Review on 🧽 Aquaneat Sponge Filter Set for Fry, Betta, Shrimp Nano Fish Tank - Pack of 4 by April Martin

I am 49 years old and have been doing aquaristics since I was six years old. The manager at my local aquarium shop talked me into buying a sponge filter after years of using in-ground, canister and hanging filters. The 4 pack deal was too hard to miss. I currently use one as my only filter source for 29 gallons stocked with about 30 fish - 10 each of tiger barbel, sicklefish and zebrafish. Are you wondering why fish shops almost universally use sponges in their aquariums and trust hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fish stock to do the job? Answer: This is the only system that offers fantastic biological filtration in a simple, bulletproof design. The power goes out, your $500 canister filter won't turn on, and your fish's clock is ticking as the oxygen rapidly dissipates. Biological filtration on a sponge never stops. Your fish can survive for days, even weeks, once the pump kicks in. Second question: why aren't sponge filters more popular in aquaristics? The sponge filter is a single component connected to the pump by a hose. The filter, hose, and pump (as well as the air stone and check valve) will set you back about $20 and last for years. A canister filter costs $100-$500, has about 50 breakable parts, and requires regular maintenance and/or replacement of the filter and material cups. Simple and uncomplicated sponge filters are not popular because filter manufacturers cannot make money from them. Why would manufacturers and therefore pet shops try to sell you something you NEVER need to replace? A few words about negative reviews. A guy says they never sink. NOT CORRECT. Throw it into the aquarium, let it soak for an hour, then take out the sponge while it's immersed in the water and squeeze it well. He will fall like a stone. Another reviewer says they are loud. NOT CORRECT. I modified mine with an air stone to make the bubbles smaller, hooked it up to a 40-gallon Tetra Whisper pump, and it's virtually silent—infinitely quieter than the hanging filter it replaced. Another reviewer complained about this. disorientation. Well, that's only a problem if you're living in 1994. YouTube is your friend. In about five minutes you will know everything about installing a sponge filter, including how to make an airstone mod. Some legitimate downsides? Minus the airstone modification, I feel the bubbles are too big and the system is noticeably louder. When the manufacturer says you don't need a vent, that's like a mechanic telling you your car doesn't need a muffler. Second, it's a big, beefy filter. If you want the aquarium to look as natural as possible, a giant black sponge in the corner is not the most aesthetically pleasing aquarium decoration. Eventually, when your light source is close to the water surface, mineral deposits from bubbles will form on your light cover fairly quickly.