Sponge filter run-in time...

[arjay]

Hi all,

I'm currently running a sponge filter in an established tank with a view to moving it to a grow-out tank when it's sufficiently colonised with bacteria. Is there any hard and fast rules as to how long colonisation should take?

I'm currently running an airstone in the tank and performing daily water changes (some aged tap water and some from an established tank). The 3.5 week old A. cacatuoides fry have been in there 1 week now with only 1 loss from 72 but I'm thinking that the added protection of a sponge filter is still probably a good idea.

Thanks in advance,
Russell.

 

[aquaticclarity]

The longer you can allow a sponge filter to become “seeded†in an established tank the better. There are so many outside influences that effect the growth of bacteria, temperature, available food (ammonia/nitrite), other places to colonize, etc. that there are no hard fast rules as to when a particular filter media has become sufficiently colonized. I usually try to allow for 2-3 weeks before I would use the new sponge filter as the only means of biological filtration in a tank. But because you already have the fish in an unfiltered tank moving the sponge filter before 2-3 weeks would still be better then nothing. All you’re really trying to do is seed the sponge filter with enough bacteria on it to establish a “starter cultureâ€Â. Once the bacteria is seeded and in the “new†tank with the babies the bacteria will quickly colonize in sufficient numbers to keep up with the waste load of the tank. Just keep up on regular small water changes to help compensate for the lack of established biological filtration and to keep uneaten food to a minimum.

Jeff

 

[nightowl1350]

I have seeded a sponge filter for only about 5-7 days, then put it in fry tanks. You will still be doing daily w/c so the filter will get up to speed. Even a slightly seeded filter is better than no filter.

 

[arjay]

Thanks for the replies. I'll give it another week and then put it in the fry tank.

 

[fishgeek]

if you have amature filter squeeze the material from this directly onto the sponge or into the water that it is running in

a large number of bacteria will be transferered quickly this way

andrew

 

[Mike Wise]

I innoculate new sponge filters by gravel cleaning a well-established tank with a siphon & bucket. I stir up the dirt & mulm and then run the new filter in the bucket until it takes in much of the dirt. Then I squeeze out the excess dirt & use it immediately. It works for me.

 

[arjay]

Great tips - thanks for taking the time to share...