Sponge Filter

[small_ranchu]

Hi all,
I know a lot of us in the forum only use sponge filter and do complete water change once a week. How is your water quality before water change? I have 2 fish in the tub with sponge filter, but my water get very cloudy nextday. I do heavy feeding though. (7 times a day including bloodworm)
I clean sponge filter once a week (sick and tired of sponge coming up to the surface after cleaning, what to do?).

How do I know the time to change a new sponge? Thank you all....

[Corrie]

Fred, you say the water is cloudy the next day.
Does it clear up later? or stay cloudy?

Sometimes tap water will just do that.
Some water conditioners will do that to.

How are you cleaning the sponge?
Just squeeze it in aquarium water.

Corrie

[Cincy Ranchu]

Fred,

Two items; get a bigger sponge filter and only clean your sponge filter every 90 days

[small_ranchu]

Fred, you say the water is cloudy the next day.
Does it clear up later? or stay cloudy?

Sometimes tap water will just do that.
Some water conditioners will do that to.

How are you cleaning the sponge?
Just squeeze it in aquarium water.

Corrie
I do 100% water change every day. So I am not sure about the condition for next day.

I just squeeze it in aquarium water.


Fred,

Two items; get a bigger sponge filter and only clean your sponge filter every 90 days

Thanks Gary.

[bigbettadan]

Yea, it sounds like you killed your good bacteria in the sponge... Also, I never clean my sponges and do a big water change the same day.... Or use aged tank water to clean them......

Dan

[small_ranchu]

How often do we need to change the sponge? Is there any indicator that telling me the time to change sponge? Thanks again.

[Cincy Ranchu]

Fred,
When they start forming floc or silt on the bottom of your container I wash in a bucket, once a year I throw all the sponges in the wash machine when Jane is at work. no soap and no bleach, just warm wter

[small_ranchu]

Thanks Gary.

Should I hide your post? lol

[Cincy Ranchu]

She knows, just shakes her head.

[suphi]

Fred I have to do at least 50% WC everyday with the amount of feeding I'm doing. There's so much poop that I can't leave alone, plus the water becomes smelly quickly.

Remember filter can also harbor bad bacteria as well. At the rate that I'm doing WC, there's no need for any bacteria, lol. I have to clean my sponge every 3 days, otherwise water would become pretty cloudy.

[small_ranchu]

Suphi,
I am doing 100% water change every day and water still become very cloudy before the water change. :(

[suphi]

The amount of waste could overwhelm your filter. I also vacuume my tank every morning to get rid of overnight poop, this helps a bit.

Variables you might want to think of include fish load, tank size, amount of feed, filter size, bacteria bloom (which usually corrects itself after several days).

I think tub to tub method will be ideal for me when I get those fiberglass. Move fish to 2nd tub, unplug first tub for quick drain then refill, rinse and repeat every 3-4 days (with just 3 fish now in 106G tub I can probably go 5+ days before WC). There won't be temperature difference between tubs with this method plus no need for dechlor since new water will sit for several days before use.

[Cincy Ranchu]

Fred,

Eithe ryour sponge is too small or the water change and sponge washing daily is keeping the bacterial age of the bacterial so low that they are always in log phase growth. Slow down a few days on feeding and add anoither sponge and only wash the sponges intermittantly . It could be that you are not letting the filter or the tank build bacterial biomass because of the cleanliness of your system, get dirty man!

[BruceP]

Why don't you just put an effective bio filter on the tank???? Only time I go sponge-only is when the fry are so small a regular filter would eat them. My current orandas are about 12 days and I will probably hook back up the filtration today.

[nygold]

What about adding another sponge filter?

[devins23]

Carbon helps a lot if u want odorless clear water.

[small_ranchu]

Why don't you just put an effective bio filter on the tank???? Only time I go sponge-only is when the fry are so small a regular filter would eat them. My current orandas are about 12 days and I will probably hook back up the filtration today.

I just want to use traditional jap way or breeder way of using sponge filter.



In the mean time, I think I found the issue. I took the filter apart and found there is something like filter wool stuck in the middle of filter. I removed it and let see today's result. :me:

[suphi]

Fred, I had the exact same problem yesterday which I think was due to overfeeding.

Got up in the morning and did 100% WC then left for work. Came back in the afternoon (less than 6 hours) and found tons and tons of poops in tank with water being very cloudy with various sizes of fecal particles and smelly which led to another round of WC. Fish bellies also looked almost like a balloon.

I think this is an accumulating effect of heavy feeding for several days. I have to cut down my feeding because of this.

[Mikey V]

Why don't you just put an effective bio filter on the tank???? Only time I go sponge-only is when the fry are so small a regular filter would eat them. My current orandas are about 12 days and I will probably hook back up the filtration today.

i'm pretty sure in the long run a sponge filter is cheaper, and in the event of a power outage the sponge filter can still function somewhat. I always expect the worse tho, so I dunno.

[George Ludrosky]

I generally run 2 sponge filters per tank and only rince one at a time. If I rince them to often the tank turns pure white and cloudy. So I rince out one every week and my tanks are staying really clear.

[VeiltailGuy]

Oh...sounds like u might be accepting sponge filters finally George!>:)
there is still hope for the old school guys:exact:

[George Ludrosky]

Oh...sounds like u might be accepting sponge filters finally George!>:)
there is still hope for the old school guys:exact:
The filter debate.....Again! I like the sponge filters for spawning tanks, they really work great but.....I still like to run the rest of my tanks with under gravel filters and live plants. If I have a tank that I know has too many fish or I am feeding heavy to condition for spawning I will add an outside filter and run it with Chemi-pure. The under gravels do take a bit more work if you are an over feeder but the over all LOOK of the tank is pleasant and comfortable. As I look over at a 20 long tank with an under gravel and plenty of plants, I see a natural environment that decorates my living room. The fish, last year’s broadtail kids are swimming happily and are very healthy. I haven’t had to do a water change on this tank for over two months now. I change the filter once a month and rinse it about every other week.
Display tanks, (Yes, you were right!) are easier to keep clean with just sponge filters but I still like a natural set up for fish. I think the fish stay calmer and Happier in a natural aquarium set up.
I am one of those...."Fish have Feelings kind of Person" and I like to give them a Home, instead of just a tank to live in.

I am sure I have just opened the door to criticism, but to each their own.

[VeiltailGuy]

I have always been a thin layer of gravel on the bottom and a power filter of some sort kinda guy. I have never liked the idea of undergravels, there in my opinion massive dirt traps that unless vacuumed religiously on a regular basis, trap all kinds of junk, also they need pulled one a year to clean all the junk that builds of over time...Not my thing. Recently became very fond of sponge filters through reading on here, the internet, and fellow hobbyists. So my tanks all run on sponge filters with either a bare bottom, or if its a display tanks a very thin layer of gravel and potted plants...On overcrowded tanks I used a power filter...

George at least you are ever so SLOWLY coming around, there is still hope for u:exact::banana::confuse:

[herp17]

(7 times a day including bloodworm)


Not to get off topic but how in the world do you feed your fishes 7 times a day? Automatic feeders? I'm barely 4 hours awake at house due to work. :me:

[small_ranchu]

yeah. with the help of automatic feeder.