cleaning a sponge - are u supposed to squeeze it ??

[Bubble_B0y]

I was wondering how vigorously you clean sponges (when doing a water change).

are you supposed to repeatedly squeeze it ??
(i'm scared I might damage or kill good bacteria)

When I clean my sponge - I just shake it intensely, really hard in 'old' water.
is this enough ?

obviously you cannot clean a sponge 100% - some poo/detritus will enter very deep inside the sponge where its impossible to remove (which overtime will build up and reduce the suction power and flow rate of the filter).

I was wondering what is the most effective way to clean it as much as possible.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

About once a month I have to really clean my sponge on the 10 gal tank. I do it in tap water (not replacing the AC cartridge or even cleaning it). I'll squeeze it until the water coming out of it is clear. I wouldn't do this at every water change, maybe just swish it around in old water.

 

[patagonia]

fishyfanatic: you clean it in tap water? i thought you had to clean it in old tank water since the chlorine/chloramine in tap water would kill off all of your good bacteria

 

[Bubble_B0y]

the reason I ask is because the output from my filter has decreased
and is not very strong (my waterfall has become a trickle).

so I personally think my sponge (which I clean every week) is getting blocked.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I only clean my cartridges about once or twice a month, and I squeeze em out good. Usually, like fishy said, until the water coming out of them is clear and not murky. I've never had a problem with mini cycles or even spikes of anykind by doing this method.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

fishyfanatic: you clean it in tap water? i thought you had to clean it in old tank water since the chlorine/chloramine in tap water would kill off all of your good bacteria

that's why he does this technique only "once a month"
he gives his sponge a very very very thorough cleaning.

 

[Jchillin]

the reason I ask is because the output from my filter has decreased
and is not very strong (my waterfall has become a trickle).

so I personally think my sponge (which I clean every week) is getting blocked.

Sounds like you have some solid particle matter building up. I would suggest getting in there and removing the blockage. Rinsing and squeezing out the gunk in old tank water is fine.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Exactly Bubble. The chloramines will kill the bacteria, but by doing it once a month and never at the same time as the cartridge, there is not a problem doing it. My filter becomes slow and blocked and it's the only thing that I have found that will take care of it for me.

(BTW Bubble, I'm a chick. )

 

[Bubble_B0y]

question:

when do u know its time to buy a new sponge ?
do u ever buy a new sponge ?

i've had my sponge for a year now.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

Exactly Bubble. The chloramines will kill the bacteria, but by doing it once a month and never at the same time as the cartridge, there is not a problem doing it. My filter becomes slow and blocked and it's the only thing that I have found that will take care of it for me.

(BTW Bubble, I'm a chick. )

Aqua-Chick !

 

[Fishyfanatic]

It's time to buy a new sponge when the old one falls apart. I've had the same one for about 14 months.

 

[Jchillin]

question:

when do u know its time to buy a new sponge ?
do u ever buy a new sponge ?

i've had my sponge for a year now.

As long as it's still viable (retaining it's composition) and you can clean it, no reason to toss it.

 

[Bubble_B0y]

question:

when do u know its time to buy a new sponge ?
do u ever buy a new sponge ?

i've had my sponge for a year now.

As long as it's still viable (retaining it's composition) and you can clean it, no reason to toss it.

I have an aquaclear sponge - and they are very durable and strong.
I never pull it or tear it (I take very good care of it).

 

[AquaJoe]

I was wondering how vigorously you clean sponges (when doing a water change).

are you supposed to repeatedly squeeze it ??
(i'm scared I might damage or kill good bacteria)

When I clean my sponge - I just shake it intensely, really hard in 'old' water.
is this enough ?

obviously you cannot clean a sponge 100% - some poo/detritus will enter very deep inside the sponge where its impossible to remove (which overtime will build up and reduce the suction power and flow rate of the filter).

I was wondering what is the most effective way to clean it as much as possible.

If the problem is your flow rate I would be less concerned with your bio-sponge and a bit more concerned with the intake, impeller and motor. It sounds like it may be about time for you to take the filter out of service, take it all apart and clean everything off. I cleaned mine a couple of weeks ago and founf a bunch of hair wrapped fround my impeller axil. Not good, AND it was causing me to get a terrible flow rate.

What kind of filter/tank you working with?

I wash my bio-sponge by violently swishing it around in treated tap water.

HTH

Cheers,
Joe

 

[gheitman]

I squeeze out the sponges on my sponge filters every week when I do a water change. I squeeze them once or twice in the water I removed from the tank. If the sponge doesn't go back to its regular shape after squeezing it out then it is probably a good time to replace it. This usually happens to me after about a year or so of use.

As far as cleaning the sponges on my canister filter, I squeeze them out once a month in tank water when I clean the canister (including the impeller).

 

[BillD]

You don't replace AC sponges until they start to disitegrate. I have some that are over 10 years old.

 

[severum mama]

I just replaced a couple filters with canisters, but before that I would always clean my AC sponges by squeezing them gently in a bucket of old tankwater about once a month. This method worked fine for me.