Dual sponge filters or single barrel?

[Hamilton]

Hi, I'm setting up a cherry shrimp tank for the first time and it seems like a lot of shrimp breeders recommend dual sponge filters. I can see the advantages of the dual sponge filters being that they are easier to clean (popping out one sponge is far easier than a barrel one), you can remove one to cycle another tank, and they don't take up any space on the tank floor. 

Are there disadvantages over a single barrel one apart from a little less suction power? 

I've watched many of Cory's youtube videos and I haven't seen one where he talks about dual sponge filters. Does anyone know why he doesn't carry them?

[Ben_RF]

I do not know this from experience, however, from other forums and youtube videos I have seen it recommended for the dual to provide more surface space for shrimp to graze upon.  For me as an average hobbyist, I don't think its going to matter much whether someone like me went single or dual.  A benefit of a sponge like aquarium co op's is that I find I have to clean them less often verses the fine ones you get on the dual filters.  With that being said I have only ever used an aquarium co op sponge filter in my shrimp tank.

Edited January 27, 2021 by Ben_RF

[Ben_RF]

Oh and this took me forever to learn with shrimp tanks is to set it up, let it get established, then keep your hands off it as you let it go.  Early on with them, I killed far to many by being to interactive with the tank.  To big of water changes.  Feeding to much (this was big for me). Trying to aquascape to much.  I hope this helps.  

[Hamilton]

Thanks for the advice, BenRF.  That's exactly what I'm trying to do... Find the balance between being hands off and interactive. I'm trying to do everything now before the fry get born and then I'm planning to be hands-off for a month or two until the fry get bigger. Did you gravel vac your shrimp tank in the first month or two? 

[Ben_RF]

The 5g tank that I finally was able to get shrimp to live in, I have neither water changed nor gravel vaccumed in over a year.  The only thing I have done is add about 2 root tabs every 3 months (I have dwarf sag) and one squirt of easy green every week (for the java moss, frogbit, and anubias).   My nitrates stay between 5 - 10ppm.  My phosphate levels stay super low.  My tap water already has a fair bit of calcium in it, so that gets introduced with my top offs.

[Brandy]

I think it is mostly the surface area banquet, and the size of your tank. I am fairly certain you could grow cherry shrimp in an unfiltered bucket with only java moss. In short I think it is a matter of preference.

I have had tanks with one single sponge filter (10g), 2 single sponge filters (29 and 40g), no sponge filters--all in one type tanks, and a matten filter (20g). The one the shrimp and I love the most is the matten filter, but it is unsightly and takes up a lot of space in most set ups. If you were considering a divided 20g and raising 2 separate colors of shrimp though, I would highly recommend!

I have always used 2 single filters at opposite ends of larger tanks for increased flow. The only reason I didn't go with the double barrel is that I felt they were more unsightly than the matten and single barrel sponges. 

[OceanTruth]

I doubt there is any huge benefit using one type over the other. They both probably do the job as effectively as the other. That's just my opinion though. The dual is nice in that you can clean one sponge at a time or swap out if needed. I HATE suction cups though, so that's the only reason I've never tried one of the dual sponge filters.

[Will Billy]

One trick ive seen on a youtube video, where this guy had 30 tanks. He would use the double barrel sponge filters so he could swap one sponge and seed a new tank with beneficial bacteria. If you got 30 tanks like that guy, then i see a clear advantage to the double barrel sponge filter, otherwise the difference in filtration ability is hardly noticeable.