Sponge filter in reef. Beneficial or nutrient sink?

[Brian W]

I've always kept a sponge filter in my sump in case I ever need to setup a QT tank for a sick fish or new fish.

I recently read or saw a video from a very reputable person (dont remember) that revealed these are just nitrate factories compared to the amount of bacteria actually living in them.

Any thoughts on this claim?

Anybody else keep a sponge filter in their system?

 

[Feet4Fish]

Keep them in my sump as well for quick cycling when needed. The idea of anything being a nitrate factory has always been funny to me. No matter what the situation or device, nitrates are being formed because a more caustic precursor is being formed. The sponge, bio all or whatever provides the substrates for microbial filtration. The device doesn’t have a flaw. Typically the aquarist has the flaw... what I mean by this is that first you must have a plan for the nitrates whether that is assimilation, denitrification or water changes. Second you must prevent debris from building up in whatever filtration medium. It can be accomplished with mechanical pre filtration combined with, in this case, rinsing the spring out occasionally in old tank water. That is just my thoughts!

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

I've always kept a sponge filter in my sump in case I ever need to setup a QT tank for a sick fish or new fish.

I recently read or saw a video from a very reputable person (dont remember) that revealed these are just nitrate factories compared to the amount of bacteria actually living in them.

Any thoughts on this claim?

Anybody else keep a sponge filter in their system?

I have two sponges regular large sponges not for aquarium use before like washing your car/truck. When New corals come in I get the sponge and squeeze it into container and diluted with tank water. Then I use that water to acclimate the new corals. Does it work? Like they say pictures don't lie here's one of the most sensitive corals to try raising in a reef tank.

 

[mfinn]

I keep one in the sump of my 233 all the time so I have a working bio-filter ready for any new fish I plan to quarantine.
It's just a filter that does the same job live rock does.

 

[mfinn]

Referring to your poll,,,,,, while it may not directly be beneficial to a reef tank ( assuming there is live rock) it certainly doesn't do any harm.

 

[Lukas75]

The only way it is going to be an issue is if you allow it to collect detritus and then allow that detritus to break down inside the sponge. Even this is likely not going to be that bad if your other filtration can handle it. I keep one in there for the same reasons. Every so often I'll squeeze the sponge out in the waste water from a water change and call it a day. It's worth noting that this is the normal maintenance for a sponge filter.

 

[reefwiser]

Sponge filter is a great tool in your tool box. As a qt filter or the only filter you have in your tank they are simple and work great.

 

[jda]

They do not add nitrate to the tank. Nitrate factories are the reefer feeding fish and feeding corals. It may or may not help you, but it will not just create nitrates out of thin air.