Medium sponge filter

Description

Medium sponge filter — Air-driven sponge filter for gentle mechanical and biological filtration in fry, shrimp and hospital tanks

Fry, shrimp and recovering fish need clean water but cannot cope with the suction of a power filter intake. Medium sponge filter (SKU: ABS280SXY) is the middle size of three air-driven sponge filters in the range, providing mechanical and biological filtration with no motor in the water. An air pump pushes air into the lift tube; the rising bubbles draw water through the sponge, which traps floating particles, and the cleaned water returns to the tank at the top of the tube.

Over time the sponge also becomes a home for aerobic bacteria, which convert ammonia and nitrite from fish waste into much less harmful nitrate, so the sponge works as a biological filter as well as a mechanical one. The supplier recommends this style of filter for discus breeding tanks, small tropical tanks and fry rearing tanks, and it is equally suited to shrimp colonies, betta tanks and quarantine set-ups where a gentle flow and no intake suction matter. The medium size sits between the small and large models in the range and suits tanks where the small sponge would clog too quickly and the large one would take up too much floor space. It needs an air pump, airline tubing and ideally a check valve, all sold separately. Because the sponge carries an established bacterial colony, a spare one running in an existing tank makes an instant filter for a new or emergency tank. Clean it by squeezing it out in removed tank water, never under the tap.

Usage & Application

When to Use

• Fry and breeding tanks: No intake strong enough to draw in young fish.
• Shrimp colonies: Safe for shrimplets, with a surface they graze.
• Quarantine and hospital tanks: Simple, cheap filtration that is easy to strip down.
• Backup filtration: A seeded sponge ready for emergencies.

Installation & Setup Guide

• Connect the air: Run airline from the pump to the filter’s air inlet.
• Fit a check valve: Prevents water siphoning back to the pump.
• Place on the bottom: Sit the filter in a corner where flow is low.
• Squeeze, don’t scrub: Rinse in old tank water when flow slows.

Product Specifications & Highlights

Key Features

• Air-driven: No motor or impeller in the tank.
• Two filtration stages: Mechanical capture and bacterial biofiltration.
• Gentle flow: Safe for fry, shrimp and long-finned fish.
• Medium size: The middle of three sizes.
• Easy maintenance: A squeeze in tank water restores flow.
• Instant cycle: A seeded sponge moves straight into a new tank.

Product Details

• Brand: Absolute (Australia)
• SKU: ABS280SXY
• Barcode (GTIN/EAN): 9334141007972
• Product Type: Filters > Air-Driven Sponge Filter
• Size: Medium
• Filtration: Mechanical and biological
• Power Source: External air pump (not included)
• Also Needed: Airline tubing and a check valve
• Other Sizes: Small sponge filter (ABS180XY); Large sponge filter (ABS380SXY)
• Target Environment: Freshwater tropical, breeding and shrimp aquariums