Questions about sponge filter

40B Knasty · Nov 5, 2018

I am looking for some technicalities about sponge filter. I have an Aquatop CAF 60 sponge filter and I am not sure on how things are rated for it. I have a 5g Top Fin pump connected up to it right now cycling for a 20g tank(only 2 days in). I don't feel like there is a lot of suction due to the size of the sponge's circumference. I am not looking for killer suction, because this tank is for breeding freshwater neocaridina shrimp. I have looked high and low, but no where have I found any technical wording for what I am looking for besides hearing "get a bigger air pump." Which does not answer much, because you can get more suction from a longer tube. My tube is about 4 inches I am guessing. I still have about 6 more inches to the top of the tank.
So I am looking for a reply of "expect X amount of flow through the intake adding X amount inches to the height of the tube."
What would be the difference of a 5g or 20g air pump?

40B Knasty · Nov 6, 2018

40B Knasty · Nov 6, 2018

cromag27 · Nov 6, 2018

unfortunately this is just one of those things you’ll have to experiment with. there are a lot of factors that come into play when trying to come up with the exact figures you’re looking for.

AcroNem · Nov 6, 2018

Even professionally, our go-to answer is usually "blow more air through it", and then dial it back if you want less. I'll see if there's math or a paper with more of an answer though and post it here if there is.