Extra Sponges....What To Do?

[Kindredspirit]

Hey Guys ~ I have switched some filters around ....I moved the Odyssey from the juvie tank and am going just with the two huge sponge filters in there...there are only four babies in a deep 55gal ....hopefully that is okay...

I moved the Odyssey to my other 55gal...and took out a big TopFin and a AC that was slowly dying....

So ~ now that we are completely confused....my question is:

I have tons of sponges that were in the TopFin and the AC....I do not have anywhere to put them now....they are quite seasoned and funky....

Shld I just throw them away? I think I read here once that some one rinsed them and threw them in a box in a closet and pulled them back out months later to re-use them?

....prolly not ~ Just toss them?

Oh... and these two Hydro Sponges I have in the baby discus 55gal....how often shld I rinse them now...?? Since they are the only filtration I have now that I moved the Odyssey? I hope this is okay to do.....cuz itz done ~


Marie ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_4_10.gif

[traco]

I remember that too about someone with their sponge filters doing that, Tony S maybe?

Were the sponges you put in with the babies new or been used on another tank? As for rinsing, once every 2 weeks (just one, of course), I'm thinking? I could be wrong and others will pipe up if so.:p

[White Worm]

Dont know about the HOB sponges because I dont use HOB's anymore. Ring out the hydro sponges in a bucket of tank water when doing wc's. I rinse mine under tap but I have 4 large ones in a 85g tank just to keep seasoned filters around in case of new tank or qt tank in a pinch. They say tap kills the bio but since i will only do one at a time, I havent ran into any problems. Alternate rinsing them once or twice a week. I let mine go longer but it will depend on how much build up you see on the sponge to the frequency you choose. If you dont think you need em and they arent expensive, toss em. I know people that have loads of old junk because they think they may use it one day in 3-4 years. Oh......thats me :D

[Kindredspirit]

I remember that too about someone with their sponge filters doing that, Tony S maybe?

I was thinking it was Tone too....


Were the sponges you put in with the babies new or been used on another tank?

No Barb...they have always been in there since I set up the new tank....



Mike ~ I rinse all my sponges under tap ~ just not all of them in the same hour;) Use to be trippin on that crap....not anymore ~

Ya know Mikey... I am seriously thinking of losing all the HOB ~ for real....And go straight to Hydro Sponges...in the tank...unsightly but much more easy...


I need easy now ~


Any one see anything wrong with that ....please speak up ~


Marie ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_5_2.gif

[traco]

If it is easier and you have the airpumps, then go with that. You can just put the HOB's away for a rainy day.;) Plus with all your silk plants, you can aquascape and hide the sponges anyways. They really are the easiest, that's why the breeders use them, heh?:)

[lhforbes12]

If it is easier and you have the airpumps, then go with that. You can just put the HOB's away for a rainy day.;) Plus with all your silk plants, you can aquascape and hide the sponges anyways. They really are the easiest, that's why the breeders use them, heh?:)

I agree with this

[lhforbes12]

Oh! And for the HOB sponges, just rinse them out and let them dry, store dry.

[Tony_S]

Tony S maybe?


yep...yup...uh-huh...yooouuuu betcha! :D

Tony

[tpl*co]

If you have room in your canister, maybe stash them in there as extra media after a good rinsing? Or else just store them dry after a good cleaning, the bio will be gone, but you'll have the sponges. Another thing is maybe you could make a filter intake sponge out of them for your canister?

Tina

[LizStreithorst]

Oh! And for the HOB sponges, just rinse them out and let them dry, store dry.

Yep. IME, the bio doesn't die, it goes dormant.

[brewmaster15]

I've dried them out and even froze them.. They kick right back on in a few days...I too think they go "dormant" and once back in a tank with water and food, the bacteria starts up.

-al

[billeagan]

I'm going to all sponge filters in my setup. Just ordered a linear piston pump from Jehmco.

Between the HOB's and all the individual pumps I'm running now I hope to cut down on my electric bill quite a bit..

I will be running 4 of the "ultimate" filters from Chris in Canada in each 60 gallon.

I know people use cold tap to clean their sponges I just have not built up the courage to do that...

Bill

[LizStreithorst]

I tried rinsing them in cold tap. It didn't work for me.

[traco]

yep...yup...uh-huh...yooouuuu betcha! :D

Tony

Yay, my memory is not that bad then.:D

[tpl*co]

Yep. IME, the bio doesn't die, it goes dormant.

On another thought about this, would that apply to disease causing bacteria too? If the sponge is dried out it won't kill it but will just go dormant until rehydrated and put in a tank to make the fish sick?


Tina

[AADiscus]

I would always save anything you take out of a tank. You never know when you might need it and want to add it back on a tank.

Cleaning of sponges.......Marie, you ARE trying to start a heated debate aren't ya woman!! j/k :D Here goes.

We clean our sponge filters everyday under running tap water. We also pull the filter pads out on the back filters and rinse them off daily. (Not all tanks have back filters though). We have never had a problem but when we started doing this our fish really thrived. We also will take the sponge filters out of the tank and put them on top of the tank when we feed bh. This also keeps from the food collecting on them. It makes it alot easier to clean the tank when done also.

[Kindredspirit]

I've dried them out and even froze them.. They kick right back on in a few days...I too think they go "dormant" and once back in a tank with water and food, the bacteria starts up.

-al


I thought of the freezer too ~ I do not know why ~

[Kindredspirit]

I would always save anything you take out of a tank. You never know when you might need it and want to add it back on a tank.

Cleaning of sponges.......Marie, you ARE trying to start a heated debate aren't ya woman!! j/k :D Here goes.

We clean our sponge filters everyday under running tap water. We also pull the filter pads out on the back filters and rinse them off daily. (Not all tanks have back filters though). We have never had a problem but when we started doing this our fish really thrived. We also will take the sponge filters out of the tank and put them on top of the tank when we feed bh. This also keeps from the food collecting on them. It makes it alot easier to clean the tank when done also.


I knew you did! I always always remember what you and Andrew have taught me ~

I am going to rinse them ...there are so many ~ and store them perhaps in the freezer ~


Thanks Everyone!


Marie ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_5_2.gif

[traco]

You really must save the Odyssey filter for your new planted tank, remember? And you can place a lot of your sponges in the canister for media.

So now all you need is some live plants.:D :D :D :D :D

[AmberC]

I think I am probably late on this one.. but I would probably just throw them away. But that is just me. I cannot stand having stuff sitting around not in use unless its baby stuff because I might (IN LIKE THREE YRS) have another baby lol but fish stuff.. I could not have it just sitting around. Thats why Larry had to get that driftwood shipped out on Friday.. lol

[tpl*co]

You really must save the Odyssey filter for your new planted tank, remember? And you can place a lot of your sponges in the canister for media.

So now all you need is some live plants.:D :D :D :D :D

I'm working on that one... Marie, when mine grow I've got some cuttings for you... LOL

Tina

[Timbo]

Yep. IME, the bio doesn't die, it goes dormant.if this is indeed the case, why havent aquarium supply companies seized upon this theory and come out with a dry-sponge product that would obviously be easy to make/store/ship/sell a complete, ready-to-go, biological filter solution for new tanks?

makes me wonder if its true...just an observation and i'm not necessarily saying its not the case, but...

[tpl*co]

Like I answered in my post there are dry products. Biozyme is one, maybe there are more bacteria in the liquid products.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp18574/si1381023/cl0/aquariumproductsfreshwaterbiozyme8grams

Tina

[Kindredspirit]

I'm working on that one... Marie, when mine grow I've got some cuttings for you... LOL

Tina


That wld be nice Tina ~ Thanks ~