How to Clean Sponge Filters: Can You Clean Sponge Filters With Tap Water? 

I would love to hear how it works for you!

@@PrimeTimeAquatics It was awesome! I was able to more thoroughly clean the sponges since I had more water available for rinsing, and no mini-cycles or bacterial blooms resulted from it. If anything, my water is much clearer from having having all that detritus removed. Thank you so much again for sharing your sponge-washing ways!

Thanks for sharing!!

Thank you Brian - glad it worked for you as well!

Me to, although I used warm water. English tap water is freezing as it comes straight from the mains!

So did I so why wouldn't you just grab a bucket of your tank water and avoid the issue altogether? Some people love going against the grain and it's not very sound advice in my opinion...

HUKIT Thank you!

Glad to hear it works for you too!

Thanks for watching!

chefrarestones1960 Thank you. Appreciate you watching!

So glad it's working for you as well!

Good observation and it certainly could introduce parasites to other tanks. If we have brought new fish into the fishroom the quarantine sponge filters are not grouped with the rest and we are more careful in that case.

Ya, sometimes admitting that can start a heated conversation. : -)

Sharpies Models and Aquatics I recently read a cool article about a symbiotic microbe that converts ammonia from fish into N2 and it lives in the gills! Crazy

IV had larva rock in my tank a small amount bacteria will be all over it 😊

Dominic TVlogs Thank you!

MPWALL : THAT’s exactly what I use TANK WATER 💦 to rinse the SP🧽NGES 👌🏿

That’s what I did empty some tank water inside bucket and squeeze sponge 🧽 in bucket

I just moved tank and I had green lookin water so I Changed some water when moving fish. But my tank is cloudy ⛅️, I changed my hang filter could I’ve cleaned too much ! So I thought 💭 I might have to clean sponge 🧽 filter? A lot of dirty water came out. So I guess just wait

Glad it works for you too. : -)

Sounds like we do the same thing! Glad it's working for you too!

Yep - mine does too

Huh, you're right... never thought of it that way! (So you're saying, don't use 409 to clean my sponge filters... 😜)

Dang, that was deep dude. : -) haha. Great point!

A Gamer's Wife lol yeah that’s a no go 😂

Deborah Jeanne I’ve had zero issues and know lots of people who have been cleaning them with tap that have had no issues either. I actually don’t clean my HOBs unless they are really bad - I do change the media and rinse out sponge in the sink, but leave the filter alone.

Prime Time Aquatics seems like I’m making a lot of unnecessary work for myself. I’ve been removing the filter from the tank, taking it apart, cleaning all the parts, etc. it’s a PIA when you have multiple tanks. You just made my life a whole lot easier!

Chronicles of Chris' Fishroom. Actually never thought about that.

That is their main purpose since microbes will deal with the ammonia and nitrites.

I don't worry about detritus worms - they usually the results of too much food/waste in the substrate. Gravel vacuuming can help, as well as, reducing feeding if necessary. Some fish will eat them too.

@@PrimeTimeAquatics Thank you for the reply. I think they arrived on some plants. Will cut down feeding and gravel vac regularly.

Cool! Sounds like it's working well. : -)

Interesting.

Cocoy C Thank you. Glad they are useful.😀

Thanks! Appreciate you watching!

You do it too? Two fish room with hundreds dollars worth of fish. I'm trying this!!!

VB 23 I should note that I never do both sponge filters from a tank at the same time. I rotate between all the filters on the left side of the tanks, the next time all the filters on the right side 😉👍

Do you do these with your plecos as well?

I use tap water to clean all my filters. I have multiple filters (internal & external canisters) in every tank and don't clean them all at once. Also, I usally keep my bio seperate from mechanical. Again, if you know what you are doing, you can break most of the "rules." Did I mention I've been doing this for over 40 years? I love videos that dispel the myths of fishkeeping.

VB 23 yes

Thank you!

Thank you so much! Really appreciate it.

Keith Moore some fish can be skittish. I have a few tanks like that. Sometimes dither fish may help them feel comfortable.

Caylor's Aquatics I think there are quite a few closet tap water users out there. 😀

We did the same with our canisters!

Robert Fletcher Appreciate you watching!

Raymond Bardeen That’s a great situation to have. 😀

We clean all our filtration at the same time, but you can always rotate filter cleaning every week if you are concerned.

I do

(Thanks Jason, for another common-sense video) Not just the filtration, but add up the total surface area that bacteria has a place to live and compare it to the surface area available in a sponge. I'm pretty sure the sponge's surface area is a small fraction of the total. In addition, regarding the chlorine concern: typical tap water just doesn't have enough concentration to cause a die-off, once you've squeezed the sponge out, It's miniscule. It's just not enough to affect the total population, nor even cause a perceptible change. And anyone who owns a chlorinated swimming pool knows you have to keep feeding it chlorine because it quickly breaks down and off-gases. If you need to fill a tank with chlorinated tap water, let it sit in the tank overnight and I guarantee the chlorine will be gone the next day (assuming the tank's not air-tight). Since I've returned to the hobby this past year after many years away, I'm continually amazed how hung up on "cycling" tanks we get. We never had to worry this much years ago and it was the same water, plants and filtration. Sure, test it periodically, make sure the temp's normal for fish. Sit back and enjoy the fish. They're amazing!

Let me know how it works!

Denny's Aquatics I do remember you. I would certainly test your tank water afterwards to ensure everything is ok. 😀

When it comes to a QT tank I usually don't add any plants - maybe just a few rocks and a cave. I generally leave the tank cycled with a bristlenose pleco or some other small fish. If the tank was treated properly the ich should be gone. If you used temperature as part of your treatment options you can keep the temps elevated to upper 80s with no fish in the tank. Within a couple weeks it's almost guaranteed all ich will be dead without a potential host. Hope this helps!

@@PrimeTimeAquatics Thank you always to answer my question.So, in your setting you do not move sponge filter used for quarantine or hospital tank to healthy fish tank because you keep it running with pleco in it.I think it is nice to have it all the time as well.

Do the sponge filters get to a point where you definitely have to replace the filter with a new sponge ? just ordered my first set for my new 90

Theoretically, if you have a well cycled tank, you'll have a biofilm throughout all your surfaces which will serve as denitrifiers until your sponge repopulates. However, I always use aquarium water for that extra uff-da, as the "coffee" that results is wonderful for houseplants and orchids. Call me conservative, but I always err on the side of safety.

@@PiTaReX Only when they start to fall apart

@@PiTaReX I order sponges from Swiss Tropucals (poret foam). 8 years old in one case and still in excellent shape

You are part of the club. : -)

The Fish Tank Barn I don’t do anything for it, but it’s so dilute at that point I doubt it matters.

Prime Time Aquatics Fair point, anything would probably gas off.

They should be available soon and when they are I will let everyone know. Thanks for watching!

Thanks Paul! Glad it's working for you too!

I know people who throw them in the washing machine (sponge only). You could also submerge them in hydrogen peroxide solution. That being said, if there was no disease in your last tank the risk is probably minimal.

Prime Time Aquatics thank u very much I’ll try that hydrogen peroxide

I would think so. I've never had an issue cleaning them in tap water.

I don't

FiSHioN TaNkTiCS Good to know it’s working for you!

Bay Area Aquatics If you do it measure your ammonia and nitrites. I’d be very interested in hearing what they are afterwards.

Put a tight knit media bag over the end of the Python. I regularly use a Python for changing water in a tank with shrimp in it, never lost any due to being sucked up by the Python

Yes, you can drop the sponge filter right in. I would wait about 3-4 weeks before removing the other filter to give the sponge filter time to populate with bacteria. Good luck!

@@PrimeTimeAquatics thank you for your reply.

Haha. Thanks. :-)

Floss gets replaced every week. Sponge usually lasts 3-5 years

I guess it depends on the concentration of metals?

As long as you aren't getting any ammonia you should be ok.

@@PrimeTimeAquatics I don't do it often. Maybe clean the biomedia and coarse sponge under it once a month. I also tested my tap water for chlorine. It reads 0...

Those were some small Dragonblood juveniles.

@@PrimeTimeAquatics Do these colour up when they get older? coz mine are just like white/yellowish.

Strict_Economy Thank you!

Been doing it for a long time and haven't had an issue. :-)

I haven't had the time, but I may give it a try at some point.

My guess is you're probably talking about the Geophagus surinamensis. : -)

Nice, ty! Sweet looking fish!

mucks Sounds like a great set up! And I’m glad you’re here! 😀

I use two on my 55 gallon tanks - usually ATI Hydro IVs. You should be good with just two sponge filters.

Prime Time Aquatics Thanks I am going to try it my tank is cloudy never has it ever gotten like this

Room temp is fine. Just don't want to use hot water because the high temps would kill the microbes.

No, but it will make it less noisy and produce smaller bubbles.

SandSnowMXGirl Glad it’s working for you too!

I usually leave it in the tank for three or four weeks before I clean it the first time. After that I clean them once per week. Based on the way we clean ours I start to see some sponges sagging around three or four years, then I know it's time to replace the sponge.

p talavera Certainly could start with alternating the cleanings and see what happens.

Yes - biological filtration will be fine, but the mechanical filtration might not be the best.