Sponge in my sump good or bad?

[elic173]

Hi Guys

I have a 13.5g fluval evo and it ships standard with a filter sponge.

I am new to marine, would you recommend I trash the sponge for another material? If so why?

Thanks
Eddy

 

[sfin52]

it collects detritus which will raise nitrates.

 

[elic173]

Thanks, what would you replace it with?

 

[sfin52]

Thanks, what would you replace it with?

i use sponges in my tank I don't care about nitrates. I'm not sure what to use in that small of a tank.
@Katrina71 advice you've got nano tanks

 

[Katrina71]

A lot of people switch it up by putting filter floss in chamber 1 and the skimmer in chamber 2. A huge complaint of gunk building up in the sponge. I think it can be used, but rinsed daily in rodi.

 

[elic173]

Hi Katrina
Wouldn’t filter floss trap the nutrients in the same way as a sponge?
Eddy

 

[malacoda]

it collects detritus which will raise nitrates.

Nonsense. Sorry, but it bugs me when people spout out this inaccuracy.

The sponge is supposed to collect detritus ... so you can remove it from your tank. If you maintain the sponge properly by cleaning once or twice a week it will help clean your tank and keep your nitrates LOW -- the same as a filter sock or filter floss.

If you neglect to maintain your sponge, THEN it will encourage a rise nitrates ... just as filter socks or filter floss would if you neglect to clean or replace them.

Simply saying that sponges are nitrate factories implies that floss and socks do not have the same problem if not properly maintained. Or that sponge will not perform their intended function even if they are properly maintained.

 

[sfin52]

Nonsense. Sorry, but it bugs me when people spout out this inaccuracy.

The sponge is supposed to collect detritus ... so you can remove it from your tank. If you maintain the sponge properly by cleaning once or twice a week it will help clean your tank and keep your nitrates LOW -- the same as a filter sock or filter floss.

If you neglect to maintain your sponge, THEN it will encourage a rise nitrates ... just as filter socks or filter floss would if you neglect to clean or replace them.

Simply saying that sponges are nitrate factories implies that floss and socks do not have the same problem if not properly maintained. Or that sponge will not perform their intended function even if they are properly maintained.

The floss would be better. In my sponges they never rise clean. I can't get it all out and I rinse mine for a while. With the filter floss when you toss it you get rid of all the detritus trapped in it.

 

[Katrina71]

Filter floss does do the same thing, that's kinda what you want. Floss imo is just less likely to get as gunked up.

 

[Katrina71]

Btw, my nitrates stay at 10. You'll find the "normal" for your tank. Don't freak out about numbers. As long as your tank's numbers remain pretty consistent.

 

[sfin52]

ya my nitrates 40-60 but I run a canister filter clean it all out once a month.

 

[Katrina71]

Filter floss can also be bought in bulk and cut to fit. Waaay cheaper.

 

[Fourstars]

Just rinse whatever you go with every few days. I run a pretty open system with socks on about half the time especially when preforming maintenance. Three years and 0 nitrates, or at least always below my test kits ability to read. Your tank has a limit, the faster you reach a high nitrate situation the faster you reach the so called “old tank syndrome “ and start to have issues.