Finding the Best Sponge Filter for Your Aquarium: Tips & Tricks

Let’s talk filters for your aquarium!

Popular among beginners for their ease of use, sponge filters provide good filtration for an aquarium while being easy to maintain. Sponge filters are also economical to replace.

Sponge filters come in different sizes, from coarse sponge pads to large pre-filter sponge filters that look like large rolls.

A few quick tips and tricks:

• Sponge filters are good for most aquariums because they provide gentle currents—they keep the water flowing, without sucking up smaller fish or shrimp into the filter.

• Quiet! Most sponge filters are quieter than other more expensive options. That’s especially important if your aquarium is in a bedroom or office setting.

• Sponge filters can work with other types of filters, like canisters. In this set up, the sponge filter acts as a pre-filter for the canister filter.

• Sponge filters can last for years . . . but hard water can cause them to fall apart more quickly.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

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We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

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We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

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