Review on Hydro II Sponge Pro Filter by Abby Libbett

This filter was first manufactured and sold by Lustar Plastics. It was the best sponge filter at the time; It was far more efficient than the Tetra Billi and Brilliant filters (the "cheap twin column filters" mentioned by another reviewer) and far better than the Dirt Magnet filters (perhaps the worst designed and most inefficient aquarium filters ever made ) of the now defunct jungle. laboratories. When Lustar Plastics collapsed, Aquarium Technology acquired and improved this product line. I've been using Hydro Sponge Filters in most of my aquariums for over a decade (I started using them in small aquariums in 1997) and despite their effectiveness, with proper maintenance they have drawbacks that only become apparent when you don't use them use for several years or more. Most of the reviews here are from new/newer users and their comments reflect that. The original Lustar Hydro Sponge filter used a regular light beige aquarium grade sponge as the filter material, and when you purchase or receive the "Original" or "Non-Professional" version from Aquarium Technology, here's what you get. Aquarium Technology has improved this situation with their Pro Series (indicated by two yellow stickers on two sides of the box), which uses a black, looser filter media with much more surface area per filament. This allows for a much faster flow through the media (not much different from an air operated filter, but much better when used with a power head). The much larger surface area for biofilm colonization more than offsets the looser material, and the looser material reduces the rate at which the sponge becomes clogged with dirt and fish droppings. In addition, the black material promotes the growth of light-inhibited bacteria and other biofilm organisms. On the other hand, the coarser material allows a higher proportion of fine particles to pass through the medium and back into the aquarium, making the Pro Series slightly less efficient at mechanical filtration than its predecessor. The Pro filter material is also very abrasive (almost like a cleaning sponge!); This is not a problem for coral reef fish and inversions, but can injure freshwater fish if they trip over it or peck at it multiple times. Due to the relatively large space inside the Pro Sponge, it is NOT recommended for use with very small egg layers (popular egg layers such as small tetras, fry of most marine fish, baby gobies and dwarf cucumbers, etc.) due to the risk of sponge pinching . I would recommend Hikari Bacto Surge filters (lots of extra surface area in a much denser sponge with less spacing) for very small juvenile fish. The Pro Sponges are great for frying livebearers, all but the tiniest cichlid etc. The two biggest issues I have had with Hydro Sponge filters are not obvious to new users/buyers. The plastic frame is brittle and becomes very brittle after about 10-13 months of use so separating the frame pieces to replace the Aeroston (if you use one) or remove the sponge filler for a deep clean or replacement will result in breakage. framework. In this case, you can usually continue to use the filter for some time. I now use Airstones with them NOT according to the directions on the box (which are illustrated on this page by another reviewer's photos) but rather by running the duct through the riser and then through the top frame cover (that's the "goal". ") in the figure of the instructions on the packaging; I don't attach the air duct to the nipple at the top of the bullseye) before attaching the air stone directly to the air duct. Then I dip and squeeze the sponge a few times to push out the trapped air, assemble the filter underwater, install it and push the air line, then the air pump, deeper into the filter until I can feel the air vent on the tubular frame slides past connection and contact the inside of the socket. This makes removing and replacing the vents much easier without damaging the frame and also ensures the vent is positioned as efficiently as possible. After 12 to 18 months of use, the frame becomes so brittle that even scrubbing it with a sponge will break it. By this time, even with regular cleaning, the old sponges are so clogged that they break and further impede the flow of water. Although some dealers sold replacement jaws, I always found that if the sponge broke, the frame was useless. The new Pro sponges last significantly longer and don't clog as quickly in the given conditions, but it's not a huge improvement if the sponge lasts longer than the frame. These filters are most effective for both mechanical and biological filtration if you use the largest filter that fits in your tanks and run it with a head. (A motor head is not recommended for the non-Pro version as the sponge will clog too quickly.) A large motor head driven hydro sponge filter or two that are cleaned regularly will actually work very well as they are in most installations the only filtration system are , accommodating small medium sized fish. Running them with an aeroston gives you better aeration (a venturi is still a lot less efficient at aerating than an aeroston) and less turbulence due to flow rate. With these filters, the airstones have to be replaced frequently (every 2-5 weeks for me). Because the biofilm that colonizes the sponge also colonizes and clogs the pores of the balloon; It is fed by a constant flow of nutrient- and oxygen-rich water around the aerostone. Therefore, the riser of this filter quickly forms an inner biofilm. Contrary to popular belief, airborne particles generally play a minor role in air vent clogging. (Try running a new Airstone in a jug or glass of distilled water; in the absence of biofilm growth nutrients, it will typically run for several months without clogging.) Reviewers who recommended these filters because they're made in the USA , should note that within a year or two of using an Aerostone they will be spending significantly more than the difference in filter price to fit that American made filter with Chinese made Aerostones! In comparison, Hikari Bacto Surge filters (made in China for a Japanese multinational with excellent quality control and a subsidiary in the US) never require air stones (they have a built-in air distribution grille that won't clog). Hikari filters have strengths and weaknesses compared to their Hydro Sponge competitors and I will be posting a review on that over the next few weeks. Sponge filters are much "greener" than other types of general-purpose aquarium filters (much more problematic to maintain and potentially more prone to toxic buildup in bottom filters). Their use does not require regular replacement of cartridges, polyester filter fibers, carbon, zeolite, etc. In addition, the air pumps that drive them consume relatively little electricity, especially when compared to canister and large suspension filter motors. They clean up quickly and easily in the water you throw away during routine water changes. If you have a check valve in your line, or if you mount the air pump well above your tanks, it will not drain tank water onto your bottom in the event of a power or pump failure, or a leaking canister or other external filter. However, they definitely will NOT "last forever", despite what one rather enthusiastic reviewer said! The last and very important point; With this and every other sponge filter, if anything causes the water flow to stop for more than half an hour or an hour (power failure, pump failure, etc.), the oxygen-free conditions that develop inside the sponge will gradually become beneficial to bacteria and others useful microorganisms. Harmful and, in some species, toxin-producing bacteria (usually controlled by competing beneficial sponges and biofilm organisms) then rapidly multiply, forming large populations within the sponge. To prevent this, squeeze as much water as possible out of the sponge so that it's only slightly damp, then place the sponge in a ziplock bag, sealed jar, etc. to keep it from drying out completely (there are plenty of water). there is more oxygen in the air than in highly aerated water, so it doesn't suffocate the bacteria you're trying to save). If the air temperature is permanently above 70 degrees or higher, simply place the supplied sponge in a dark place, otherwise place the vessel in the aquarium to keep it warm. Destruction from toxins produced by the "bloom" of harmful bacteria resulting from failure to protect sponges during power outages typically occurs 3-7 days after power is restored. I have seen aquarium and pet stores lose all fish in tanks fitted with sponge filters within a week of power being restored.