Seeding new sponge filter without running HOB at the same time?

[corneliusmom]

Hello! I got a new sponge filter for my betta in his 10 gal as he didn’t like the flow of my HOB. I was wondering if there was any way to reliably transfer beneficial bacteria without having to run them both for a month together? I have been doing that, but my little man really doesn’t like the flow and has been avoiding that side of the tank (HOB not adjustable but already baffled, air pump at min setting). Could I for example soak my filter cartridge in a bucket of tank water, and leave my sponge in it for like a day? I was also thinking of cutting the flossy media from the filter cartridge and just wrapping it around my sponge, securing it and running the sponge like that. Would this work?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Squeeze the sponge or floss from your HoB into the water. Maybe just drop the cartridge into the tank somewhere close to the new sponge filter where there is some flow of water. Your suggestion of tying the floss to the sponge filter wont hurt anything.

Running both filters doesnt transfer those microbes from one to the other. It just means you have the cycled filter running and keeping the water clean while the new filter cycles. It might take longer than a month to cycle the new filter. Removing the cycled filter will always risk a mini cycle, whether you do it now or in a month. In a month is less of a risk than doing it today.

 

[corneliusmom]

Squeeze the sponge or floss from your HoB into the water. Maybe just drop the cartridge into the tank somewhere close to the new sponge filter where there is some flow of water. Your suggestion of tying the floss to the sponge filter wont hurt anything.

Running both filters doesnt transfer those microbes from one to the other. It just means you have the cycled filter running and keeping the water clean while the new filter cycles. It might take longer than a month to cycle the new filter. Removing the cycled filter will always risk a mini cycle, whether you do it now or in a month. In a month is less of a risk than doing it today.

Ah I see. Thanks for the answer! For some reason I did assume the point was to transfer bacteria. Since my tank has a very low bio load and I’m pretty on top of my water parameters I might take the risk.

 

[Aiken Drum]

If you can remove the filter media from an established filter and use it in a new filter, you transfer those microbes. Squeezing out a sponge into the water will release those microbes into the water where they will get drawn into the new filtration.