opinions on and experience with sponge filters

[OrangeAugust]

Hello,
I don't like the filter in my 10 gallon because I had to baffle the outflow, and my plants keep getting stuck to the uptake. It's a Whisper 10i.
I've been reading about sponge filters, but I'm not quite understanding how they work so I'd like to hear peoples' experiences with them. I understand that they are good for BB to live, but do they filter fine particles and things out of the water? how exactly do they work? Is there much of a water flow? Would one work adequately in a 10 gallon tank?
What about a 55 gallon tank (aaah! I just found one "very good condition" on craigslist and it's $200 including the staaaand! I'm picking it up on Saturdaaaay!)? Could I use a sponge filter in a 55 gallon NPT as it's only filtration? In my 55 I'm going to have a sorority with a community of other compatible fish.
Thanks!

[logisticsguy]

I only use sponge filters on 10g and under. The HOBs were driving me and my betta nuts with the flow and frequent breakdowns. Sponge can hold lots of bb and also grab the fine particles. They need to be squeezed out in used tank water after water changes to release all the fine particles into the used water. The bb clings on and stays in the filter. There is really no flow so most betta like that. Yes you can use the sponge filters in big tanks. I like to use a HOB plus a larger sponge filter with them. They back each other up along with live plants to give a first rate system. Just my opinion on the subject.

[logisticsguy]

I just want to add that the HOBs on a larger tank can be equipped with a sponge pre filter on the intake. It helps prevent fish from being sucked up and filters out a ton of muck before it even reaches the HOB.

[bethyMT]

My better and i love sponge filters...they provide great infiltration and seem to do fine with particles too. i got sick of baffling every hob i had, so sponge were it for my 20 and 10 gallon tanks.

[waterdog]

Sponge filters are very good, especially for bettas because of their low flow. I have commercial ones in my 2.5 and in my 30 gallon which I use along with the HOB (goldfish are excessivly dirty, but the wife loves them) and I made the ones in my new 10 betta tank. I put valves on the air lines so I can adjust the flow.

[efg321]

I like the sponge filters as an add on to hob in larger tanks. and the sponge filters alone 10 gal and under....

[OrangeAugust]

Thanks, everyone. How does one actually work. Can I just buy a sponge filter? I thought I read that it has to be hooked up to an air pump?

[waterdog]

You can buy them cheap on ebay or amazon. Yes, they are powered by an air pump. Simply put, a tube runs through the middle of a sponge and has holes in the tube under the sponge. An air line is inserted down the tube from the top. As the air bubbles up it pushes out water causing it to be sucked in, through the sponge, through the holes in the tube, and out the top. Debris and wastes are trapped by the sponge. Also the sponge acts as a 'home' for benifical bacteria to grow which eats the ammonia as it passes through, giving you clean water out the top. Depending on the amount of fish, such as having one betta in a 3 gallon tank, you might only need to clean the sponge as little as once a month. To do this, take out some tank water, such as when doing a water change (NEVER use tap water as this will kill the bacteria you have waited so long to grow) remove the sponge and put in the container of tank water, squeeze over and over to push out waste, then put the sponge back into the tank.

This picture should help give you the idea....