AquaClear Sponges going bad?

[dprais1]

I use 2 aquaclear 70s. I use a prefilter from kens on the intake and in the chamber I use three of AC sponges stacked up. No other media. Once a week-on different days everything gets rinsed in tank runoff water and everything gets a few squeezes till it seems pretty clean of debris.

I've noticed that the oldest of my sponges (about 6-8months old) is starting to seem brittle.

I don't know if it would be better to replace because it is breaking down or just leave it to keep the bioload.

what does everyone else do. If i was to change I would just change one of the three sponges in each of the two ACs

thanks

[CrazyAngels]

Yes the AC sponges last about 8-9 months, so the one going bad, as you call it, I replace which then allows the others to keep going longer. I never change all the sponges at once.. I'm starting to think that AC has changed the sponge material over the last year or so, cause before that i used to have sponges that lasted me up to 2 years.. Thinking about looking for new material to make my own replacement sponges.. I know there is a guy out there who imports reticulated foam, just have to find him..

[jimg]

Agree they don't last anymore the way they did. don't buy the replacements found on ebay unless they are originals from aq. they only last a few months tops then disintegrate.

[strawberryblonde]

I used poret foam in my AC70. Just cut to fit and stacked it up 3 high. Poret seems to last a REALLY long time. I've been using mine for well over a year now and it hasn't degraded at all.

[CrazyAngels]

Toni, where did you get your poret foam from?? That is the foam I was looking for.

[strawberryblonde]

Hi Jorge,

I bought it from Swiss Tropicals. Bought 5 sheets of the finer stuff and 2 of the coarse (4" deep). I've used it for all kinds of things in the last year and it's still going strong. =)

http://swisstropicals.com/Poret%20Filter%20Foam%20Pricelist.html