Charging a Sponge Filter

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johnnymax

johnnymax

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2019
461
615
115
North, Louisiana
I have a large sponge filter and it has been in use for a long time.
Here is my question.
Can I hold a new sponge filter next to it and squeeze them together to add the bacteria to the new one?
Will that work?
Has anyone done that?
 
johnnymax said:
Can I hold a new sponge filter next to it and squeeze them together to add the bacteria to the new one?
Will that work?
Click to expand...

It doesn't work like that. The bacteria are through out the media and I don't think they can be rubbed off one sponge and added to another in sufficient quantity (if at all) to cycle a new tank or boost the bacteria in an existing tank.
 
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I'd be tempted to take your mature sponge and squeeze it and rinse it out in your new tank. The water will be cloudy as hell from all the loosened particulate, but it'll soon clear and that cloud will be full of BB. Your filter will suck it in and bingo, you've kick-started an early cycle in your new tank filter.

Then put the mature sponge back in your existing tank. It may have lost some BB but should still have sufficient numbers on it as not to cause any sudden crash, unless you are heavily stocked, then you may experience an ammonia spike.

But that'll be for you to monitor.
 
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esoxlucius said:
I'd be tempted to take your mature sponge and squeeze it and rinse it out in your new tank. The water will be cloudy as hell from all the loosened particulate, but it'll soon clear and that cloud will be full of BB. Your filter will suck it in and bingo, you've kick-started an early cycle in your new tank filter.

Then put the mature sponge back in your existing tank. It may have lost some BB but should still have sufficient numbers on it as not to cause any sudden crash, unless you are heavily stocked, then you may experience an ammonia spike.

But that'll be for you to monitor.
Click to expand...
I 100% agree. I've done it multiple times. When I had my 15+ tanks running, I would always keep extra filters (AC 110) running on my 150 gal for just this reason. I would do as eso explained. It will also depend how "old" your or how long it's been running as well. If we're talking years, it should have a ton of bacteria for you to initiate the squeeze method into your new tank and expedite the "cycle", although you might not even notice one (depending on stock levels, bio load, etc.) Good luck!!
 
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I took the sponge filter out of a 75 that has an old school under-gravel filter in it. The under-gravel can keep up with the angels and tetra in there.
I put the sponge filter in the tote for now. I will squeeze it and put new sponge filters in the tote as suggested.
Then I may put one of the new filters in the 17 I took the original sponge out of.
Thanks for all the ideas. I now plan to buy a bunch of large sponge filters and scatter them across my tanks so they can load up with BB.
I never thought about squeezing the sponge into the tank.
Awesome suggestion! :cheers:

I have found this great deal. This is the same size I am using.
 
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