up to 60Gal

I’ve been using these sponge filters for a couple of years and have purchased them multiple times. I use them as the primary filtration in grow-out tanks and as secondary filtration in other aquariums. They sit securely on the bottom without suction cups, provide gentle water movement, and are easy to remove and clean. They’ve been reliable and versatile filters for our aquarium setups.

I'm 49 and have been an aquarium hobbiest since I was six. My local aquarium store manager talked me into a sponge filter after years of using underground, canister, and hang-on filters. The 4-pack deal on these was just too hard to pass up. Currently running one as my sole source of filtration on a 29 gallon stocked with approx 30 fish--10 each of Tiger Barbs, Serpae Tetras, and Zebra Danios. Ask yourself, why do fish stores almost universally use sponges on their tanks, entrusting hundreds of thousands of dollars in fish inventory to their operation? Answer: It's the only system that provides fantastic biological filtration in a simple, bulletproof design. Power goes out, your $500 canister filter doesn't come back on, and the clock is ticking on your fish as the oxygen quickly starts to dissipate. The biological filtration on a sponge never goes off. Your fish can survive for days, even weeks if the pump is tripped. Second question: Then why aren't sponge filters more popular in the aquarium hobby? A sponge filter is a single component joined by a tube to a pump. The filter, tubing, and pump (plus an air stone and check valve) will set you back about $20 and last for years. A canister filter costs anywhere from $100-$500, has about 50 parts that can break, and requires regular maintenance and/or replacement of the filter and media trays. Plain and simple, sponge filters are not popular because filter manufacturers can't make money off them. Why would the manufacturers and by extension pet stores try to sell you something you'll NEVER need to replace? A few words about the negative reviews. One guy says they never sink. FALSE. Drop it in your tank, let it soak for an hour, then reach in while the sponge is submerged and give it a good squeeze. It will drop like a rock. Another reviewer says they're loud. FALSE. I modified mine with an air stone to make the bubbles smaller, hooked it up to a Tetra Whisper pump rated for a 40 gallon tank, and it's practically silent--infinitely quieter than the hang-on filter it replaced. Yet another reviewer complained about the lack of directions. Well, that's a problem only if you're living in the year 1994. YouTube is your friend. Within about five minutes you'll know everything about sponge filter installation, including how to do the air stone mod. Some legitimate drawbacks? Minus the air stone modification, I feel the the bubbles are too big and the system is noticeably louder. For the manufacturer to suggest that an air stone is not needed is like a mechanic telling you your car doesn't need a muffler. Secondly, this is a big, beefy filter. If you're into an aquarium looking as natural as possible, a giant black sponge in the corner isn't the most aesthetically pleasing of tank decors. And lastly, if your light source is close to the surface of the water, the mineral deposits from the bubbles will build up pretty fast on your light cover.

Honestly these filters worked out great. We put 4 in our 110 gallon for several months waiting for a large canister we ordered and they did a decent job. So much we left them in as additional filtration. We have it as our sole filtration in a planted guppy tank, thats a 20 gallon long and its been 6 months? And no issues at all. I arguably think they are better than any hang on filter.

Best purchase overall for my aquarium, straight off just one purchase needed not like how other filtration systems require multiple parts and multiple maintenance pieces. The sponge filter just does everything organically and you just need to clean off the pump once a month. Love it

Works great in my tank

Great price for what you’re getting for very large sponges

A finer, smaller pore sponge.

Great filters water is so clear!!! And less electricity needed as it runs off an air pump!

Brilliant for goldfish. Can cope very well with biology, cleared substrate clouds and could buy again with cost as it is

Great seller, really well packaged and arrive complete and will be great in the tank

Much larger than I expected. Work very well.

Great value for money quick delivery very happy

Great sponge filters