[cake fan]

Do I use the noodles that came with my ac hob and why?

How often should I rinse/clean them and the sponge?

Also am I correct to put the noodles (if used) on top of the sponge?

 

[epicfish]

Noodles? The ceramic rings? They're for biological filtration.

 

[cake fan]

Yes the ceramic rings, when I purchased my original ac filter it didn't come with any.

I purchased an 500 (large one) and it came with the rings, I never ran any on my other fw tanks and never encountered problems.

So I'm wondering what benefit/service they offer ~ how often they should be cleaned ~ and where it's recommended I put them.

I usually clean/rinse off the sponge every 2weeks but if I'm using the rings how often I should clean them (rings) & the sponge?

 

[Boz]

I don't clean my rings. Sometimes they get a swish in the bucket of tank water, but that's it. I always keep extra bags of them in all my HOBs to quick cycle a new tank. And yes, I keep them on top of my sponges.

How often you should clean your sponges depends a lot on your fish load. In my BN grow out tank, I clean it weekly. In my goby tank, monthly. Cichlid tank has two filters, so I rotate them bi-weekly, endler tank, monthly...etc. etc. When it gets really gunky and slimy, give it a rinse.

 

[cake fan]

I guess a safe rule till I get a schedual going would be that when I do a weekly waterchange just check the condition of the sponge and determine if I need to rinse it or not.

Thank you for your help :icon_wink

 

[Boz]

That sounds like a good plan. Just be sure not to rinse TOO vigorously if this is newly set up. All your good bugs are in there. :icon_wink

 

[cake fan]

:hihi: true thanks