#sponge filter

general update

It’s been a big week for my water-dependents. This particular tank had a mass of vines and algae at the top that I finally dealt with and now it looks barren. Except for the approximately 5.2 million little seedlings or whatever that the vines release at the slightest movement once they reach a point of maturity. You can see them clogging the filter intake, which happens so fast and just gave up clearing it.

The Amazon sword plant that remained in this tank (heated), has done decently [lower left plant]. I’d love to get it to the point of propagating, but it’s not always easy, especially when you are brand new and not all that committed to the aquatic plants...oops lol.

I am very pleased with how the crinum calamistratum onion plant is growing its tentacles though. I couldn’t get the other bulbs to thrive in colder and then heated but smaller tanks. They’re finnicky and get this gross smelly red rot it seems, almost out of their own annoyance at the wannabe-cultivator (me :/ )

It’s odd to see so much light in the tank again, since there’s been such coverage at the top for a while until now. 

My two bigger community setups for axolotls got a slight rearranging as well. 

Midas is joining the big boy tank with Buddy and Linda

separate post to follow later. Needless to say, he’s adorable no matter what. 

I also switched up the decor in Sadsolotl and Big Mel’s tank.

And they have been enjoying it. Axolotls do appreciate a change in scenery every so often, and get to exercise some curiosity when encountering new things. Ie., can I eat it? Answer: no, always no. Separate post also to follow for their shiny new-ish digs.

unexpected rant extolling the virtues of sponge filters, I guess for newbies? I don’t know.

It’s also odd to imagine there was a time I relied on charcoal filters and other potions to try to persuade the water to cooperate . If you’re new to keeping fish/aquatic critters, the dreaded CYCLE is real and it will be your best friend eventually. Cut the chemicals, save yourself months of struggle , stress, and money and take the initial time to get a good balanced cycle. I’ve read that axolotls actually need some of the minerals in the water that the carbon filter strips away in order to build a nice slime coat (hard water with minerals is preferred). You don’t want your axie naked without a coat do you??

Sponge filters are the way to go. Simple and cheap. Then you can always have backups  going that aren’t obnoxious to maintain and can basically pop them in a brand new setup and their bacteria will do the rest. You can even just slice a piece of foam and pop an airstone into it for a quick and dirty custom mini filter.

Hey there anon! :D

In my opinion, the best filter for a 10 gallon betta tank (for any tank, really) are sponge filters! :D they come in a few different styles but i personally prefer the bactosurge sponge filters that I got from an LFS :p for any style of sponge filter, you’ll need some airline hose, a check valve, and an air pump :pStyle 1: more of a block sponge with the input and output at the top. this type of sponge sits on the bottom of the tank.

Style 2: two smaller sponges with input near the bottom and output near the top. this type of sponge suctions to the wall of the tank.