Sponge Filter

[LionessN3cubs]

I've had a sponge filter (huge) in the tank while I was cycling and I would like to take it out. I know some of my bacteria population has grown on it, so how can I figure out how to get it out without crashing my cycle? Im planning on getting fish in the next few days.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

what other filtration do you have?

 

[LionessN3cubs]

I have a penguin mini biowheel HOB for 2nd filtration.

Im kinda in a bind. I hate the thought of taking the sponge filter out and wasting that bacteria colony, but I hate the way it looks in the tiny 10 gallon. We're tossing around the idea of just buying a 20 gallon bare tank and using the 10 gallon for something else..that way I can use both sets of filtration without wasting all my hard work. If I do that, then I'll be putting this sponge filter in the 20 gallon as the only filtration or is that a bad idea? Money is tight, I have to make the best use of what I have aside from the bare tank if I decide to go that route...dont have enough spare funds for the bare tank and a 2nd new HOB filter.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

can you fit the sponge or some of it into the HOB, doesn't matter if you have to cut it up into small bits or whatever?

that's be ideal option if you have space.

alternativley I'd just say leave it in for now, once the tank's been running with fish in for a month or two the colony will be more resilient, then you can cut a bit of the sponge so you have less in, leave it a few weeks, cut a bit more off..... etc etc until you can just remove what's left.

 

[Tolak]

Turn down the air to the sponge over a weeks time, a little each day. Once the air is off it will be doing no more bio filtration than any other object in the tank.

 

[waterdrop]

I'd guess her air pump is not adjustable (don't actually know though.) Is there a way pinch tube down or something?

 

[Tolak]

Bleed it off with a gang valve. This is better for the pump than using one valve to turn it down to the device, creating excessive back pressure.