Filtration for grow out tank

[Tankster]

I was just curious why most grow out tanks I see use sponge filters rather than a canister?

I understand the purpose for breeders but not grow outs. Is it cost?

[sholvey]

They are easier to clean. I posted a thread yesterday I did a 30% change and after I filled it back up I noticed white worms all over the glass. I thought it was planaria, but wasn't sure. John confirmed that it was. I do anywhere from 30 to 50% daily and one 90% weekly. I have a canister on what was an old established 55 display tank. I am getting a 100 gal running soon and needed to free up another 55 for a grow out ( buying too many discus lol). Anyways, I was using the canister until I cycled the sponge filter. I only did maintenance on it once a week. This I feel was the source that fueled the planaria, because all of the BH that was getting pulled in there sitting for a week. Just pulled the canister today actually. Sponge's are a lot more convenient and don't suck up all that food causing water issues. If you do use a canister you may want to use a prefilter on the intake. I have done that before and I believe it was Pat who suggested it on my thread too. Once you cut back all those feedings canisters are good like a display tank for example. HTH

[myofibroblast]

I was just curious why most grow out tanks I see use sponge filters rather than a canister?

I understand the purpose for breeders but not grow outs. Is it cost?

Cost...for sure! But I also think they are easier to clean (and with yucky stuff staring at you in the face, it's difficult not to clean it). Canisters do suck up a lot of tiny food particles (especially when they like to chew, spit, and chew again on some foods). I run a Fluval G3 and an Aquaclear 20 on my current QT tank and a G6 and aquaclear 70 in my 125g main tank. When I feed, I stop the canister (easy to do with Fluval G3/G6, there is a convenient lever to control flow) and I unplug the HOB. The fish usually finish all the food in <10-15min, then I restart the filters. You'll find it a lot easier to keep your mechanical filtration free of food if you don't keep it running during feeding (and not just for discus fish!).

[Bill63SG]

I was just curious why most grow out tanks I see use sponge filters rather than a canister?

I understand the purpose for breeders but not grow outs. Is it cost?

Also,some of my grow-out get up to a 90% wc,heaters flat on the tank bottom.Dont have to mess with re-starting the syphon.

[Tankster]

Great! Thanks for the responses. Off to kens fish to purchase 4 sponge filters!

How often do you change out your sponges? I was thinking of running 2 in each tank so I can always keep one in each tank fully cycled and loaded with BB.

[Bill63SG]

Great! Thanks for the responses. Off to kens fish to purchase 4 sponge filters!

How often do you change out your sponges? I was thinking of running 2 in each tank so I can always keep one in each tank fully cycled and loaded with BB.

Unless you beat the sh1t out of them,you dont have to replace them.They have regular and Pro.Pro hold up better,but are a little coarser,and sometimes when you pull them to clean them,can dump some cr@p back into the tank.Usally not too much of a problem if your doing your wc's.I have found with out frequent wc's,the regulars can wear out a little from thier own weight from the draining and filling.

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Unless you beat the sh1t out of them,you dont have to replace them.They have regular and Pro.Pro hold up better,but are a little coarser,and sometimes when you pull them to clean them,can dump some cr@p back into the tank.Usally not too much of a problem if your doing your wc's.I have found with out frequent wc's,the regulars can wear out a little from thier own weight from the draining and filling.

+1 to that.

If you go with the coarse sponges, you can always slip a ziplock bag over the sponge and bag it before removing it from the tank to help hold any debre from getting back into the water.

[John_Nicholson]

They are idiot proof......also if you ever have a power outage that last for several hours your canister filter will become toxic and when the power comes on you can kill all of your fish. Sponges seldom do that. Also for a canister you need a plug for everyone. With a sponge one large air pump.

-john

[Bill63SG]

+1 to that.

If you go with the coarse sponges, you can always slip a ziplock bag over the sponge and bag it before removing it from the tank to help hold any debre from getting back into the water.

I like that Jeff!Nothing I hate more then cleaning a tank,and when I pull out the sponge,dropping all that cr@p back in.Duh,easy fix.

[NAB]

if you ever have a power outage that last for several hours your canister filter will become toxic and when the power comes on you can kill all of your fish.-john

It sounds obvious once you think about it but I had never thought about it....and we were without power last night for close to 5 hours. They seemed ok this morning but I am going to be a big wc once I get home anyway. Very good info! Also, the can is coming off this tank as soon as my 2 sponge filters are able to hold the tank. Might try that K1 water bottle thing too I saw on here for some extra bio media.

[Tankster]

It sounds obvious once you think about it but I had never thought about it....and we were without power last night for close to 5 hours. They seemed ok this morning but I am going to be a big wc once I get home anyway. Very good info! Also, the can is coming off this tank as soon as my 2 sponge filters are able to hold the tank. Might try that K1 water bottle thing too I saw on here for some extra bio media.

I'm going to have to come up with a good reason, besides the fish tank, to buy a small generator. I am in the start up phase so you can imagine the cost going from scratch to a proper set up for a 240 :). The money is there but I am sure the wife would rather see me spend it on a vacation to some remote island rather than a silly fish tank.

[NAB]

I would love a generator as well but it's not in the cards right now. Maybe down the road, when I have a lot more to lose if I don't.