filter sponges in Quarantine tank

[birdyman23]

I just finished quarantining my discus and added him to my main tank. I don't want to keep the "Q" tank running. What can i do with the filter sponge that keeps the good bacteria in it for the next time I need to use it? Or should I rinse it out and nuke it the microwave and use it next time.

[TURQ64]

Too hard to keep active unless you have a sump..The good guys will die off without nutrients...Gary

[Bill63SG]

I heard you could freeze it.Anybody else on that?

[Keith Perkins]

When I want to keep a sponge filter going, I set it up as an extra in one of my bigger tanks.

[Larry Bugg]

When I want to keep a sponge filter going, I set it up as an extra in one of my bigger tanks.

+1
I have always keep extras in the bigger tanks.

[nc0gnet0]

You could just dose it with a few ml of ammonia every few days.

[lipadj46]

Freeze the sponge (I was dubious of this but it seems many have luck doing it) or just keep the sponge filter running in your main tank or just remove the sponge and use it as a prefilter on your main filter (rubber band it on the intake) or just tuck the sponge somewhere unseen.

[DiscusBR]

I also had this question. In terms of what has been recommended here, isn't dangerous to move a sponge back and forth between the diplay tank and the quarantine tank? Woldn't that break the basic rule of never using stuff from one tank in the other? Don't you run the risk of introducing disease and parasites from the QT to the display tank and vice versa by seeding sponge filters in that way?

[jimg]

if you are putting the new fish after qt in the main tank you might as well put it's filter there too.
Because I have wilds, if I get new fish I start ahead of time and fish less cycle a new tank and filters or I will keep filters in a tank with no fish for a few months adding ammonia to keep them active.

[Darrell Ward]

Many years ago before I had sumps, I used to keep an old 29 gal. tank in the garage to keep active bio media in. I'd fill it halfway with water, add an airstone, chunk the media in there, and throw a little flake food in there occasionally to break down. I found I could keep active media going for long periods of time this way.

[robinrob]

............. I rinse it out and nuke it the microwave and use it next time.

please advice how to disinfect a used sponge from a QT in a microwave? Sorry I read it somewhere but I don't recall for how many minutes?

Also any chances for cross contamination to the oven?

Thanks

[Darrell Ward]

please advice how to disinfect a used sponge from a QT in a microwave? Sorry I read it somewhere but I don't recall for how many minutes?

Also any chances for cross contamination to the oven?

Thanks

Just let the sponge dry out. Water born organisms won't survive for long periods unless kept wet. Microwave? LOL! If still paranoid, just pour a little bleach in a bucket of water, and rinse out the sponge in it. Rinse with clean water, and let it air dry completly. Bleach goes away rather quickly after exposed to air.

[Darrell Ward]

I also had this question. In terms of what has been recommended here, isn't dangerous to move a sponge back and forth between the diplay tank and the quarantine tank? Woldn't that break the basic rule of never using stuff from one tank in the other? Don't you run the risk of introducing disease and parasites from the QT to the display tank and vice versa by seeding sponge filters in that way?

If coming from your own systems, minimal risk IMO moving a sponge from display to QT, unless your fish have had some nasty illness in the past. A person would know the health of their own fish better than anyone else, so it's a judgement call. You probably wouldn't want to go from QT back to display without a good clean, and air dry however.