Filters · Sponge
hygger Biochemical Sponge Filter, Small
hygger suggests it for 5–20 US gal aquariums under 14 in deep, with an air pump of 1.5 W or more.
An air-driven sponge filter: bubbles from an air pump draw the water through a dense sponge and up through a chamber of ceramic bio media, and the water comes back with oxygen in it. It has no motor of its own.
Consider: The flow is too gentle to catch fins or baby shrimp, but it needs an air pump, airline and check valve, sold separately, and it sits inside the tank.
US version, item HG120-S. Check what’s in the box before you buy.
Tank size hygger rates it for
5 to 20 US gal
Choose your tank to see where it falls.
Check it against your tank →Specifications that affect fit
- Manufacturer capacity
- 5–20 US gal
- Power
- None of its own: it runs on an air pump
- Dimensions
- 2.9 × 2.9 × 4.4 in (L × W × H)
Before choosing this model
- Measure the water depth: hygger sizes the small one for tanks under 14 in deep.
- Add an air pump of 1.5 W or more, airline tubing and a check valve; none of them is in the box.
What hygger doesn’t publish
- hygger publishes no flow figure for it; the water depth it gives for each size is the limit to check.
Our buying guides size it for these tanks:
5 gallon10 gallon20 gallonBetta tankShrimp tank
A filter rated for your tank can still be too tall for your cabinet or too strong for small fish: see how to choose one.
Check it against your tank → Something not working? See the troubleshooting guide.
Choose and care for mechanical, biological and chemical media before buying replacement supplies.
Build the complete pump, airline and sponge-filter system, including depth, outlet and valve checks.
Included items & upkeep
- sponge filter with a ceramic bio media chamber
- spare sponge
- user manual
Plan for the routine work
- Rinse the sponge in water taken from the tank every 2 to 4 weeks, more often in a crowded tank, as hygger advises; chlorinated tap water can kill the bacteria the sponge holds.
- Run it from a battery air pump and it keeps filtering through a power cut, as hygger notes.
To budget for replacement media and supplies, use the first-year cost calculator. For how often and how to clean it, follow the maker’s manual.