Cleaning Filter Sponges

[stooo]

How often should I be doing this? I pulled the sponges out over the weekend and cleaned them in a bucket of water I'd siphoned from the tank while doing a water change. I basically took each 1 out in turn, and gave it a good squeezing in the bucket.. is this the correct way to do it?

They were filthy and covered in sludge, and since cleaning the wather throughput is a lot better than it was, but not as good as when the tank was new.

If I were to get new sponges, how would I put them in without loosing all my lovely bacteria that built up?

Stu

 

[The-Wolf]

the sponges should be cleaned, as you have done, every time you perform a partial water change.
when renewing the sponges replace half one week and half the following week, that way bacteria can multiply to fill the void left be the old sponges.
having said tha you should only replace a sponge when it is beyond rinsing, which takes a long time.