![]() All of that beneficial bacteria will help them jump-start their reef tank. And you can eliminate new tank syndrome in your zip code by allowing anyone starting their saltwater tank to borrow a sponge. You have two sponge filters in your sump (of course you do). Suddenly, they’re watching their fish pass away in record numbers. ![]() The excitement of setting up that first aquarium, complete with dazzling fish and corals, overwhelms new aquarists, and they rush that crucial cycling step. One of the biggest problems hobbyists face is new tank syndrome. And if you plan FURTHER ahead (or have already coped with the trauma of a power failure and learned your lesson) and buy a battery-operated air pump, too, you’ll be ready to oxygenate and remove wastes from your tank. But as long as you have mature sponge filters, those colonies will happily go about their business as wastes hit all of that surface area. Granted, the amount of water flowing through the filter goes down without the aid of the pump. You go it, those little clumps of synthetic pores will continue to provide the biological filtration your tank desperately needs – even WITHOUT electricity.īacteria don’t run on power. Or what if your return pump burns out? If you don’t have a backup pump in the house, or even if you DO but have to run to work when it breaks, sponge filters might provide “life support” in the interim. No one WANTS their tank to cope with problems. (See how #3 flows nicely into this reason?) It’s a handy trick that allows you to keep your fish and coral moving around. And keeping two ready at all times means I don’t have to delay my purchases. Voila! Those sponge filters save me time on the quarantine process. And I replace the clean, dry sponge back in the sump, so it’s ready in a month for my next cycle. Then I start my quarantine tank over the way I did the first time.I don’t want to return the sponge filter to the display tank, so I also clean it with freshwater and dry it. After my fish or coral finishes their quarantine, I clean out and dry the tank again (this prevents unwanted critters from sticking around).I grab the sponge filter from my sump and get the tank up and running, complete with conditioned water and an active, cycled biological filter.I top off the rest with newly made saltwater (that provides a 25% water change right away). Then when I buy a new fish or coral, I do a partial water change in the display tank and use the wastewater to fill ~75% of the quarantine tank.That cuts down on noise, maintenance, and electrical costs. I dry it out and let it “rest” rather than run it empty. When my display tank is stable, and I haven’t purchased a new fish or coral in a while, I shut my quarantine tank down.And it’s because of those two sponge filters. Either way, you’re going to want to install these filters, and your fish and invertebrates will thank you. Or you can pick and choose from the ideas that appeal the most. If you want all of the reasons you should stock up, read through the entire list. They offer plenty of intriguing thoughts on the possibilities this little (or not so little – it depends on your tank size) piece of equipment can provide. Don’t believe me? Well, that’s where these six handy reasons will come along and convince you otherwise! Table of Contents: Why You Need Sponge Filters in Your Aquariumīehold, the humble sponge filters! If you’ve never stopped to think about what they can do for your saltwater aquarium, just look at these links. And that’s where you’re missing a big opportunity to get your reef tank running efficiently. You may even feel sponge filters aren’t a big priority. Everyone needs them around – and knows they’re necessary in the back of their mind – but the handy pieces of filter media can get overlooked. When you start thinking about ALL of the equipment you need for your saltwater aquarium, it’s easy to overlook the little things – for instance, sponge filters.
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