The Correct Way To Clean Sponge Filters

No one can deny how important fish tank filters are to an aquarium set up.  Without them, the fishes and other aquatic life would not enjoy a clean and healthy environment which is just right to live and breed in.  Along with a heater, they form a complete system that replicates the environment that the fish came from as close as humanly possible.

However, this is subject to the filters working well.  Being dirty is one main reason why a filter will not function to its best capability.  A filter that is dirty will eventually get clogged and therefore not allow a good flow of water to pass through its filter media.

Sponge filters are probably the one type of filter looked down upon by many aquarium enthusiasts.  Generally considered a secondary filter and used mainly as a backup, sponge filters are in fact quite efficient, providing excellent mechanical filtration as well as biological.  But because the debris gets trapped in the sponge, without proper cleaning they will eventually get clogged.

When cleaning any type of filter, it is crucial to remember that not only do you want the filter media clean, you also do not want to kill off any beneficial bacteria colonies that have over time grown in the filter media.  Therefore, never ever wash your sponge filter with direct tap water.  The chlorine in the tap water is meant to kill any microganisms and using it on the sponge will immediately destroy all bacterial colonies that you took so long to cultivate.

The best water to wash the sponge in is the fish tank water from where it came from.  How you do this is by arranging for your filter cleaning to coincide with your water change.  After you have siphoned out some of the water from your fish tank, use it to wash the sponge in.  By doing it this way, the colonies of bacteria will not be killed.

You do not need to scrub the sponge when cleaning it.  Too much scrubbing will spoil the outer layer of the sponge and over time will reduce its filtration capabilities.  What you can do is just squeeze it a couple of times in the siphoned water to dislodge large debris from it.  After that, just swirl the sponge a little through the water to release loose bedris that still might be sticking on.Sponge cleaning should be done no more than once in a month.  If however you do notice that your sponge filters are getting clogged too often, you will have to check why this is happening as the cause of it may be determental to the fish health.  The two main reasons why they might be clogged is from excess food and fish waste.  If it is due to excess food, you might be feeding the fish a little too much and you should reduce the feeding so that the excess food does not riase the nitrate levels in the tank.

If however it is due to too much fish waste, then you might have too many fish for the volume of your aquarium to support and you should think about getting a larger tank or simply reducing the quantity of fish you have in that aquarium.These are the right methods of cleaning and caring for your sponge filter.

By following these effective cleaning methods, your aquarium will always be healthy and clean and at the same time ensure that your sponge filter function effectively for a long time to come.

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Sponge Filtration for Aquariums and Ponds; Why Sponge Filters Should Not Be Overlooked As Filters for your Aquarium Or for your Pond

Sponge filtration is an often overlooked type of filtration for freshwater aquarium or ponds and even marine aquariums . Many persons look past their simplicity as ineffective, but therein lies their quality. I have used them for my aquarium maintenance for 27 plus years with excellent results. Here then is a list of their attributes:

[1] Simple to use, most run on very basic air pumps or powerheads. One of the best beginner aquarist filters due simplicity and cost. But sponge filters are also popular with breeders and research facilities, as they are very efficient yet simple filters.

[2] Excellent biological filtration, they are very porous and can maintain very large aerobic bacterial colonies in proportion to the space they occupy. Please note that not all materials used for sponge filters are equal, there are patents because of this! The Hydro Sponge Filter holds several patents for sponge filters for this very reason!

[3] Mechanical filtration, although they are not the best mechanical filters, they still do a good job for their small size and make excellent secondary or primary filters when used in combination with other filters such as HOB, canister, or internal filters.

[4] Very few “dead” areas trapping pockets of noxious bacteria, unlike undergravel filters and even wet/dry filters (which in my experience are over rated).

[5] Simple to clean, simply remove the sponge and squeeze or rinse in old aquarium water or dechlorinated tap water. The advantage here is the aquarist is less likely to ignore cleaning the filter (unlike many complex filters), which can lead to organic build up, increasing nitrates and lowering KH and ph.

[6] Sponge filters are great in marine aquariums in a couple of different ways; one way is in a sump (sometimes sideways) with a small power head pump (such as a Via Aqua 480); the other (usually in a reef application) was inside the aquarium with either an air pump or power head. The beauty of either application is they are simple to rinse out with used aquarium water, which in the reef application was especially useful in that I could dispose of allot of debris before it cycled and produced Nitrates. They are an excellent compliment to “live rock” filtered reef aquariums.

[7] Probably the best choice of filtration for breeding tanks, hospital tanks, and even discus aquariums, due to the fact that they do not “suck” in baby or weak fish or attract noxious bacteria.

[8] For cichlid breeding they excell, as they are not easily disturbed by cichlids tendency to dig.

[9] Inexpensive

[10] Now available in larger sizes for aquariums over 60 gallons.

[11] Sponge filters can even be used in ponds. With the “Hydro Pond Filter”, simply attach a power head pump (such as a Via Aqua 2600), then run your return line wherever you like (waterfall, ECT). Or the Hydro Pond II can be run off a simple air pump. These filters can work on ponds up to 1500 gallons (or more with additional units).

[12] There also are sponge filters that are used as a “Pre-Filter” for intakes of canister, wet/dry, power filters and more. They offer increased bio-filtration to your existing system, as well as protection from baby fish, plants, or anemones from being sucked into the intake of your existing filter.

These pre-filter sponges are especially useful for HOB (power filters) as they increase the bio capacity (far more than bio wheels in experiments I have done) and retain the aerobic bio filtering bacteria during filter media changes. With out these Sponge pre-filters, HOB filters are poor to fair bio filters, with them they are excellent.

[13] Sponge filters are great for planted aquariums, they do not interfere with root structures and maintain a biological balance that ideal for planted aquariums.

Technorati Tags: aquarium, aquariums, Filters, filtration, Overlooked, Pond, Ponds, Should, sponge

I have 5 aquariums. All of them have filters canisters with a biofilter that’s permanent, and a carbon filter media cartridge. I also have a small sliver of sponge and some rocks in the bottom of the canisters for room for more bacteria to grow on, since I have had times where changing filter media throws my tank back into cycling. Anyways it’s been months now and the carbon filter cartridges that I’ve been rinsing in buckets of old tank water monthly are getting really gnarly. They aren’t torn up but I think they might need to be changed. Am I doing this prematurely? Will this cause my tank to start the nitrogen cycle again or have an ammonia spike? How often should I be putting new carbon filter media cartridges in into my filter canisters?

TIA

Technorati Tags: ammonia, aquariums, bacteria, biofilter, buckets, canisters, carbon filter media, filter cartridges, nitrogen cycle, old tank, rocks, sliver, spike, sponge, tank water

I have a large exterior canister filter, which is of course sold to be used with fish.
I wondered if I could use different media to better effect seeing as;
I clean the filter out and do full water change every week,
don’t really have time or space be able to wash filter media in same temperature water(killing the good bacteria, so I understand)
turtle poo from older turtles doesn’t seem to break down so easily (think its that plants and prawns in their diet)

At the mo’ I have:
50% sponge
40% ceramic doughnut things
10% carbon

Is there any point to the doughnuts if most of the waste removal seams to be physical rather than biological?

What benefit does the carbon have, how often should I change it (don’t like to ,its expensive!)?

Should I get more sponge?

Would a fluval ‘polish’ sponge prevent of the discolouration of water that sometimes occours at the end of each week, have you ever used one?

Do you think I should work harder to cultivate the bacteria?

Technorati Tags: benefit, canister filter, diet, discolouration, doughnut, doughnuts, filter media, fish, good bacteria, plants, poo, prawns, seams, sponge, temperature water, turtle, turtles, water change

I have a large exterior canister filter, which is of course sold to be used with fish.
I wondered if I could use different media to better effect seeing as;
I clean the filter out and do full water change every week,
don’t really have time or space be able to wash filter media in same temperature water(killing the good bacteria, so I understand)
turtle poo from older turtles doesn’t seem to break down very easily (think its that plants and prawns in their diet)

At the mo’ I have:
50% sponge
40% ceramic doughnut things
10% carbon

Is there any point to the doughnuts if most of the waste removal seams to be physical rather than biological?

What benefit does the carbon have, how often should I change it (don’t like to ,its expensive!)?

Should I get more sponge?

Would a fluval ‘polish’ sponge prevent of the discolouration of water that sometimes occours at the end of each week, have you ever used one?

Do you think I should work harder to cultivate the bacteria?

Technorati Tags: benefit, canister filter, diet, discolouration, doughnut, doughnuts, filter media, fish, good bacteria, plants, poo, prawns, seams, sponge, temperature water, turtle, turtles, water change

Ok, I have a tetra whisper EX45 filter that has bio, mechanical, and chemical filtration. Will changing the filter cartridge out (filter bag with carbon in it) take out to much of the good bacteria or will there be enough on the bio filtration portion of the filter (it is a plastic cartridge with little brush like projections for bacteria to live on, this never gets changed). Im just worried that im gonna end up going through another cycle if I change the carbon and bag because its got some bacteria on it. Also, can you used different media in these filters? Like make your own cartridge with a sponge or anything? I don’t really feel I need the carbon and a sponge wouldn’t need changing all the time? I tried to find info on this on the net but got nothing. Any help would be great! I will choose the best answer (and thumbs down any jerks so if you don’t have a relevant answer stay away).

Technorati Tags: bio filtration, changing all the time, chemical filtration, filter cartridge, good bacteria, jerks, relevant answer, sponge, tetra whisper

I just bought a new penguin biowheel filter for my tank, and I was looking at the media that it uses. I read all this stuff online about the benefits of aquaclear filter media, and i was thinking…since the biowheel filter uses those bio-bag things that you replace every month, and all they are made of is a sponge, some activated carbon, and some bioball things, couldnt I find aquaclear filter media that fits my new penguin filter and put it in there instead? because I always hear that aquaclear filter media is better… What do you think? PLEASE only serious answers!!

Technorati Tags: activated carbon, filter media, penguin, penguin biowheel, sponge, tank

iv just bought a new external filter. the filter is Atman AT3336.
it said, Comes with fine filter wool and sponge but will need extra filter media.

what is the extra filter media?
XD
any help would be great

Technorati Tags: external filter, filter media, sponge

I need to know for the cycling process!
Is filter media needed?
is filter media the sponge that cleans?

Technorati Tags: filter media, sponge

I have 55 gallon Discus tank with 7 adult Discus. I just bought a canister filter that came with the following – Sponge – CarbonMax – Zeo Wonder – Spike Balls Mini. I have read that Carbon is bad for Discus and Cichilds and wonder what I might replace the CarbonMax with?

Technorati Tags: adult, balls, canister filter, cichilds, spike, sponge, tank