Did I do it right? (sponge over filter intake)

[Friendlyfishies]

I just got my filter and hood in the mail last night and couldnt wait to set them up but Im a little puzzled. I put a sponge over the filter intake but how does it actually keep the water clean that way? Did I do it wrong lol? The water still isnt as clear as id like to see it after running the filter over night.

[athenr3134]

I've never seen a sponge on a filter like that. there should have been instructions on how to put the sponge in the filter. it looks funny

[Bettanewbie60]

I'm not sure how the end of that filter looks, but I just removed the plastic cap on the end of my filter, cut a very small piece of sponge, put it in the cap, and replaced the cap on the end of the filter. I also have a small valve to adjust the filter flow.

[thekoimaiden]

That's called a prefilter sponge. It's not going to instantly clear your water. Cloudy water can come from a number of causes including unwashed substrate, bacterial bloom, suspended particles from some other source. We'll need a bit more information from you to determine the actual cause. How long has the tank been running? Is it cycled?

Your prefilter sponge looks just fine. I have ones similar to that on my goldfish tank as it helps prevent sand from getting to the filters and it prevents their long fins from getting caught (same as it does with betta). It can be a platform for beneficial bacteria to grow, but these don't keep your water clear.

[Sceven]

Originally Posted by Bettanewbie60

I'm not sure how the end of that filter looks, but I just removed the plastic cap on the end of my filter, cut a very small piece of sponge, put it in the cap, and replaced the cap on the end of the filter. I also have a small valve to adjust the filter flow.

Bettanewbie60 I could e-kiss you! I have been trying to figure out how to baffle my filter and NOTHING was working! IN the filter! Oh your a genius! I also feel like a derp.