Sponge Filter

[Tom4Fish]

Hi, i recentley got a spongefilter with my juewl tank, the lady in the lfs told me never to put the plack sponge in if i have live plants and dont put the green one in strate awway, (she didnt say when)

what sponges and when am i ment to put in

((( i have 1 green 1 blue 1 black and 1 white[cotton wool ish])))

 

[evilchild]

i've got a setup very much like that and i got all in, (apart from the carbon one which is the black one, but that is going back in tonight.) if i remember right it goes in that order to i think. ( 1 green 1 blue 1 black and 1 white[cotton wool ish]) the carbons one takes alot of the chemicals out of the water if i'm right? so i think it should be fine

 

[Richard James Patrick]

The black carbon sponge will filter out alot of the chemical elements which promote good plant growth, if you're planning on adding plant fertilizers, which you should really if you want nice healthy plants, then the black sponge will gobble most of these up too. I'd recommend using the black sponge periodically. It does make the water much clearer and it's good for removing any excess medications after treatment.

Are you only at the stage wher you're cycling your tank?

 

[mark.w.jones]

Green Sponge = Nitrate removing
Black Sponge = Carbon
Blue Sponge = Normal sponge where you hope bacteria grow.
White Filter floss = "polishing water"

The green one is a waste of time, not needed in a well maintained tank. The carbon you don't really need either. Unless you want to remove meds or have discoloured water. Both these sponges have a short usefulness life, and need replacing regularly which is why Juwel supply them. To make you keep buying them!

All filters suck in water, pass it through their media then blow it back out into the tank. Usually, your filter will begin with water passing through cermic media tubes or bio balls. Then on to sponges. A lot of filters here have a coarse sponge followed by a finer one. Finally, there will be filter floss or wool. Which "polishes" water and picks up very small debris. The only part of this system which needs regular replacement is the wool as it tends to clog quickly. Sponges and ceramic media will last years just needing a clean with tank water.

Replace your green and black sponges with blue ones and aim to have coarse, followed by fine sponge and finally filter floss / wool.