How many sponge filters for 75g?

[Maggie]

26 minutes ago, gardenman said:

I like the idea of using the USB air pumps as an emergency filter using a power bank during power outages. I've never really trusted them as a full time air pump, but as an emergency or transport air pump they make some more sense. I may have to pick up a few. As for how many sponge filters in a 75 gallon tank, I'm an over-filtering kind of aquarist. More is better to me. I have at least two filters on every tank. Typically one sponge filter and either a HOB or canister. I just feel more comfortable with more filtration.

The best thing about the USB pump is no noise. I wish someone could make a regular pump super quiet like that, and just have the USB for backup since it seems to not be so great for long-term use.

[gardenman]

6 minutes ago, Maggie said:

The best thing about the USB pump is no noise. I wish someone could make a regular pump super quiet like that, and just have the USB for backup since it seems to not be so great for long-term use.

I like the idea of putting a big air pump in my basement with a loop of PVC pipe around the basement with outlets leading upstairs. Small holes drilled in the floor/wall near tanks for air to arrive where needed. That would let me supply tanks in every room and the noise would be in the basement. To the best of my knowledge no one makes wall plates for air distribution (like for cable, electricity, or ethernet) but if the aquarium hobby took off, there could be a market for that. A wall plate with an airline nub and a control valve built-into the wall plate. Put one (or more) on every wall plumbed into a central air distribution system and you could have a pretty neat setup. Want a tank in a room? Simply run some airline from the nub to the tank and turn on the valve. Instant air. You could branch off 1/2" supply lines vertically from the main loop into the wall cavity and then use a 90 degree elbow to send it through the drywall/plaster. Cut the length of the piece from the elbow so that with an end cap it was flush with the finished wall surface then drill and tap in the air valve. 

[L.W. Wetarm]

1 hour ago, gardenman said:

I'm an over-filtering kind of aquarist. More is better to me. I have at least two filters on every tank. Typically one sponge filter and either a HOB or canister. I just feel more comfortable with more filtration.

Put me in the over filter camp. My only tank, for now, is a 60 gallon species only Brichardi colony. Now, already with five schools of fry, this tank will become overcrowded very quickly...which was the intention from the beginning. 

Because of this, I run a big SunSun canister with 3 baskets full of Biohome Ultimate and Seachem Matrix in addition to a basket of filter sponges. But that’s not enough...I’m also running two AquaClears, a 50 and a 70 and a media reactor full of Seachem DeNitrate...sponge pre-filters on all intakes.  This isn’t really a planted tank ...just a some Val and a couple of Java Fern, and I know I over feed because of all the fry so I feel all that filtration is necessary. Everybody is healthy and spawning like no tomorrow. 

I hate the looks of sponge filters but I’m going to use two medium sized ones on a new 29 that I’m in the process of setting up. I will move AquaClear 50 over to the 29 then. I’ve caught the planted tank bug from  Cory and the Co-Op gang so it will be a more medium tech planted tank. 

On the subject of the little USB pumps... I love them for things like aerating the brine shrimp hatchery of maybe even a smaller tank. I’m a little skeptical on their longevity, however. I had one fail within a couple of hours. I dissected it to find a small motor, similar to the slot car motors of my youth, that is operating 3 small bellows about the size of the button on your cuff. I’m surprised that they put out as much as they do. I would like to see a similar design in a pump with a little more engineering. But for what they are and at only 10 bucks, how can they be beat? 

[Nick Y]

On 12/3/2020 at 9:02 PM, umfalcon said:

Thanks. Yeah, try to keep an eye out for tank sales. I picked up two 75g at Petco for $105 each. It was too good to pass up. Good luck with your future discuss tank. Any particular discuss strains you plan on keeping?

No particular strain in mind!