Fishkeeping is a choice, not a disease!!!
I have a heavily stocked 125 gal tank with sand substrate & lots of decor... filtered by 2 AC 110s (sponges only, no bio media) and nothing more...
I pull the sponges out and winse them vigorously under chlorinated hit tap water every week or two... I have done this for many years (10+) and have never experienced any ammonia/nitrite spikes as a result...
I've used this approach in Wilmington NC, Charlotte NC & Detroit MI...
This may be a bit off topic for this discussion... but I am convinced that not providing "bio media" encourages my bacteria to live on surfaces throughout the system and prevents it from collecting in one single area which makes for a much more stable environment...
I have a heavily stocked 125 gal tank with sand substrate & lots of decor... filtered by 2 AC 110s (sponges only, no bio media) and nothing more...
I pull the sponges out and winse them vigorously under chlorinated hit tap water every week or two... I have done this for many years (10+) and have never experienced any ammonia/nitrite spikes as a result...
I've used this approach in Wilmington NC, Charlotte NC & Detroit MI...
This may be a bit off topic for this discussion... but I am convinced that not providing "bio media" encourages my bacteria to live on surfaces throughout the system and prevents it from collecting in one single area which makes for a much more stable environment...