Sponge filter trouble shooting

[Cinnebuns]

Times like this I wish I wasn't so mechanically uninclined. 

As seen in pic. Side 1 small sponge filter has been running 1 week just fine. Side 2 nano sponge filter setting up right now. 

Air pump is the tetra 10 gallon thing so maybe that's my issue? Not enough power?

Both sponge filters coop. T line is coop. Small filter does not run when set up with the T even when sides are swapped so maybe the air is going to the side of least resistance aka the nano. Idk, I'm bad at these things. I have a feeling it's not the airline tubing tho because small runs without T and nano runs on both sides of T. 

I hope I'm explaining well and giving all info lol. Feel free to ask my noob brain questions and I'll try to answer. How I had a job as a percussion manager at one point in my life i'll never know. 

Oh and ignore the internal filter. That's coming out. Free bacteria!  

[Patrick_G]

Try and make booth side the same length and see what happens. 

[Widgets]

Yes, the air will seek the path of least resistance, but if the resistances are close enough there will be proportional output. 

First, are you using airstones on the filters? Are they adjustable, like the Zeiss Never Clog? Maybe you need to adjust them to be closer to the same resistance.

If you have an inline valve or a gang valve, you can use the vlave(s) to adjust the resistance to get them closer to balanced.

[Cinnebuns]

On 3/8/2022 at 6:50 PM, Widgets said:

Yes, the air will seek the path of least resistance, but if the resistances are close enough there will be proportional output. 

First, are you using airstones on the filters? Are they adjustable, like the Zeiss Never Clog? Maybe you need to adjust them to be closer to the same resistance.

If you have an inline valve or a gang valve, you can use the vlave(s) to adjust the resistance to get them closer to balanced.

I do have air stones, I have not put them in but can and know how. They are not adjustable. They are cheap ones from Amazon. Maybe I need to get adjustable air stones and a valve? Eventually I do plan to run 2 nano in here (split 10) but cycling 1 at a time. Makes me tempted to try 2 nano right now tho and see if that's a short term fix. I'm not sure it would handle the cycle tho. It is only fry, so less waste, but they grow by the day and a female just gave birth so idk if I should risk that.  I could run the 1 small for now adequately until I get those items tho. Sorry kinda thought outloud there through my options lol. 

So....sounds like I get those items, run the small only for now and it should be fine. Small is rated for 10g anyway. I just wanted one on each side since it's split. 

[Goosedub]

I would just put a valve on the line where the air is coming out and then it will balance the output.

[Widgets]

On 3/8/2022 at 8:02 PM, Cinnebuns said:

I do have air stones, I have not put them in but can and know how. They are not adjustable. They are cheap ones from Amazon. Maybe I need to get adjustable air stones and a valve?

If you are not running with airstones, the only difference in the resistance of each side is the length of the airline (should only be a minimal difference) and the size of the orifice at the top of the sponge filter where the airline attaches.

I would look through the orifice to see if there is any debris or excess plastic from the manufacturing process.

Then, adding the airstones will allow the filter to run quieter and more efficiently, and by providing some additional resistance on each side may fix your problem.

The adjustable airstones are not necessarily needed. I was asking to figure out what you had.

if the airflow is not balanced enough, just add an inline valve to the side with too much airflow. The valve can then be used to increase the resistance and balance the flow. 

You can get fancier with more valves (or a gang valve), but you should be able to balance without the extras. I have 4 airstones in my 20g long, so I use a single gang valve instead of a bunch of tee's and inline valves.

[Cinnebuns]

@Widgets a lot of great info ty!!  My stress level also thanks you lol

[StevesFishTanks]

Replace the T fitting in your picture with this 4-Way Metal Gang Valve and adjust the levers until flow is equal. You can turn off the extra unused ports by closing the valves.