BigWater Posted April 2, 2011 Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 Well I am new to the use of sponge filters. I like the idea of them as an additional biological filter as it's main role and mechanical as secondary. In all the tanks I have sponge filters in there is another mechanical source of filtration. The sponge filters I have currently in my shrimp tanks but am not sure at the frequency of cleaning them or would you clean them? I ask" would you clean them" because the shrimp just continuously graze them picking up larger pieces of debris and the biological end of the filter should take care of the finer small debris? So what do you other users think :smokey: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphine Posted April 2, 2011 Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 You should clean them everytime you do a WC. Be sure that you don't squeeze them or rinse in normal tap water but just give them a shake and rinse in the water you are changing out. That's what I did and i didn't have a problem with them! If you squeeze them it wrecks the foam and after time it won't filter properly but IMO people are just being sticky about this. Also squeezing will rinse all your beneficial bacteria that lives inside the sponge. I've heard people say never to clean and everything else. So just find what works and go with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted April 2, 2011 Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 They can get quite filled with gunk. But, if they're my biofilter, I almost never clean them. If they're mechanical, I rinse them under the tap about every time I do a WC. The best way to clean them if they're biofilter is to give them a few squeezes in a pail of aquarium water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfong Posted April 3, 2011 Report Share Posted April 3, 2011 I also tend to keep some running in my larger tanks so if I have to set up a new tank, I just move that filter over and pretty much instant tank setup with little or no cycling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanGofCalgary Posted April 4, 2011 Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 The best way to clean them if they're biofilter is to give them a few squeezes in a pail of aquarium water this. When I do a W/C I first pull about a gallon of tank water in an ice cream bucket and rinse that tanks sponge filter in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvianAquatics Posted April 4, 2011 Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 (edited) Agreed. Shouldn't rinse them with tap water because it kills the beneficial bacterias, just a rinse in tank water is the best method. Edited April 4, 2011 by AvianAquatics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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