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WTB: sponge filters

Wydukey1991

Members
im looking for about 30 or so sponge filters so i can switch over my tanks from HOB filters to a central blower with sponge filters (so i can save a little on the elctric bill, which is about $2500 a month :angry: ) im in york, pa so if possible id like it to be close to me let me know how many your looking to get rid of and what you want for them. thanks in advance!
 

jonclark96

Past CCA President
I'd get in touch with the guys at Swiss Tropicals. They were one of the sponsors for the ACA convention and provided the sponges for the show tanks. I have been really impressed with their performance so far, and they are relatively affordable. I'm sure they could work with you on pricing if you are buying in bulk.
 

Buckcich

Members
It's $285 for 30 from Www.yourfishstuff.com even with free shipping code.....

That's about 12% of your monthly electrical bill.
IMO that's a small token if you consider that you'll make that money in short time (compare to running all those electrical driven filters 24/7). The most costly item, the blower, you already have it.
If you are looking for 30 used sponge filters it might take awhile to gather that many and not necessary the sizes you need. So you might have to buy the sponge refills, which YFS also sells (the Hydro brand), at a fraction of what the whole sponge filter costs.
I know, because I just got them from them and I wish I had done it months ago. And they costs about 75% less if you already have the guts, which you can buy used.
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
I keep a sponge and a box in most tanks...sponge for primarily bio...and box for primarily mechanical filtration. I find that there's a lot less gunk in the sponges with this set-up....

I'd bet that a bigger chunk of your electric bill is coming from heating that HOB filters...but every bit helps!

Matt
 

BevN

Members
I'm thinking maybe that electric bill was a typo? Even at our peak with 200 tanks and a boat load of heaters (before we heated the entire room) our electric bill wasn't anywhere near $2500 and we are in York as well. I'm thinking he may have meant $250.

We did have extra sponge filters but now that we are setting back up for a major fishroom (god help me) I don't think we will have any extra till we switch over to the ones from Swiss tropicals.
 

Frank Cowherd

Global Moderators
Staff member
Unless you are willing to accumulate used sponges slowly by going to fish auctions, I agree with others that buying them new is a better bet.

If you do not already have your air pump, I would recommend you look at a linear piston pump which are quiet. Blowers do put out a lot of air but also a lot of noise. Most of the sellers of these linear pumps will help you size them for the number of tanks etc. you have.
 

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
If you don't care about color, you could also look into sponge filters by Deep Blue. They are a bright blue but are built to mirror the ones by hydro.
 

Wydukey1991

Members
Well I already have the blower, vortex brand I believe not quite sure tho I bought it a while back. And the $2500 wasn't a typo on my end......we rent and the owner said we need to get out electric use down or rents goin up and he might even kick us out. But I'm only running 14 tanks now but getting wall built soon to hold 14 more, hence the 30 sponges.....might even want 60, 2 for each tank. I'm not sure tho what I'm doing yet tho. any ideas guys??? Any and all help is greatly appreciated!!!
 

Andrewtfw

Global Moderators
I would carefully look at everything plugged in within your unit and the related wattage being used. It sounds like something is either bleeding electricity, a large appliance that is outdated is consuming major wattage, or there is a problem with your meter. You may want to call your electic company and have them check to ensure the meter is working properly. I had a friend who was getting charged much more than his neighbors. The electric company told him the charges are based on an estimated usage. It turned out that the charges were being based on a time when the meter was faulty. After the electric company came and checked the actual meter reading, his bill decreased by more than half. I am not saying that this is your problem, but you never know.
 

Buckcich

Members
$30,000 a year, WOW!!
That's a heck of a fishroom if you just cut 10% to 20% of your electrical bill.
Not that I'm doubting of your statement, BUUUUUUUUUT what the heck are you running in your household that the electrical bill is so high? And the landlord is paying for it? What's your monthly rent if you don't mind me asking?
Have you checked with the landlord about altering the place? With most that would constitute grounds for eviction. Just warning you.
 

Wydukey1991

Members
the $2500 is what the owner is CLAIMING the electric bill is but we dont pay it & we have never seen it but it prolly went up very high over the summer cuz of air conditioners and such which may b where he got his $2500 bill or he could just want us gone or want me to tear down the fish room =( no matter what the case is im switching this up for the winter. building the 14 tank wall (two 55gal, three 29 gal, four 20H gal, and five 10 gals) and want to get at least all of those on sponge filters. but im also changing to heating the entire room like BevN said about. and last but not least instead of running individual lights on each tank im going to run two 4 foot lights on each shelf (saves me 6 lights) but no matter what i need to do something cuz i refuse to get out of the hobby i love it wayyyy to much. BTW THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP!!!
 

Nathan

Members
You might want to look into moving. Unless its a huge building thats not the electric bill. I live in a 4 apartment building and with my 20 tanks the bill is around 375 total for everyone. (I have to pat the difference from before the tanks and current)
 

BevN

Members
There is no way that 14 tanks are running up a $2500 electric bill.

I live in York. Have Met-Ed and use a bunch of power.

Average size house: approx 2,000 sq ft.
One 10x12x3 foot outdoor pond with filter and pump running 24/7
One 15x40x2 foot outdoor pond with pump running 24/7
One three tier fountain with small pump

One large fishroom with air pump, dehumidifier, lights (plant tanks on 24/7) and a few heaters running for those picky fish.

One 125 tank upstairs with heat kept at a balmy 85 degrees.

That doesn't count all the other normal stuff...computers running, dryer, big *** plasma tv and so on.

My last electric bill, which I think was a high estimate....$240.

I think your landlord is yanking your chain.
 

Wydukey1991

Members
well we live above a business so unless he was including the business' electric in that then there's a problem (ie meter malfunction etc, i think its diff meter but not sure) but even if he was including the business' electric he was still complaining that it went up which means it had to be all the tanks. he claimed the bill was $2500 in August which wasn't an extremely hot month so all the air conditioners weren't on all that much (we have 4 acs), except in my fish room to prevent tanks from overheating (i still have to use it sometimes) but either way im still expanding to add the 14 new tanks and dont want him to notice a huge increase which is y im changing things around
 

Wydukey1991

Members
we also did have problems all summer with breaker panel and a select few breakers kept popping on a daily, or more, basis but its not cuz of the tanks (on separate breaker panel) but we just had that replaced 2 weeks ago. it might have been faulty and that was causing it to ready extra high electric no way to tell til a full month with it
 

Wydukey1991

Members
sorry 4 posting AGAIN b4 any1 even responds to my last ones lol but would any1 have a meter thing that u can plug things into to see how much electric my tanks r using?
 
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