All filters are basically the same when it comes to the beneficial filter bacteria. The filter has some type of media that the bacteria live on. With an undergravel filter the bacteria live on the gravel. With a power filter or air operated sponge filter, the bacteria live on the sponge or other filter materials.
If you have a new filter, you put the filter in an established tank and leave it to run for about 6 weeks. Then it will have lots of filter bacteria on it and you can then move the filter into a new tank and it gives you an instant cycled aquarium.
If you put the filter sponge onto an established filter so it is in contact with other filter bacteria, then it will be colonised a bit quicker.
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When you clean a sponge filter, you get a bucket of water from the aquarium and squeeze the sponge out in the bucket of tank water. When it is reasonably clean, you get a second bucket of water from the aquarium and squeeze the sponge out in that. Then put the sponge back in the tank.
Filters should be cleaned at least once a month after they are established. However, they should not be cleaned for the first 6 weeks after they are initially set up. If you clean a brand new sponge filter before 6 weeks, the bacteria might not be fully attached to the sponge and you can remove a lot of them. Once the bacteria have been on the sponge for more than 6 weeks they will tolerate cleaning on a weekly basis if you choose to do it that often.
