This is perhaps the best sponge filter for an aquarium with filter feeders. The spongy material is enough to house the beneficial bacteria. And the shrimp will actually herd the sponge in search of edible material after the filter has matured. I use this filter in my shrimp and mussel tank. I have found that shrimp get most of their nutrition from eating the surface of the sponge. The air filter does not post-filter the water. This is beneficial for those keeping filter feeders like mussels and some species of shrimp. Mussels cannot compete with a power filter. They feed by filtering water for edible treats. Treats for them are floating algae, bacteria and microorganisms. The water in most aquariums contains very few of them because they are over-filtered. A sponge filter does not remove these airborne particles as aggressively as a mesh filter. This is a copy of an old Tetra design from 30 years ago. It has stood the test of time. Yes, suction cups lose their grip after a few years. Early in hard water. For hard water I recommend ATI sponge filters. They do not use suction cups but stand alone. However, a free-standing sponge filter with a weighted bottom takes up a lot of space on the substrate. Space that can be used for plants. Highly recommended for aquariums with invertebrates.
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