Active Filter Spongs - Pre-Cycled - Any Experience With These?

[librarygirl]

Hi, I was led to this site from reading another forum: http/www.angelsplus.com/FiltersSponge.htm The site sells pre-cycled sponge filters: "The Active Filters are taken from our tanks and contain a good colony of nitrifying bacteria and other beneficial micro organisms. They provide an instant-cycle. Read about a test done on them by a hobbyist here. We put them in our tanks for 4-6 weeks, with the sole purpose of providing them to customers. This is a far superior way of starting a new tank, when compared to other bacteria starters. We estimate that our active filters work 100 times better than the next best cycling product on the market. Our tanks do contain snails and they are a possible passenger on these filters, even though we don't keep the snails in the tanks containing the filters for sale. Don't order them if you don't want the possibility of small snails emerging from them in your tanks."

I've been fishless cycling for almost 3 weeks now and no drop in ammo (other than from a small pwc) and no nitrites or nitrates yet (using the API kit). I'm getting impatient. Has anyone used these pre-cycled filters, or anything like them? Could it work? My biggest concern would be picking up a disease from an unknown tank but I would test the filter for at least a week with doses of pure ammo to be sure that the filter would be able to withstand the bioload of any fish I put in and maybe the ammo would kill off anything that would be lurking in the filter. I would also leave my current tank's filter in place.

Any experience with these filters? Pros? Cons? Potential issues I'm not considering?

Thanks!

 

[Tolak]

I was on the phone with Steve from Angels Plus yesterday, discussing those filters among other things. I got a couple in years back with some expensive angels, they are a good product that does work. I wouldn't be concerned with any diseases, this is a professional breeder, and one of my go to resources, along with being a really nice & helpful guy.

 

[Smells a bit fishy]

Using a media from another tank will indeed speed up the process. Normally a week to fully cycle. There is a thread at the top of this forum of UK media donators. I am not sure on the likely hood of being any diseases on the media.

A fishless or fish-in cycle takes along time between a month or 2. Seen as your still in the first stage you have still got a fair way to go I'm afraid to say.

Speak to your LFS they may give you a used media to put into your filter. Try that first saves you some money.

Apart from the cost I don't think there are any downsides to getting an established media. Somebody may correct me however though.

Good luck in whatever you want to do

 

[roadmaster]

The active filter's sound like a good deal, and assuming they are sent in water,and it doesn't take a week for them to arrive,,this would be very good way to jump start the biological filter in new tank(s)
Would not however go forward with stocking too heavily with the use of these filters, but would stock slowly , a few fish at a time with a week to ten day's between new fishes.

 

[librarygirl]

Thanks! I did order one of their smaller sponge filters (I'll keep my current filter and use this in addition to, so if nothing else it'll add some extra filtration and hopefully help seed my tank as well). I ordered it 2-3 day priority mail (and I believe it does come in tank water). I'll keep testing with the ammo fir a while when I get the filter and see what happens. And I do plan to stock slowly. Thanks!

 

[Kaybear]

Angels plus is a good reliable source. +1 on Tolaks post

 

[KISSfn]

+2 on Tolak's post!

 

[Miles_hot]

Does anyone know if similar products are available in the UK?
Miles

 

[librarygirl]

Thanks everyone! I received the filter on Saturday and installed it. It did come wet with some water; I poured the extra water on my current filter pad and BioWheel and the rest in with the tank water. 20 hours later I saw a drop in ammo from 3 ppm to 0.5 ppm and some nitrAtes as well, so I'm hopeful. Thanks!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

In theory, this should be just as effective as having someone send you some mature media. This shouldn't take too long. I'd love to see the log of your results each day.