Rinsing Filter Sponges

[rocknurworld2006]

when rinsing sponges do you squeeze it a fewtimes until the dirt and sludge is all out of sponge in aquarium water or do you just give it a swoosh about in aquarium water but dont squeeze it

 

[rdd1952]

I just swish mine in the old tankwater. If there is some crud built up on it, I do rub it a little to get it off.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

if you squeeze it too much can you lose alot of bacteria as once i did a water change and there was alot of sludge on sponge so i squezzed it alot and got rid of all of it in aquarium water, the next tank was extremely cloudy and high ammonia??

 

[rdd1952]

I'm sure you can lose some bacteria. Some people een use that method to seed their new tanks. But even if you lose half of it, the colony should replenish itself in a day or so. It really shouldn't cause much problems but better safe than sorry.

 

[omega59]

rinse it in the aquarium dirty water when you do a water change.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

thats what i do

 

[DarkEntity]

I clean 25% of my filter media once every 6months. I start with the large particle media and the bottom most media in the filter. As long as you don't do any more than that you will be fine.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi rocknurworld2006

If you don't take it apart and give it a few squeezes it will eventually clog up entirely. The dirtier it is, the more of it will end up back in the tank when you return the filter. The beneficial bacteria will regenerate itself quickly enough as long as you don't expose them to air and use old tank water to rinse the media.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I always squeeze. But I normally have well planted tanks.

It doesnt have too be tank water either as long as it is dechlored and temp matched. Since i have well water and don't have to treat it I often rinse media in temp matched tap water.