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Seeding Sponge filter

3K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Fdsh5 
#1 ·
so i got some ATI sponge filter coming in the mail on monday and want to start using it right away..

It will be used in a 20gallon long..

right now I have a canister running on it and the tank is well mature...with mosses and shrimps..

the question is, do i need to run both at the same time to seed the sponge?
I plan on selling the canister once I start using the spong..also does it matter where the sponge is place? I like it in the middle of the tank but can i put it in the corner of the tank? I order two but plan to use only one....

Don't ask me why I don't just keep the canister.....( I just don't feel it's worth it) plus I want to grow some floating plants to absorb nitrate....I can't grow floating plant with canisters at all..lol
 
#6 ·
Floaters often don't like moving water. Go figure.
ya...try many times with spray bar and came to the conclusion that they just hate moving water....

I just really like floater to absorb some nitrate... i have a 10g wtih duckweed and water lettuce and that tank is 100% 0 nitrate! Brigth yellow on the scale! NO water change...i did this 3 weeks back foll0wing a old thread about "no water change"

while the rest are 10-20 ppm.

I can let the sponge run in the tank for 1-3 weeks ...that should give it enough time to seed.
 
#5 ·
If you have a high nitrate level then the plants are not enough to keep the ammonia under control, so getting more plants (especially plants with the aerial advantage) is a good idea.
Good to be concerned about the nitrogen cycle bacteria.

By running both filters at the same time, or at least keeping all the media in the tank the bacteria will spread out its population over all the media. Then you can slowly remove the media that will be sold with the can and the remaining media will grow more of the bacteria. Over a period of not less than a month you can get a pretty good population on the new media, and have the can decommissioned for sale.

Another way (faster). Buy a bottle of cycle bacteria that includes Nitrospira species of bacteria. Dose the new filter with this and just do the swap. Remove the can. Give the filter media a quick rinse in water removed from the tank, but keep it in a humid location to keep the bacteria alive. Monitor the tank, and within 24-48 hours if there is more than just a little trace of ammonia then the Nitrospira might be dead. FAST! Put the can back on the tank. If there is just a little ammonia and it goes away then the Nitrospira have taken over and you can go ahead and fully wash out the canister filter media.
 
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