Lots Of Juwel Sponge Questions!

[smudger123]

Hi all, newcomer here.

I've just bought a second hand Rio 125 for collection in a few days and would like to change the sponges in the filter. I've never owned a tropical tank before or even seen the Juwel filters so I'm not sure what to buy. Is it compact sponges I'm after? There are two 'complete kits' on eBay 1 has "2 Coarse Sponges (Blue), 2 Fine Sponges (Blue), & 10 Poly Pads (White)" and the other has 5 X POLY PADS [ 1 BOX ] 2 X CARBON SPONGE [1 BOX ] 1 X NITRATE SPONGE [ 1 BOX ] 1 X COARSE SPONGE [ 1 BOX ] 1 X FINE SPONGE [ 1 BOX ]. Which do I go for and do I need the carbon and nitrate? How many sponges does the filter take?

Also is there something I can buy to clean the tank to get rid of any nasties?

Thanks all

 

[maximinimus]

Hi there, welcome to the forum.

The rio 125 has a compact h filter system, it takes 6 sponges, 3 coarse and 3 fine.

I wouldn't bother with the carbon sponges unless you really need it (e.g. after medication).

The green sponges are a waste of money, Juwel claim they contain bacteria colonies, which an experienced fishkeeper will tell you is a load of rubbish

So in short:
3 x Juwel Filter Sponge Coarse
3 x Juwel Filter Sponge Fine

Then you can buy filter wool in large rolls for next to nothing, I bought 5 metres for £7 inc p&p and I just cut a piece off when I needed it.

If this is your first tank, please read up about fishless cycling.

 

[smudger123]

Thank you for your reply maximinimus,

I won't bother with the green or black ones then and buy filter wool as an alternative to polypads.

I've spent the past few weeks researching but there's so much to take in! My shopping list is as follows:

Playsand
Caribsea Eco complete substrate
Aquasafe
Safestart
Easybalance
Mopani bogwood (been soaking for a week or so, water now clear after last change)
Easy grow aquarium plants
Plantamin
Haven't decided on test kit yet, still looking around.

Hope it's ok, any additions I haven't thought of?

I have just had a read of the fishless cycling sticky, can't wait to get going. Is it a daft decision though getting new
sponges, could his old ones be beneficial?

 

[maximinimus]

The bacteria on the old sponges will be dead now, but you can still use them, there is no need to replace unless they are falling apart.

I have found safestart to be a complete waste of time, it may help to bring Ammonia down, but you are left with a nitrite spike,

I would also not use the EasyBalance, water changes do much more than reduce your nitrate levels, they replenish minerals etc, something that chemical will not do.

If you have low light plants I doubt you will need both the substrate and the plantamin, but you will need light reflectors, unless your tank came with them.

 

[Mikaila31]

It looks like you are on a good start. I doubt the old sponges will help with the cycling of the tank, especially if they are dry. But in truth their is nothing wrong with the old sponges. They will work just as well as new ones.

 

[smudger123]

Thank you for the advice, going to wait and see with the sponges then. Filter wool roll and API master kit ordered. Will bear in mind the easybalance and safestart stuff, it certainly makes sense a water change is better than chemicals

 

[vinylman]

Will bear in mind the easybalance and safestart stuff, it certainly makes sense a water change is better than chemicals

Is the correct answer!!. Let me guess; when you were in the shop, the assistant said ''Oh, you'll need some of this, and this too, and this........''. Sponges can be used until they're falling apart. I'm sure the manufacturers would LOVE people to buy new sponges every month - God knows how many mini-cycles that starts. I can assure you, even a small piece of mature filter media would be light years ahead of all that Safestart/Cycle nonsense. Get the water right and the only thing you'll need to add to the tank is fresh, dechlorinated water. For your substrate, as you're concentrating on easy, fast growing plants, I'd go for a tub of Tetra Complete Substrate for the base, covered with a couple of inches of just plain, fine darkish gravel and, as has been said, some reflectors for the lights.