sponge filter care
- Thread starter marlinman
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_sludgefactory
Valuable Member
At least weekly.
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Sent from somewhere using something.
mcarroll
10K Club member
Ditto, or clean it whenever it's noticeably dirty.
My recommendation is almost universally to remove and not use sponges....they're a dirt magnet which can be good, but unless you can stay on top of cleaning them that also makes them a nutrient reservoir and algae generator.
For most people that means ditching the sponges to cut down on excess nutrients, but YMMV. Just don't try to fool yourself or your tank....clean em or don't use em.
If the sponge is really easy to get to (nothing to move or remove to get to it) and you have a spare, pre-cleaned, aired-out sponge to go in its place, then I'll give you a chance at keeping it clean. Make is easy on yourself in the long run!
FWIW, your dirty sponge can be cleaned overnight (or less, maybe a few hours) in a 10% bleach solution - one part bleach (plain-jane laundry bleach) to nine (or ten) parts tap water. After cleaning, rinse super well in new water and don't put back in the tank until the sponge doesn't smell of chlorine. This may imply that you need to have more than one spare on hand, so one can be in operation, one can be getting cleaned and airing out and the third can be sitting around ready for service. BTW, airing out is ok...should be no requirement for dechlorinator or to do it all with rinsing...chlorine doesn't hang around when presented with open air. Give it a day or few, as needed.
Good luck!
-Matt
My recommendation is almost universally to remove and not use sponges....they're a dirt magnet which can be good, but unless you can stay on top of cleaning them that also makes them a nutrient reservoir and algae generator.
For most people that means ditching the sponges to cut down on excess nutrients, but YMMV. Just don't try to fool yourself or your tank....clean em or don't use em.
If the sponge is really easy to get to (nothing to move or remove to get to it) and you have a spare, pre-cleaned, aired-out sponge to go in its place, then I'll give you a chance at keeping it clean. Make is easy on yourself in the long run!
FWIW, your dirty sponge can be cleaned overnight (or less, maybe a few hours) in a 10% bleach solution - one part bleach (plain-jane laundry bleach) to nine (or ten) parts tap water. After cleaning, rinse super well in new water and don't put back in the tank until the sponge doesn't smell of chlorine. This may imply that you need to have more than one spare on hand, so one can be in operation, one can be getting cleaned and airing out and the third can be sitting around ready for service. BTW, airing out is ok...should be no requirement for dechlorinator or to do it all with rinsing...chlorine doesn't hang around when presented with open air. Give it a day or few, as needed.
Good luck!
-Matt
_sludgefactory
Valuable Member
Ditto, or clean it whenever it's noticeably dirty.
My recommendation is almost universally to remove and not use sponges....they're a dirt magnet which can be good, but unless you can stay on top of cleaning them that also makes them a nutrient reservoir and algae generator.
For most people that means ditching the sponges to cut down on excess nutrients, but YMMV. Just don't try to fool yourself or your tank....clean em or don't use em.
If the sponge is really easy to get to (nothing to move or remove to get to it) and you have a spare, pre-cleaned, aired-out sponge to go in its place, then I'll give you a chance at keeping it clean. Make is easy on yourself in the long run!
FWIW, your dirty sponge can be cleaned overnight (or less, maybe a few hours) in a 10% bleach solution - one part bleach (plain-jane laundry bleach) to nine (or ten) parts tap water. After cleaning, rinse super well in new water and don't put back in the tank until the sponge doesn't smell of chlorine. This may imply that you need to have more than one spare on hand, so one can be in operation, one can be getting cleaned and airing out and the third can be sitting around ready for service. BTW, airing out is ok...should be no requirement for dechlorinator or to do it all with rinsing...chlorine doesn't hang around when presented with open air. Give it a day or few, as needed.
Good luck!
-Matt
^+100
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marlinman
New Member
i have three sponges per side, a yellow on top, black in middle and green on bottom, when i bought the tank the guy at the store said one u rinse with tap, on with ro, and one u replace, i didnt know which ones and or the frequency of when to clean
CJO
Valuable Member
I just rinse mine out with the water I take out of my tank during a water change. That way there is no chlorine and I can just put it right back in. I'd like to get rid of it, but to do so I'd have to drain my refugium to put in a new piece of acrylic.
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Welcome to R2R!
Waking up an old thread here...
Now that some reefkeeprs like a SMALL hint of nitrate in their systems to help feed their corals, a sponge works wonders.. The main reason I use one however is to keep larger critters from making their way to my impellers. I have had pumps get jammed up from small limpit snails, she sponge box I made catches them very well.
Now that some reefkeeprs like a SMALL hint of nitrate in their systems to help feed their corals, a sponge works wonders.. The main reason I use one however is to keep larger critters from making their way to my impellers. I have had pumps get jammed up from small limpit snails, she sponge box I made catches them very well.
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