Adding A Filter Sponge To A Spongeless Filter

[Arei]

As I'm caught in a fish-in cycle, I've began to ponder about the effectiveness of my filter.

I've got an Aqueon 20 gal filter on a 10 gal tank. I've seen some reviews it's quite useless when it comes to cycling, sometimes doubling the time.

My tank has been in a fish-in cycle for 2 weeks. I was wondering if I could add a small sponge in the filter to encourage bacteria growth because all the filter has are plastic inserts for the bacteria to "grow" on. I do have a pre-filter sponge but I've been reading that's not where the bacteria really need to grown.

If I have the money next week, I may go ahead and purchase an Aqua Clear filter, but at this point would it be dangerous to try to replace the filter or it better to just add a sponge? Or will replacing the filter at this early stage not make much of a difference? It may restart the cycle but would this be better for my fish and my back from all these constant water changes to change the filter now and have the new filter cycle sooner then the old one would.

I'm getting some terrible back pain from the constant water changes, I'm willing to do it but I don't want to be doing them for 4 months when I could've only been doing them for 8 weeks.

 

[Tolak]

Pick up an Aqua Clear sponge for the size filter you plan on buying. Slice it to make two thinner pieces, and put this in the filter. When you do get the AC re-stack the two sliced pieces & put it in the filter. Many people run two sponges in AC's, and no carbon, so you will have room for two sponges.

I've found that trying to wedge the sponge in one piece in a filter designed for cartridges results in a terrible water flow, the filter doesn't have enough pump to get the water through.

 

[OldMan47]

Another way to use an AC sponge on a filter is to simply cut a slit in one end and slide it over the inlet tube. It not only provides a nice biological filter in the flow path, it protects tiny fish from being sucked up by the filter. It will look like this after about a month in a tank holding fish.