Sponge block or not for pods?

[MikeyZo]

So I have a maxspect dice AIO. The second chamber has a foam block on the bottom that’s supposed to help trap particles before going through the baffle on the bottom and into the third return chamber. I left it in there on setup figuring that I was going to have a skimmer in that chamber and it would be easy to clean as necessary.

Since then, I’ve changed the first chamber’s filter sock to a fleece roller and decided against the skimmer in the second chamber. So I added rubble rock and chaeto and seeded it with pods. It never occurred to me to take the foam block out. (It’s in a little plastic housing so it’s not being crushed.

So now I’m wondering… do I take it out so pods can more freely get from the middle chamber to the return pump and into the DT or should I leave it because it might act as a “pod hotel”?

 

[exnisstech]

I don't like sponges unless they can be easily removed and cleaned. They clog too easily and then restrict flow.
I have plenty of pods and only have rock, no macro algae or special pod hotel kind of items.