Do I need a bigger sponge filter?

[sairving]

I'm planning on swapping out my 5 gallon tank for a 10 gallon.  My current tank runs an aquarium co-op nano sponge filter and an Aquatop Forza 5-10 HOB filter.  The tank needed a little more flow for the plants but not so much it blows the betta around.  Between the two, I have just enough flow in the tank.

The HOB is mostly full of Seachem Matrix biomedia.  Currently, I'm thinking about getting the next size up Aquatop Forza HOB. Will my current sponge filter large enough for the 10 gallon or will that eventually need to be upgraded as well?  

 

[Tihshho]

I always oversize my sponge filters, but being that it isn't your sole source of filtration I believe it will be ok. If you upgrade your sponge, IMO add a second one rather than replacing it. Adding a second one will give it time to season and if you even need to use your old tank as a QT, you will have a spare sponge available to hop over.

[GameCzar]

We have a similar combo in our 10 gallon tank, and it does a great job.   I think you'll be fine with the sponge you have. 

[sairving]

On 9/17/2021 at 11:07 AM, Tihshho said:

I always oversize my sponge filters, but being that it isn't your sole source of filtration I believe it will be ok. If you upgrade your sponge, IMO add a second one rather than replacing it. Adding a second one will give it time to season and if you even need to use your old tank as a QT, you will have a spare sponge available to hop over.

I've been thinking about running a backup sponge.  I do have a teeny tiny sponge filter in my bin of fish stuff.

Edited September 17, 2021 by sairving

[ARMYVET]

I always oversize my sponges as well. I run larges in all my 10 and 20 gallon tanks and the mediums in my 5 gallon. Overkill I'm sure but better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.  I also have "extra spare filters throughout the fish room in case I ever need a fully cycled tank immediately. 

[GameCzar]

I just feel like the bigger ones take up a lot of real estate. 

[Struggle]

I’d use your same filters and roll with it.

[ARMYVET]

On 9/17/2021 at 3:18 PM, GameCzar said:

I just feel like the bigger ones take up a lot of real estate. 

I get what your saying but the width difference between the nano and the large is 1 inch side to side and front to back.  Really isnt that much of a difference.  The other thing I thought of was you can use a bigger sponge in a smaller tank but not the other way around without needing more.

[sairving]

On 9/17/2021 at 2:20 PM, Struggle said:

I’d use your same filters and roll with it.

That's what I'm leaning toward right now.  If I need to get the next size-up HOB later, I can.  I do have a finnex pure-7 as a backup HOB.  It's a little bigger, but it has a tendency to be noisy.  

 

[GameCzar]

On 9/17/2021 at 2:43 PM, sairving said:

That's what I'm leaning toward right now.  If I need to get the next size-up HOB later, I can.  I do have a finnex pure-7 as a backup HOB.  It's a little bigger, but it has a tendency to be noisy.  

 

Yeah, just keep a check on water quality, you should be fine!