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Post by angelminx on Aug 30, 2015 16:18:29 GMT -5
The sponge on the 10G's HOB pre-filter is starting to collapse, so yesterday I floated a new sponge in the tank. [BTW, the nitrites had been just over 0 ppm 2 days ago, but yesterday and today is back up to 0.125.] Since it is a brand new sponge, how long should I wait for it to start to accumulate nitrifying bacteria before I dispose of the old one? Also should I do something other than just let it float in the tank? Should I let it soak in a mixture of tank water and stability? I don't want to mess up the newly "established" cycle in the tank by getting rid of the old pre-filter too soon.
Thanks!
Angelminx
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Post by devonjohnsgard on Aug 31, 2015 12:50:28 GMT -5
Angelminx,
What I know is that the sponge should be touching the seeded sponge to help it seed quickly. Doing this and Stability would be only a few days.
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Post by parker002 on Sept 2, 2015 10:49:05 GMT -5
Put the new pre-filter on the intake and set the old one next to it so that they are touching. Leave it that way for a few days and you should be fine.
EDIT: I should have emphasized the first part better - my opinion is that it's important to put the new filter on right away so that you are pulling water (and thus bacteria) through it immediately. By putting the old sponge next to it, you should (in theory) be pulling particles, including nitrifying bacteria, out of the old sponge and into the new. The other way around wouldn't work because you wouldn't have a mechanism to create water flow through the old sponge and into the new.
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Post by angelminx on Sept 2, 2015 12:32:29 GMT -5
Thanks, Parker!   I did move it so that it was wedged between the corner and the sponge filter the other day (don't have the pic downloaded yet), because the Whisper 20 HOB doesn't give any working room--the pre-filter doesn't sit flush against the back wall (because the intake is so snug to the wall to begin with). I will do as you suggested right away. Angelminx {Edit: I moved the new pre-filter sponge into place, then cut the old one and "wrapped" it around the new one. The 1st pic shows the old pre-filter collapsing (you can see where I have the new sponge sitting before Parker's suggestion), and the 2nd is the current situation...   } |
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Post by angelminx on Sept 2, 2015 12:36:48 GMT -5
One more thing...the other day when I woke up, I noticed that the airline (to the sponge filter) had come apart between the check valve and the filter (where it attaches to the check valve). Because the HOB was still running, creating water flow, would the bacteria on the sponge filter still be alive?
[Edit: Maybe I should have posted this question as a separate thread...]
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Post by devonjohnsgard on Sept 2, 2015 16:37:25 GMT -5
One more thing...the other day when I woke up, I noticed that the airline (to the sponge filter) had come apart between the check valve and the filter (where it attaches to the check valve). Because the HOB was still running, creating water flow, would the bacteria on the sponge filter still be alive? [Edit: Maybe I should have posted this question as a separate thread...] I would think so. I believe Carl's articles says they start to die off after 4 hours, but I dont know the rate. You could just measure the water parameters and you would know if the tanks not cycled. Dont know if we are talking about the tank sponge or the new one you are trying seed. |
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Post by angelminx on Sept 3, 2015 5:23:52 GMT -5
The sponge filter sponge  (not the new pre-filter sponge). |
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Post by Carl on Sept 3, 2015 9:40:00 GMT -5
One more thing...the other day when I woke up, I noticed that the airline (to the sponge filter) had come apart between the check valve and the filter (where it attaches to the check valve). Because the HOB was still running, creating water flow, would the bacteria on the sponge filter still be alive? [Edit: Maybe I should have posted this question as a separate thread...] As Devon noted, generally 4 hours is the timeline for die off. However this is in an environment that is totally stagnant such as a during a power failure. With water movement around the sponge filter, there will be some die off, especially near the center, but not total die off. Carl |
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rogierfvv
Full Member
3rd time around aquarium keeper, observer, learner
Posts: 84 
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Post by rogierfvv on May 29, 2016 21:47:13 GMT -5
This is very helpful... I've been wondering how long these pre-filters really last...
Mine is on a Hydor 150 Professional canister filter, and I clean it weekly. So are the symptoms that the spunge simply loses its resiliency, so that you know you have to replace it with a new one? What experience do people have with the longevity of these ATI pre-filters?
Also, what impact does it have on the longevity of the filter media in the canister? I seem to find myself where the main issue is becoming keeping the impeller clean, and for that I don't need but to clean the filter but every 2 months or so. I use Hydor's two sponges internally, Course (Black) and Fine (White), and the white one is almost like filter wool. Based on the first three months, I would expect I'll replace them once a year or so? What have others experienced?
By the way, I have found that the elbows on those pre-filters are easy to crack, and what I have done is fortified them with some hot-melt glue, and that seems to have solved that problem. They are now sturdy as all get out.
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Post by devonjohnsgard on May 31, 2016 12:27:31 GMT -5
This is very helpful... I've been wondering how long these pre-filters really last... Mine is on a Hydor 150 Professional canister filter, and I clean it weekly. So are the symptoms that the spunge simply loses its resiliency, so that you know you have to replace it with a new one? What experience do people have with the longevity of these ATI pre-filters? Also, what impact does it have on the longevity of the filter media in the canister? I seem to find myself where the main issue is becoming keeping the impeller clean, and for that I don't need but to clean the filter but every 2 months or so. I use Hydor's two sponges internally, Course (Black) and Fine (White), and the white one is almost like filter wool. Based on the first three months, I would expect I'll replace them once a year or so? What have others experienced? By the way, I have found that the elbows on those pre-filters are easy to crack, and what I have done is fortified them with some hot-melt glue, and that seems to have solved that problem. They are now sturdy as all get out. Seems like mine last about a year. I just keep cleaning them, until they suck in and dont bounce back or they just wont let flow through. |
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Post by Carl on May 31, 2016 17:01:30 GMT -5
Seems like mine last about a year. I just keep cleaning them, until they suck in and dont bounce back or they just wont let flow through. Ditto, except I have had many last over two years Carl |
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rogierfvv
Full Member
3rd time around aquarium keeper, observer, learner
Posts: 84
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Post by rogierfvv on Jun 4, 2016 11:22:47 GMT -5
Excellent, thanks folks - this is a very actionable, practical measure, for you can just feel if it loses its resiliency. Experience will tell how I fare with the pads in the canister filter, but I guess they'll last me a good long time under these conditions.
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(not the new pre-filter sponge).
