to
accelerate the nitrification process this is very helpful when you have
multiple tanks so the two most important parts of filtration are mechanical and
biological and your sponge filter covers both of those let's talk about its
operation a sponge filter works by connecting an airline to it forcing air
down the center of your sponge filters this air then has to escape back through
the uplift tube while the air is escaping it's sucking water into it
removing the particles from your water column that is the mechanical filtration
at the sponge provides also the sponge provides all this additional surface
area for beneficial bacteria to grow on which is the biological filtration part
of it and it gets it all done with nothing but an air pump and an air tube
attached to it pretty cool right so let's go over exactly how to set up
and modify your sponge filter which you should do so these are all the parts
that you're gonna need I'll have links in the description to all of these you
have your sponge filter obviously then you need air tubing you also need a
check valve your air stone and finally a good pair of scissors
first thing we're going to do is take a part of your sponge filter remove your
open if tube then remove the cap off the top of your sponge filter then remove
the sponge you now have two separate columns attached to each other if you
take a look inside the column you'll see there's a centerpiece and some spokes as
well that we're going to remove here are the spokes in the center of your column
we're gonna use the scissor to cut these spokes out to give access for the air
stones and insert both columns have these spokes and here's your sponge
filters weighted base to help keep it at the bottom of your aquarium so we're
gonna grab our scissors and start cutting these spokes out of the center
of the column there are plastic pieces and shouldn't require much force to cut
them out you can use the tip of your scissors on each one they should come
out pretty easy
once you cut all the spokes out this centerpiece will be free do not throw
away the centerpiece we're gonna use it later on in this process this is how
your column should look now that you've cut the spokes and the centerpiece out
of them you repeat this process with the second column as well
next we're gonna get your air tubing out and just take a rough measurement of the
size of your sponge filter and cut the piece off we're gonna grab our air stone
and connect it to one side of the air tubing
now most people along with myself are going to try to put the two columns
together and try to install the air stone through the top and the bottom but
you'll notice that it won't go in because the size of the air stone and
the tips of the spokes don't allow enough access for the air stone to get
in
but I'm gonna show you a better way of doing it you want to separate your
columns and just put the air stone through the top of one column that way
it sits snug on the bottom then take your second column and just slide it
over the tube and connect it to the bottom column now your air stone is
secure in that bottom column won't fall out if you jiggle it won't come out if
you pull it pretty secure
now grab your base and connect your two columns to the base slide your sponge
back on so that we can cut the tubing to a more preferable measurement again I'm
just showing here that your hair stone is properly secured and it won't get
disconnected now when you cut the tubing you want to be flush with the top of the
sponge but give yourself another quarter of an inch just for some breathing room
so your fingertips can grab onto it this is the perfect length again most people
like myself are going to try to put the cat onto this tube and you will find out
that the tube does not connect to this cat this is where you're going to use
that centerpiece that we cut out earlier grab the centerpiece and cut about half
an inch off the tip be careful not to cut yourself
this small piece is going to be used as an adapter to connect to the cap on one
end and then the two connects on the other end
remove your adapter from the cap use your scissors if you have to and then
remove the sponge off of your two columns and take out your tube and your
hair stone now you have more access to get this tip onto the other end of the
tube I won't sugarcoat it this part is gonna be a little tough get
in that little tiny adapter into that tube it's gonna be tough but take your
time don't get frustrated I won't bore you with how long it took me to do it
I'll show you the ending results
this is what it looks like when you got it done place your air filter and - back
into the bottom column and then slide the top column over the tubing put your
sponge back over the columns and now you can easily connect the tubing with the
adapter into the cap now you want to grab your excess tubing and first put it
through your uplift tube then connect your tubing to the top of your sponge
filter
then slide down your uplift tube and connect it to your sponge filter and
there you have it guys a modified sponge filter ready to go in your aquarium
don't forget to install this check valve before going into your aquarium this
check valve can go at the end of your tubing right before your air pump but I
would suggest that you connect this check valve right as your tubing exits
your tank that way if you ever lose power and any
water back fills through your air tubing the check valve will stop it right as it
leaves your tank when installing your sponge filter make sure you give it a
couple of squeeze to get the air out of it so that it sinks to the bottom of
your tank
here's which the sponge motor looks and sounds like without the modification
notice the large bubbles producing a loud bubbling sound at the top of your
tank and here it is with the modification these smaller bubbles help
in reducing that loud bubbling sound if you like that I have more helpful tips
in your aquarium so first hit the SUBSCRIBE circle right here and then
watch one of those videos see you on the next one