Changing filter sponges- When?

[DavesTanks]

how often does anyone change there filter media sponges?surely they need replaced sometimes. My tanks have been running around a year with my aqua clear 20's. Thanks

[Autumnsky]

Basically never.

If the filter sponge is loosing the shape / collapsing on itself it would probably be time.

If the filter pad/floss stuff has no more shape, falling apart, then it is time.

What I normally do is either

squeeze the dirty one into the new one and add the new one to the filter and add the old one on the substrate below the intake and out flow. This positions it where it can still feed the BB. Leave it in the tank for a month.

Or the other way around, and leave the new filter media in the tank under the inflow for a month

or
add the new sponge to the filter, with the old one on top, which depends how much room you have.

[Brookster123]

I think I've chucked one in the last 6 years. Once it starts falling to pieces you can replace. Save a section of the old to seed the new.

[BBradbury]

Originally Posted by DavesTanks

how often does anyone change there filter media sponges?surely they need replaced sometimes. My tanks have been running around a year with my aqua clear 20's. Thanks

Hello Dave...

I use sponges only. The other filters are way more expensive and don't do any better than sponges to filter the tank water. Every week, when I perform my water changes, I squeeze out the sponges in some of the old tank water and put them back on the filter. Eventually, the sponge won't return to its original shape and that's when I replace it.

B

[BigNorsk]

If the sponge holds together, no reason to get rid of it.

I think my oldest sponges are about 20 years of age.

[LLG]

Originally Posted by BBradbury

Hello Dave...

I use sponges only. The other filters are way more expensive and don't do any better than sponges to filter the tank water. Every week, when I perform my water changes, I squeeze out the sponges in some of the old tank water and put them back on the filter. Eventually, the sponge won't return to its original shape and that's when I replace it.

B

That's so interesting - I always though you needed the charcoal stuff. I can see that those ceramic rings don't do anything more than the sponge.
Good to know.

[bill.marshall]

I think most of the bb is in the substrate, rocks, tank , ect. If you remove everything in your tank, even though you have everything in the filter, you will lose your nitrogen cycle...it happened to me, had to start over again on my 150..