Filtration

[TomO]

I'm redoing a 55 gallon. I have lots of stems, like 12 varieties, plus 3 kinds of crypts, a dwarf tiger lily, and amazon swords. Stocking will be Swordtails, Mollies, and Platties, ottos, and a few corys. I am currently running a fluval 50 hob but would like to switch to a sponge. My question is, with all the plants and anf potentially all the babies, will one large sponge filter be enough? Or should I akso run the fluval hob with a prefilter?

[Jovius]

I'd personally run both or get a second sponge filter. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

My 55 display tank runs an ACO medium sponge and a HOB with a pre filter sponge. My 55 grow out tank runs 2 ACO medium sponges and a HOB with a pre filter sponge. 
 

My point being, whatever you want to do should be fine. 

Edited June 19 by AllFishNoBrakes

[Tony s]

Run both. That way, when you want to start another tank or need a quarantine tank, your sponge is ready to go 😁

[lefty o]

i like both. sponge on one end, hob on the other. easy enough to change out if you dont like it and add a second sponge.

[Yoshi]

I run an ACO medium sponge and a Tidal 55 HOB on my 55 gallon.

[daggaz]

On 6/18/2024 at 4:59 PM, TomO said:

My question is, with all the plants and anf potentially all the babies, will one large sponge filter be enough? 

Curious why you include "all the plants" in that..  Plants are a filter, both in removing nitrates and trace minerals from the water column, but also as a huge surface for bacteria to colonize.    Having more plants means you could get away with having less filtration, at least to a point.  

[Jeff]

@daggaz I think the OP was asking if an additional non-natural filter (HOB) was needed on top of going full sponge filter in the tank, due to having said plants. 

Plants are filters, but can only do so much. 
 

@TomO me personally, I would run two sponges in a 55g, since that's what you want to go to. But, I would get the second sponge seasoned (wait a couple of months with the new additional sponge), before removing the HOB. 

Edited June 19 by Jeff

[gardenman]

As is often the case, "it depends" is the best answer. Sponge filters are great biological filters, not as great as particulate filters. If you want sparkling clear water, an extra filter is handy. Your fish stocking plans are fairly modest, so a single sponge filter combined with the plants is likely all you'll need in terms of biofiltration. Your fish don't need a lot of current or water flow. Sponge filters can lose more CO2 (if you're using CO2) than you'd lose with a canister filter with the outlet below the waterline. If you're not using CO2 then a sponge filter can add some CO2 to the water column since the air you're using for the sponge filter typically has a higher CO2 content than the aquarium water. Since you've already got the filter, I'd just add it to the sponge filter. It won't hurt anything having the extra filtration and you've already got it, so might as well use it.

[sumplkrum]

I think it's less about filtration and more about circulation. If you had only one sponge filter would water flow easily to all areas of the tank?
I'd stick with both. As others mentioned you can also use the sponge to start a new tank if needed, which is super handy.