Air stone VS sponge filter?

[Canaveral]

Hi all! I've had my axxie for about two weeks now, and he's had an over-the-side filter for that time. However, then I heard that sponge filters were best for maintining long beautiful axxie gills, so I got a Tetra Whisper pump good for up to 50 gal, and since PetSmart didn't have sponge filters, I got a long air stone. But the bubble wall and current seem really intense in my 30 gallon tank! The turbulence is so much that it moves his gills around even when he's on the opposite side of the tank!

So I'm guessing that air stones are VERY different from sponge filters? Or is it my pump? They did not have one in between 20 and 50 gal. Should I try the 20 gal one or is that too little for a 30 gal tank?

 

[Vahrun]

Hi! As far as I know a sponge filter is different and is it's own pump. You use an airstone in the sponge filter to disperse the bubbles! : )

... Sorry if that comment didn't make much sense ^.^;

 

[Phantomlink]

Hi all! I've had my axxie for about two weeks now, and he's had an over-the-side filter for that time. However, then I heard that sponge filters were best for maintining long beautiful axxie gills, so I got a Tetra Whisper pump good for up to 50 gal, and since PetSmart didn't have sponge filters, I got a long air stone. But the bubble wall and current seem really intense in my 30 gallon tank! The turbulence is so much that it moves his gills around even when he's on the opposite side of the tank!

So I'm guessing that air stones are VERY different from sponge filters? Or is it my pump? They did not have one in between 20 and 50 gal. Should I try the 20 gal one or is that too little for a 30 gal tank?

What size tank is he in? I had a 70g airpump in a 10 gallon tank of mine and it was pretty powerful with the sponge filter. When I set it back up for my baby axols I plan to use a weaker pump I have.

Also, Spongefilter and airstone are two separate things. Not much bacteria is going to grow on that airstone

 

[Canaveral]

Aw, darn lol. I keep making these costly mistakes! Oh well, I guess I can take the pump back.

From what I've heard, sponge filters don't do a very good job of cleaning up debris in the water, right? So if I get a sponge filter, is there anything else I can get that will filter out debris without messing with the sponge filter's advantage of encouraging gill growth? The fluval waterfall-type filter that I currently have does an excellent job keeping most of the smaller debris out. I have a break-water rigged to reduce the current, but I've read where axxies' gills have shrunken when using filters like mine.

I also don't think I quite understand WHY sponge filters encourage gill growth. Is it due to the fact that they don't over-aerate? Or does it have to do with the current? Both? Is there any way that I might be able to simply rig my waterfall-type filter to be beneficial to gills?

 

[LadyAmelia]

Bump. I'm also wondering about this.

 

[hairypumpkin]

I don't have an answer to the question being asked, but the only place I've been able to find sponge filters around here is my very large local aquarium store (expensive!!). Petsmart and Petco don't seem to carry them. I ordered mine online from Dr. Foster and Smith:
Foam Aquarium Biological Filters: Azoo Oxygen Plus Bio-Filters

I think they are cheaper than ebay. : )

 

[salamandergod]

If your not going for looks you can make your own sponge filter out of a plastic bottle really cheap. I got my idea off youtube and it seems to work nicely for my baby axies.

 

[Bdyoung]

Filtering Your Tank Part 1: 3 Stages of Filtering - YouTube

 

[Morrison]

Wpw, yesterday I was thinking about: let's search the internet to see if there's a way to make my own sponge filter.
I forgot and now I see this

 

[layna]

Well i dont know the answer to your question but i can take a guess.
Axies gills are to get the oxygen out of the water, if the water is rich in oxygen i guess they dont need as big gills, but if there is less oxygen then they need the surface area to take in the oxygen.
But the gills are also due to genetics, i have three axies in one tank, one has shorter less fluffy gills (but they are still fluffy, and he came from a different batch to the other two) and the other two who came from the same parents have much fluffier gills and slightly longer.

Also on a side note, spot got his gills bitten off when he was very little and as they have grown back they are massively fluffy as he needed more fluff bits to take the oxygen, im assuming.
Lol im just rambling now, sorry

 

[jane1187]

I know the original posts were made several weeks ago but Can I just point out that you can buy little valves to attach to the airline to reduce the flow of air so that the air stone doesn't bubble violently... Will probably cost you about £1 or less (whatever that is in dollars...).

 

[knyptozoologist]

I know the original posts were made several weeks ago but Can I just point out that you can buy little valves to attach to the airline to reduce the flow of air so that the air stone doesn't bubble violently... Will probably cost you about £1 or less (whatever that is in dollars...).

A two-port metal valve is about $4.99, but I got a plastic 3-way valve for $.97 (probably regular $2.99, I got it on clearance) from Petsmart. I used one on mine (20 gallon pump on a 20 gallon tank) because the bubbles were splashing all over the place so I was able to turn it down enough that they don't.