HOB Owners: How often do you rinse your sponge out?

[99RedSi]

I have a tiny 10g tank with an AC Mini on it. It has 5 pygmy corys in it and has been cycled for a month now (tank has been up for 2 months).

I have 2 AC Mini sponges in the actual filter and 1 cut/custom-fit onto the filter intake.

I rinse the one on the filter intake once per week, when changing 20% of the water.

I'd like to know how often other HOB owners rinse their sponges out in the aquarium water?

For my situation, tell me what you think is best:

1) Rinse the bottom-most sponge in aquarium water and swap the two sponge's positions

2) Simply swap the sponge's positions only

3) Do nothing to the 2 sponges in the filter

4) Your custom recommendation


I'm opting for option #1. I would rinse the bottom-most sponge EVERY water change (in the aquarium water, of course) and then swap the two sponges. Is that TOO often? Maybe I should simply rinse the bottom-most sponge only once per month (weekly water changes)?

 

[BrianNY]

The routine you're opting for should give you a clean healthy tank.

I do the same thing with my HOBs.

 

[Menagerie]

I rinse the cartridge in the HOB when the flow is reduced. I also have sponges on the intake to save fry and plant matter from getting in the filter. Those get rinsed weekly.

 

[FishLover14]

Thats exactly what i do!!

Dan

 

[99RedSi]

Does weekly rinsing for one of the 2 sponges cause a mini-cycle?

I just want to make sure I don't kill my fish by doing this...

 

[FawnN]

Does weekly rinsing for one of the 2 sponges cause a mini-cycle?

The only way you could kill your bacteria colony off is by rinsing your sponge under tap water. The chlorine from your faucet will instantly kill them off.

Always rinse sponges, filter cartridges, plastic plants and decor in a bucket of old tank water to preserve your bacteria.

 

[Kasakato]

Can I get a bucket of water add the water condtioner and rinse the filter media in there, or do I have to use tank water?

 

[FawnN]

Just as long as it's been dechlorinated.

But why wouldn't you have any old tank water? I normally will rinse filters and sponges during water changes, so I always have some old tank water in a bucket.

 

[Kasakato]

I use a Python :?

 

[FawnN]

I use a python too. I know it may seem like a hassle, but I will manually put some old tank water in my bucket before I start to use my python.