Filter sponge getting dirty v quickly

[pumpkinsmum]

Hi, so I have a 6 month old ranchu in a 10 gal tank, I've had him for around 3 months and I've noticed the filter sponge is getting dirty super quick. I do around a 20% water change every week or so, and every time the filter sponge is really dirty with what looks to be either fish food, fish poop or both. This week I only left it around 4 days before doing a 10% change and again the filter sponge was super dirty. It's a filter for a 10 gal tank so do you think maybe I need a bigger filter? Or am I overfeeding? I feed sinking pellets twice a day. Have attached a picture of the tank and of what I washed out the filter sponge 4 days after last cleaning.

 

[Bumblebeeatrice]

How many sinking pellets do you feed him? And how big are they? Also, what are your water parameters like?

Goldfish are prolific poopers. 10 gallons is about the minimum size tank to keep a ranchu in, which means that you'll need to be careful that you're doing minimum weekly water changes because of the small water volume. As long as your water parameters stay stable and you aren't afraid of rinsing the filter once a week at minimum, the 10 gallon tank should do him alright. Your filter should run minimum 40gph and have plenty of surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow on. As long as you don't see any ammonia or nitrites during your weekly water changes, the filter is sufficient.

Ranchus can get hefty, so you may need to consider upgrading to a larger tank size in the future.

 

[ColdKoi]

Is the filter sponge getting dirty enough that it’s starting to impede the water flow in a week? If it is, I’d have to say you’re feeding too heavily for the setup you’ve got

Like mentioned, at the end of a week or so, before a water change, are you still able to maintain 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites? If so, there’s nothing of immediate concern, but keep an eye on the water quality and if you start seeing ammonia/nitrite before a water change it’s time to consider a larger filter (and ideally a larger tank for more buffer room for pollutants)

 

[pumpkinsmum]

How many sinking pellets do you feed him? And how big are they? Also, what are your water parameters like?

Goldfish are prolific poopers. 10 gallons is about the minimum size tank to keep a ranchu in, which means that you'll need to be careful that you're doing minimum weekly water changes because of the small water volume. As long as your water parameters stay stable and you aren't afraid of rinsing the filter once a week at minimum, the 10 gallon tank should do him alright. Your filter should run minimum 40gph and have plenty of surface area for beneficial bacteria to grow on. As long as you don't see any ammonia or nitrites during your weekly water changes, the filter is sufficient.

Ranchus can get hefty, so you may need to consider upgrading to a larger tank size in the future.

My filter runs 50gph and these are the pellets I feed around this much twice a day and my nitrites and nitrates, this is a day after 10% change. Also I know he will need a bigger tank at some point I just don't have the money or space right now, however hoping to buy him a new tank once I finish uni.

 

[Caliban07]

That’s not a dirty filter sponge my friend. A dirty filter sponge will turn that bucket in to a chocolate milk looking mess. It’s imperative filter sponges are cleaned regularly. I got so sick of cleaning my sponge that I stopped using a conventional power filter and went back to sponge filters.

Looks to me like you’re doing a good
Job of keeping on top of it. I would take those water changes up a little bit more though.