The Woefully Underappreciated Sponge Filter

[aclockworkorange]

Question! How long does it take for bacteria to colonize in a new sponge filter? I heard it takes a minimum of 6 months...

If you put a new sponge filter in an established tank? I would think that long... JK47 pours bottles of Seachem Stability on new sponges.

 

[yoyopeter]

Oh I see. Dang quite a while haha

 

[aclockworkorange]

OOPS SORRY I meant to type it WOULDN'T think that long. I don't think it would take six months.

 

[yoyopeter]

LOL alrighty haha. Would Stress Zyme help speed this up?

 

[aclockworkorange]

LOL alrighty haha. Would Stress Zyme help speed this up?

Seachem Stability is my favorite liquid cycling product.

 

[Gobrian44]

Great read love the idea of sponges but us youngins are about the flashy i like these better. ordered some hydro Vs a few days ago waiting on big als!

 

[Morledzep]

i know it doesn't take 6 months to get a good colony of BB in a sponge. i rinse the sponges out after only 2 weeks in the tank and there is already plenty of biological material in it.

i guess the time would depend on stocking level in the tank, and how many sponge filters are in the tank and if they are the only filtration or not. but the entire nitrification process only takes 6 weeks at the most and if you're just changing a single sponge in an established tank it shouldn't take any time at all.

 

[Turion2112]

I was looking at the aqua clear powerhead with a sponge filter attached to it. Anyone have opinons on the aqua clear powerhead. I would add it to a 55 gallon fresh water tank for extra filtering and as back up for bb.

 

[aclockworkorange]

I was looking at the aqua clear powerhead with a sponge filter attached to it. Anyone have opinons on the aqua clear powerhead. I would add it to a 55 gallon fresh water tank for extra filtering and as back up for bb.

They are extremely well built powerheads that last FOREVER and are built perfectly for sponge filters. They aren't the prettiest things you can put in a tank, but they absolutely get the job done.

 

[CHOMPERS]

I keep several filter sponges in my sumps. If I ever need to set up a tank in a hurry, they are already good to go. (Got the idea from Dr. Joe.)