# aqua lift sponge filter



## ALIFER (Jul 22, 2005)

I was starting to see the need for a filter on my 2 gallon pico planted tank, because I want to add more cherry shrimp & maybe a couple of fish to make the tank more interesting.
I had thought about a nano HOB filter or an air powered sponge filter, but neither really appealed to me. Then I remembered I had an Aqua Lift which I thought I could adapt to use with a sponge filter. When I was digging around looking for the Aqua Lift in my spare parts box I found an old auto water changer I used years ago on my African Cichlid tank and it looked like it might work well with the Aqua Lift. I drilled out the auto water changer a bit to increase water flow & hooked it up to the Aqua Lift with a small sponge filter on the auto water changer. It turned out to work perfect for a nice low flow nano sized filter. The Aqua Lift sponge filter is very quiet and cleared the surface scum that was starting to build up. It also adds a very small surface ripple which causes the LED light to do a nice shimmer effect ... :tongue: ... 

Let me know what you think,
-Rick


PS - I think Aqua Lift should produce & sell these, then give me a cut of the profits ... :hihi: ...


----------



## paulrw (Apr 14, 2009)

what! really cool nano. blows mine outa the water! pun intended. seriously though. I'm not getting how the filter works? is it air driven or is that little box out side the tank a mini water pump?if so were did you get it? either way great nano!


----------



## jackyuen89 (Apr 2, 2009)

i am also puzzled about the filter.

I think its a air pump connected to the back of the pipe and the air goes out the top?
And it acts like a siphon and it pulls the water up the intake and the water cant escape anywhere else but the outflow opening

My guess =\


----------



## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

jackyuen89 said:


> i am also puzzled about the filter.
> 
> I think its a air pump connected to the back of the pipe and the air goes out the top?
> And it acts like a siphon and it pulls the water up the intake and the water cant escape anywhere else but the outflow opening
> ...


It's a peristalic pump.
Can the aqualifter be on all of the time? I have one and I thought that they couldn't be left on 100% of the time, but I might be wrong. Definitely a cool concept!


----------



## ALIFER (Jul 22, 2005)

paulrw said:


> what! really cool nano. blows mine outa the water! pun intended. seriously though. I'm not getting how the filter works? is it air driven or is that little box out side the tank a mini water pump?if so were did you get it? either way great nano!


Thanks paulrw










It's a vacuum pump designed to lift water, no air involved. The water is pulled thru the filter and out of the tank using the larger line, thru the Aqua Lifter pump and returned to the tank using the smaller line. {The sponge filter is directly under the downturn, but the refraction makes it look offset}

Here is a link for the pump 
http://www.aquabuys.com/page/aqb/PROD/tom_aqua_lifter



clwatkins10 said:


> It's a peristalic pump.
> Can the aqualifter be on all of the time? I have one and I thought that they couldn't be left on 100% of the time, but I might be wrong. Definitely a cool concept!


clwatkins,
I had this same aqualifter on my dart frog tank pumping water for the wet wall for over a year straight & it still works fine. The water needs filtered well before it returns to the pump to prevent debris from damaging the diaphragm and flappers. In this application there is fine mesh screen inside the sponge.


----------



## HAPATanks (Jan 13, 2017)

ALIFER said:


> Thanks paulrw
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Where did you get the water changer from?

Bump: Or should I ask what type of Water Changers Outlet is that?


----------



## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

You might not get an answer, seeing as this thread is 8 years old


----------



## HAPATanks (Jan 13, 2017)

Hey Darkblade48 I just wanna know where to get that piece connected to the Aqualift.


----------



## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

HAPATanks said:


> Hey Darkblade48 I just wanna know where to get that piece connected to the Aqualift.


You may have more luck PM'ing the original poster. If they are still active, they may respond


----------



## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

Darkblade48 said:


> You may have more luck PM'ing the original poster. If they are still active, they may respond


His last activity was Jan of 2016 Doubt he's still around.


----------

