Co-Op (Nano) Coarse Sponge Filter issues

[Sergio]

So I bought my 1st filter ever after it was recommended by someone. I bought the Aquarium Co-Op Nano Sponge Filter with everything, the air pump, air stone, air valve, check valve, etc. So I set it up and so far love it, 5 stars, but at the same time it's a 2.5 stars for a few reasons...

 

1. I don't know how to open it to insert the air stone. Tried so hard and felt like I was gonna break it, so I decided to ask here first. I need to insert that air stone ASAP, because the water flow is very strong in my 2.5g tank and my betta is having trouble swimming. So please help me with this. I've seen videos of how it opens, but I can't seem to find how to...

 

2. How can I take out the sponge alone for when I want to clean it?! I don't want nor do I can take it out to clean it while still being attached to the tubbing. I need to take out the bottom part only to clean it...

 

3. I decided to buy clear tubbing from Petco instead of the black tubbing from Co-Op, because I preferred clear, and the clear tubbing barely attaches to the air pump, valve and sponge filter. Like it only attaches the tip of it and I'm afraid it could de-attach at any moment. So sad Co-Op doesn't have clear tubbing. I now wish I had bought their black tubbing instead... 

 

I need to know how to solve the air stone thing ASAP. Thanks!

 

P.S. Here's a pic of my entire order.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Sergio

[swivvr]

You should be able to pop the top off the sponge filter. The top is a green circle and has a compartment for the air stone below it. You cut off a half inch of tubing insert it on the bottom and attach the air stone. 

To clean the whole sponge filter, I take a ziploc bag and put the filter inside it and then take the ziploc bag out where I can clean it anywhere. Make sure to use dechlorinated water so your bacteria won’t die off.

You can try heating the airline tubing with hot water and then attach it where you need it.

Good luck!

[Guppysnail]

Wiggle the center solid circle 

[lefty o]

get a good grip on top , and on bottom, and pull. a little twist may help it pop open.

[rockfisher]

Sorry this doesn’t have many thing to do with @Sergioquestion. Great display @Guppysnail. 
 

Do you remove you lift tubes when you have small plecos. I have had a couple get caught in the tubes. Once they get big enough I put them back on. Just interested if you do the same

[nabokovfan87]

If you haven't seen it, I'll post there here as well.
 

 

 

On 9/1/2022 at 7:41 AM, Sergio said:

1. I don't know how to open it to insert the air stone. Tried so hard and felt like I was gonna break it, so I decided to ask here first. I need to insert that air stone ASAP, because the water flow is very strong in my 2.5g tank and my betta is having trouble swimming. So please help me with this. I've seen videos of how it opens, but I can't seem to find how to...

 

2. How can I take out the sponge alone for when I want to clean it?! I don't want nor do I can take it out to clean it while still being attached to the tubbing. I need to take out the bottom part only to clean it...

 

3. I decided to buy clear tubbing from Petco instead of the black tubbing from Co-Op, because I preferred clear, and the clear tubbing barely attaches to the air pump, valve and sponge filter. Like it only attaches the tip of it and I'm afraid it could de-attach at any moment. So sad Co-Op doesn't have clear tubbing. I now wish I had bought their black tubbing instead... 

For #1 and 2 the video should have those answers for you as well as the post above.

If you're having issues with the tubing, take some hot water from the faucet and dip the tube in for a few minutes. It will become a little bit easier to get that tubing onto the green attachment piece. I actually struggle constantly with the ACO tubing, but that's just a preference thing.

[Guppysnail]

On 9/1/2022 at 4:15 PM, rockfisher said:

Sorry this doesn’t have many thing to do with @Sergioquestion. Great display @Guppysnail. 
 

Do you remove you lift tubes when you have small plecos. I have had a couple get caught in the tubes. Once they get big enough I put them back on. Just interested if you do the same

Nope. The babies go in and keep them clean. I’ve even had babies go all the way in. They get out and occasionally I check. I’ve have pleco babies go under UGFs I can see through the bottom and one that lived in a hob filter over a month (that one is in my journal named Lucky). They find their way. In the wild no one is around to baby proof. I’ve not lost any to sponge filters. Though I had 2 go dumpster diving into the sponge itself. One lost a pectoral fin but is fine. She is now a proud momma Lefty and one simply wedged into the sponge material and did not make it. 

[rockfisher]

On 9/1/2022 at 5:22 PM, Guppysnail said:

Nope. The babies go in and keep them clean. I’ve even had babies go all the way in. They get out and occasionally I check. I’ve have pleco babies go under UGFs I can see through the bottom and one that lived in a hob filter over a month (that one is in my journal named Lucky). They find their way. In the wild no one is around to baby proof. I’ve not lost any to sponge filters. Though I had 2 go dumpster diving into the sponge itself. One lost a pectoral fin but is fine. She is now a proud momma Lefty and one simply wedged into the sponge material and did not make it. 

I can’t to that were stuck but just under adult size. Thank you.

[Sergio]

Reading all comments now that I have time. Thank you all.

Gonna have to try again when I clean the tank in a few days.

 

I've seen those videos, but I can't seem to take the top part out of it. Seems like I will have to pry it harder. Hope it doesn't break... I'm afraid of that.

 

Wish someome with a NANO sponge filter confirmed it.

[Guppysnail]

On 9/1/2022 at 6:55 PM, Sergio said:

Wish someome with a NANO sponge filter confirmed it.

I have them. It’s the picture I posted. What are you wanting confirmed. I’ve used 2 dozen aco nano in adult and breeding tanks. 

[redfish]

I can confirm what @Guppysnail has confirmed @Sergio .  The NANO filters come apart for easy cleaning.

[rockfisher]

They should come apart very easy. You can take the bottom and top and it should not take much to pop that top off. I just put my thumbs under the green top piece shown in @Guppysnailpics an push up. If it’s really stuck I will wiggle my thumbs and it comes off.

[Sergio]

Hello! This is the Coarse Sponge Filter I bought:

 

So I tried again to take off only the top part so I can insert the air stone and it doesn't seem like it is 2 different parts. Part 1 and 2 as seen in my pic, seems to be stuck together, like it isn't deattachable... I tried hard again, but was afraid to break part 1 which is like a cage.

 

I want to deattach the top part like Cory did here, so I can insert the air stone and also take out the sponge much easier for when I want to clean it.

[quikv6]

Part number 2 sits in part number 1. It is 2 pieces, and it definitely will pop out.

[Sergio]

On 9/3/2022 at 7:18 AM, quikv6 said:

Part number 2 sits in part number 1. It is 2 pieces, and it definitely will pop out.

You can see both parts are seamless together. They can't be deattached like Cory did in the bottom pics I posted. I've tried 2 times already might have to try 1 more time. But I'm not blind and I can see that it is totally seamless both parts 😕

 

I need to solve this asap for my fishy. Bubbles are too big and flow is too strong without the air stone.

[Cleveland M]

I took all of mine apart. They are made as separate parts then assembled so I can't see how they could be so stuck you can't get them apart. If they are stuck so bad that you break it trying to get it apart I'm sure ACO will take care of you as they have great customer service.

[TOtrees]

It may look like 1 piece but it is 2. Do you  have any thin knives or razor scrapers? Try using that to wedge or slide between the 2 parts and start them coming apart. 
I have used many types of sponge filters, and I will agree that these fit tighter than most. 
Agree with @Cleveland Mabout customer service and return policy. 

[lefty o]

grab the top, grab the bottom, and pull!!!!

[redfish]

Keep trying.  It’s two parts.

[quikv6]

There's a ridge that snap in and grabs, for a tight fit. It is definitely 2 pieces.

[Odd Duck]

The “cage” part and the “disc” part are definitely 2 parts.  I have had a couple of various sizes that were quite stubborn to get apart.  Most aren’t that bad.  Sometimes prying up at a slight angle by hooking your thumb under the edge of the disc will help while you push away on the other end of the cage with your other hand.  I have multiple nano, medium, and large ACO filters.  I have multiples that are double stacked (in everything but my 10 G’s and 5 G’s), including one nano stack since I had a tall, but slim driftwood piece to hide it in my 14 G.

Each piece of the ACO sponge filters come apart: base, inner “cage” (2 pieces except for the smalls), top, and lift tube.  The nanos are the only ones that have smaller inner parts and base.  All the others use the same size parts except the sponges themselves.

[KatTV]

I have the nano and added the air stone. So yes they come apart. I'm also looking for an easier way to clean my sponge too.  I understand the bag idea. Just think it's a pain in the butt. 

[Sergio]

On 9/3/2022 at 8:05 PM, Odd Duck said:

The “cage” part and the “disc” part are definitely 2 parts.  I have had a couple of various sizes that were quite stubborn to get apart.  Most aren’t that bad.  Sometimes prying up at a slight angle by hooking your thumb under the edge of the disc will help while you push away on the other end of the cage with your other hand.  I have multiple nano, medium, and large ACO filters.  I have multiples that are double stacked (in everything but my 10 G’s and 5 G’s), including one nano stack since I had a tall, but slim driftwood piece to hide it in my 14 G.

Each piece of the ACO sponge filters come apart: base, inner “cage” (2 pieces except for the smalls), top, and lift tube.  The nanos are the only ones that have smaller inner parts and base.  All the others use the same size parts except the sponges themselves.

Thanks! I will try 1 more time next time I clean the tank in like 5 days. I grab the cage part so hard in order to remove the top part, that it feels and would break if I kept trying. But I'll give it 1 more chance.

On 9/3/2022 at 8:51 PM, KatTV said:

I have the nano and added the air stone. So yes they come apart. I'm also looking for an easier way to clean my sponge too.  I understand the bag idea. Just think it's a pain in the butt. 

That's like the only down side, taking the sponge out to clean it.

[KatTV]

I probably wouldn't mind the bag in tank to clean the sponge if I would stand on something or had a shorter tank. 

[Odd Duck]

On 9/3/2022 at 7:51 PM, KatTV said:

I have the nano and added the air stone. So yes they come apart. I'm also looking for an easier way to clean my sponge too.  I understand the bag idea. Just think it's a pain in the butt. 

I do a slow motion lift (to not disperse debris) with mine until close to the surface then a quick lift into a disposable bowl saved from something or other that has been a designated, handy aquarium bowl for a couple years now.  Then I carry the whole thing to the sink for rinsing.  I’ve rinsed sponge filters with tap for decades and never had an issue with losing too much BB’s.  I don’t tend to max out bioload, though, and always have other filtration running, too.  I alternate cleaning different filters, and always have very seasoned filters still running.

I usually only have to rinse the prefilter on my HOB’s unless they’re making noise (probably means I should clean the HOB’s more often, 🤷🏻‍♀️).  When I do rinse the sponge packing in my HOB’s, it’s pretty lightly.  It’s usually more about cleaning around the impellers and rinsing out the compartment, cleaning off any accumulated mineral deposits or algae, etc, instead of cleaning the sponge blocks in the HOB’s.

I have pearlweed growing emerse in the top sponge block in one old HOB that doesn’t have a top.  I pluck off what I can, but it keeps regrowing.  It’s pretty so I don’t remove it often.  I make sure to not clean the air driven sponge at the same time I clean the pre-filter, or the internal sponge in the HOB, unless I’m completely resetting the tank and won’t have fish in it for at least a week or more.