ATI Hydro Sponge 2 or 3...or 3 pro?

[bettarescue]

Sitting on the AAP website again, debit card in hand and can't pull the trigger... so I needs help!

I have a puffer in a 20 gallon long (l/w/h: 12"x12"x31") with an aquaclear 50 HOB. I am already covered on the excessive filtration that's necessary for puffers (at 9-10xs turnover per hour), but still want a sponge filter in there as I do in all my tanks for redundancy, and for all the reasons Carl's taught us 😉!

What i cant decide is the size, I know the Hydro 2 is for 10-30 gallons, and the Hydro 3 is for 15-40 gallons.... but I was eyeing the Hydro Sponge 3 pro. The reason being is that puffers are messy eaters and messy poopers and they foul up a tank quickly. Besides the fantastic biological filtration, I'll need good Mechanical filtration as the sponge will be catching some good size chunks of torn up live food and the lot. I know the 3 PRO has the reticulated Sponge for larger particles that would clog reg filters, but am not sure if I will need all that in conjunction with the AC 50 HOB.

So can you help? Should I go with the ATI Hydro Sponge 2 or 3? If the 3 is best (which is what I'm leaning towards), then would the 3 PRO be better, or would the sponge type be overkill? I'm also on my last pack of wondershells, so I'm REALLY itching to place this order lol 😂 Thanks in advance for your help!

[Carl]

How fast is your AquaClear sponge getting clogged?
The reason I ask is that the AquaClear does not perform fin mechanical filtration very well, so if it is clogging quickly, I would add the Pro Sponge #3, otherwise if not, I would go with the regular Sponge Filter #3

Carl

[devonjohnsgard]

I'm leaning towards the pro as well. The larger debris and the fact that it's a redundant filter too.

[bettarescue]

Carl, my AC hob is pretty new. Like 2 weeks old-new. Plus I'm cleaning the ever living sin out of the tank while the BB catches back up from the filter swap. So it's sparky clean. Also I haven't gotten any plants in there yet, so just hardscape and driftwood... so there's less organic material in there then will eventually be once it's fully planted.

Devon, and Carl: what is the recommended application for the 3 Pro? Like, an example of a well suited aquarium for this sponge would be...?

Thanks guys, hopefully I can get a little clearer idea!

[devonjohnsgard]

May 12, 2017 16:08:15 GMT -5 bettarescue said:

Devon, and Carl: what is the recommended application for the 3 Pro? Like, an example of a well suited aquarium for this sponge would be...?

The coarse sponge is usually for higher bioload (feed) tanks. Or for faster flow pumps. So the sponge doesn't get clogged as fast. It's a great secondary filter, but wouldn't make it the primary for light bioload tanks. The finer spongers would do a better job.

[bettarescue]

I'm even more confused now with this clarification.

Maybe more info will help?

The puffer is tiny, will only grow to 3 inches. I keep meticulous tanks and have a cautious feeding hand (even with the tanks I feed Carnivore crumbles in, nothings left over). When I syphon every 2-3 days with the water changes I do get debris, but not much. This puffer is less active then others so he eats less, and is alone in this tank. I feed mainly live snails, and thawed blood worms. Sometime ghost shrimp for treats, but not a staple. Righ now Max is still small so he eats daily.

I'm thinking of grabbing a kit instead, I'm almost out of Prime and would rather get a new air pump.... psst Carl, you don't have a kit with the 3 Pro Sponge! Devon would know....can I call and order ithe 3 kit (either one) and just pay an upcharge for the 3 Pro Sponge on the filter instead?

[Carl]

May 14, 2017 23:40:00 GMT -5 bettarescue said:

I'm even more confused now with this clarification.

Maybe more info will help?

The puffer is tiny, will only grow to 3 inches. I keep meticulous tanks and have a cautious feeding hand (even with the tanks I feed Carnivore crumbles in, nothings left over). When I syphon every 2-3 days with the water changes I do get debris, but not much. This puffer is less active then others so he eats less, and is alone in this tank. I feed mainly live snails, and thawed blood worms. Sometime ghost shrimp for treats, but not a staple. Righ now Max is still small so he eats daily.

I'm thinking of grabbing a kit instead, I'm almost out of Prime and would rather get a new air pump.... psst Carl, you don't have a kit with the 3 Pro Sponge! Devon would know....can I call and order ithe 3 kit (either one) and just pay an upcharge for the 3 Pro Sponge on the filter instead?

We do not sell a kit for the PRO #3 just becuase these kits are designed for beginners and to avoid confusion, the majority of tanks where this would be used in , especially as the primary filter, the regular would be the better choice.

The reason I asked the question is that from considerable experience using Aqua Clear Filters, I know they are quite poor at fine mechanical filtration, so while I asked a question, my suspected answer would be that the filter will not be clogging very fast.
Hence in your case the regular #3 would very likely be a much better choice.
Your further information further confirms this

Carl

[bettarescue]

Thaaaank you Carl and Devon. It's truly an awesome experience to have my questions answered by the innovators! I'm going with the kit for the 3 reg, and IF it turns out I need the Pro, well...let's just say I always take advantage of any chance to place an AAP order! Lol

Sorta hijacking my own question, but since I'm asking product questions... I have one more before I order.

I am new to driftwood, I have only used live plants and hardscape items. I put a new piece of Spider (web) wood in the baby puffers 20 long about 2 weeks ago. It started leaching out a goopy clear jelly with some white mold looking stuff below it. As per the lfs "take it out and rinse it all off. It may do it once more, so you will have to remove and clean it twice before the goo stops forming. It won't hurt your livestock, the snails and shrimp will munch on it." Not in a puffer tank... the only thing getting eaten will be the cleanup crew! *coughcough...BS* I was misinformed, for sure. I have even purchased the wood it's own baby bottle brush, cause it needs it! I take it out and scrub it off every 2-3 days and it just reforms on the wood and keeps coming and coming!

Onto my question: should i just throw the damn wood out, or does AAP have a product I can buy that will help this problem? I thought maybe an algaecide, but bc I don't know what this is I don't know what to buy to treat it. I would hate myself if this stuff from the wood started some bacterial or fungal outbreak, that could take hold of Max (I named him). Plus with him being a scaleless fish and so young I need to be sure I'm using the correct meds and dose, as well as careful about what i dump in the tank.

Thank you all again for your help, I know I'll always find it here!

[devonjohnsgard]

May 16, 2017 1:41:50 GMT -5 bettarescue said:

Thaaaank you Carl and Devon. It's truly an awesome experience to have my questions answered by the innovators! I'm going with the kit for the 3 reg, and IF it turns out I need the Pro, well...let's just say I always take advantage of any chance to place an AAP order! Lol

Sorta hijacking my own question, but since I'm asking product questions... I have one more before I order.

I am new to driftwood, I have only used live plants and hardscape items. I put a new piece of Spider (web) wood in the baby puffers 20 long about 2 weeks ago. It started leaching out a goopy clear jelly with some white mold looking stuff below it. As per the lfs "take it out and rinse it all off. It may do it once more, so you will have to remove and clean it twice before the goo stops forming. It won't hurt your livestock, the snails and shrimp will munch on it." Not in a puffer tank... the only thing getting eaten will be the cleanup crew! *coughcough...BS* I was misinformed, for sure. I have even purchased the wood it's own baby bottle brush, cause it needs it! I take it out and scrub it off every 2-3 days and it just reforms on the wood and keeps coming and coming!

Onto my question: should i just throw the damn wood out, or does AAP have a product I can buy that will help this problem? I thought maybe an algaecide, but bc I don't know what this is I don't know what to buy to treat it. I would hate myself if this stuff from the wood started some bacterial or fungal outbreak, that could take hold of Max (I named him). Plus with him being a scaleless fish and so young I need to be sure I'm using the correct meds and dose, as well as careful about what i dump in the tank.

Thank you all again for your help, I know I'll always find it here!

Best way is to boil it. If you can fit it in a large pot. Good hour or so. My experience is that even a salt soak or rise will help.

[bettarescue]

Thanks Devon, I despise this foul junk in my tank!

Now I'm off to my AAP order, time to recharge my spirits and deplete my checking account (because I can never only buy what I need lol there's just too much good stuff! ... wait, isn't that a ampm commercial?)

Thanks again!

[devonjohnsgard]

May 16, 2017 20:01:54 GMT -5 bettarescue said:

Thanks Devon, I despise this foul junk in my tank!

Now I'm off to my AAP order, time to recharge my spirits and deplete my checking account (because I can never only buy what I need lol there's just too much good stuff! ... wait, isn't that a ampm commercial?)

Thanks again!

lol

[catrem]

I have a 5 gal. isolation tank for incoming fish that has an under gravel filter system and is well planted. So far so good until the new guppies decided to have babies and not eat them. The bio load sky rocketed so I got a Hydro Sponge I kit to help out. Here's my question: Do I really need the lift tube at all since the tank is so short? I did put a diffuser in and am running it in a large clean bowl with water from a partial change to thoroughly soak the sponge.

I set up my 20 long a few weeks ago with 2 Hydro Sponge Pro 3s, one at each end as the only filtration and put as many of the guppy fry in there as would fit to get the nitrogen cycle going. It is heavily planted and I plan on keeping African Dwarf Frogs in it. From the conversation above I am wondering if I have gone overboard with the filters?

Thanks!

[devonjohnsgard]

Aug 19, 2017 12:09:48 GMT -5 catrem said:

I have a 5 gal. isolation tank for incoming fish that has an under gravel filter system and is well planted. So far so good until the new guppies decided to have babies and not eat them. The bio load sky rocketed so I got a Hydro Sponge I kit to help out. Here's my question: Do I really need the lift tube at all since the tank is so short? I did put a diffuser in and am running it in a large clean bowl with water from a partial change to thoroughly soak the sponge.

I set up my 20 long a few weeks ago with 2 Hydro Sponge Pro 3s, one at each end as the only filtration and put as many of the guppy fry in there as would fit to get the nitrogen cycle going. It is heavily planted and I plan on keeping African Dwarf Frogs in it. From the conversation above I am wondering if I have gone overboard with the filters?

Thanks!

It's best to have some lift tube, as it creates the pull. More the lift, more the pull. You can cut the tube. I know people that don't use it though.

I don't think that over filtration. You can never have too much and having two allows you to clean one at a time, keeping a good load of bacteria.

Welcome btw!!

[Carl]

Aug 19, 2017 12:09:48 GMT -5 catrem said:

I set up my 20 long a few weeks ago with 2 Hydro Sponge Pro 3s, one at each end as the only filtration and put as many of the guppy fry in there as would fit to get the nitrogen cycle going. It is heavily planted and I plan on keeping African Dwarf Frogs in it. From the conversation above I am wondering if I have gone overboard with the filters?

Thanks!

I would suggest having at least one of these Sponge Filters being converted to a Standard sponge for better overall filtration.

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/sponge_filtration.html#sponge

QUOTE from above article:
"The patented reticulated "PRO" sponges are for higher flow and more coarse particulates. While the standard patented sponges are for lower flow, but smaller particulates."

Carl