kinda stupid question about sponges

[fishball]

When you need to set up a quarantine / hospital tank, you can simply place a sponge filter from your fully cycled tank into the quarantine tank.

After treatment / quarantine, there may not be any more use of this tank for the next little while... so what do you do with the sponge to maintain the biological media seeded within?

There's no sense in keeping it in the quarantine tank with empty fish b/c there's no substrate to feed the biological media, but replacing it in the main tank could introduce potential parasites / bacteria. so is this sponge useless? any thoughts / suggestions greatly appreciated! :D

-Jon

[poconogal]

Jon, After thoroughly rinsing and letting it dry, I put my airpump on top of it, and it stopped the annoying vibration noise from the air pump. I figure they're cheap enough to just go buy a new one and reseed it.

Connie

[sleonard]

It won't be any riskier to move the filter with the fish.

You can also sterilize the filter before putting it back in a main tank so that it gets seeded for a future quarantine.

Scott

[dandestroy]

I would sterelize it as well

[crazie.eddie]

I would sterelize it as well

I agree, since it came from your hospital/QT tank. I would soak it in a strong dose of PP, rinse well, then dry it. When it's dry, then reseed it from your established tank.

[steve.ryall]

I think Jon was asking if there is a way of keeping the sponge active without leaving it in an empty tank (no fish) and not cluttering up a 'show tank' with a load of sponges that will look silly......i think?

Is that it Jon?

Steve

[Graham]

If he wanted to keep the sponge active then adding X amount of pure NH3 to the QT, on a regular basis would do it....No different that fishless cycling

[fishball]

I think Jon was asking if there is a way of keeping the sponge active without leaving it in an empty tank (no fish) and not cluttering up a 'show tank' with a load of sponges that will look silly......i think?

Is that it Jon?

Steve

thats almost correct, i wanted to keep the sponge active without the risk of introducing disease back into the main tank.

thank you for all the responses so far!

where do you get PP? the local fish stores around me dont carry it.

[White Worm]

Order online, lfs may carry it, but I got mine at Sears in the water softener area.

[1977]

Whatever your sponge filter has your fish probably have also, so I would just rinse the sponge out with tap water or treat with pp and move with the discus

[Carol_Roberts]

I nuke wet sponges in the microwave for 3 minutes to kill parasites and bacteria. A half a capful of clear ammonia a couple of times per week will keep a sponge alive in the QT tank.

[Graham]

That ought to smell good Carol:alien:.......:)

G