is this a good idea?

[down2earth]

i have a discus tank that has been running for over3 months. so i know this tank is cycled nicely and good to go. this tank has a 55 gallon sump on it. i was wondering if i should put the extra sponge filters i have layin around the house into the sump to keep them cycled.

these sponges will be used later on to seed my pleco tanks. im in the middle of building a rack for them. so if i can cycle my sponge filters this way i will be ready to seed my new tanks with them as soon as i am done building the rack and buy all the tanks.



also the sponge filters will just be sitting in the sump. no air pump connected to them. since i dont have one big enough to power this many.


what do you guys think ?

[Chicago Discus]

i have a discus tank that has been running for over3 months. so i know this tank is cycled nicely and good to go. this tank has a 55 gallon sump on it. i was wondering if i should put the extra sponge filters i have layin around the house into the sump to keep them cycled.

these sponges will be used later on to seed my pleco tanks. im in the middle of building a rack for them. so if i can cycle my sponge filters this way i will be ready to seed my new tanks with them as soon as i am done building the rack and buy all the tanks.



also the sponge filters will just be sitting in the sump. no air pump connected to them. since i dont have one big enough to power this many.


what do you guys think ?

I think it's a really good idea I do it all the time. Also what I do when I add the fish to a new tank I put the seeded sponge and use cycle for a few days with water changes and never had a problem.......Josie

[Bill63SG]

All my bigger tanks have an extra sponge running for this reason.

[down2earth]

the reason i ask. is cus i just had my pair of plecos have eggs in my community tank. i dont want the angel fish eating them nor do i want my sump to eat them. the sump is modified so i know pleco over 1" will be fine. but anything less would be a gamble. i have about 30 something babies it looks like.


i took my sponge filter from my discus tank( this tank has a sump to support it) and put it in a 20 gallon long tank. new gravel and new fake plants. so i think this tank will be fine for my babies. i got some guppies to feed the bacteria till its time for the pleco babies and farther to move into the tank. they can stay in the community tank for a few days till they hatch.

but if they lay eggs again i will not have a filter for them. so if i put more spare sponge filters into my sump i will be able to pre cycle them for the up coming clutches of eggs.

[down2earth]

the sponges i am putting in my sump are not "running" filters. they are just sittin in the water as it passes over them. im hoping some of the bacteria begins to live in the filter. so when i do seed the new tank. i will not have to cycle them .

[Bill63SG]

I don't know about seeding them with out air flow.You could probably use a real small air pump to push some air thru them in the sump,not a lot of depth.Or in a pinch,take an old sponge,and cut it in half,like you would a bagel,and do the same to a new sponge.Swap around,instant seeded sponge.

[down2earth]

well. the sump is a vertical 35gallon tank. so its got plenty of depth and i dont have a pump strong enough to run 2 filters. i have a total of 6 that are sitting in the sump.

[shoveltrash]

Take an old sponge,and cut it in half,like you would a bagel,and do the same to a new sponge.Swap around,instant seeded sponge.

What a great idea!!!!!!

[Bill63SG]

What a great idea!!!!!!

Can't take full credit,learned it here.

[shoveltrash]

Bill!