Sponge update

[Barb]

Well, it has been a week since I went all sponges.  The tank water is beautiful, and I should have done this years ago.  Someone else, a man in CA, now has all my big HOB's.  Gave them to him for free, just postage.

No more power filters for me, ever.  I have 4 xlg sponges in my discus tank, 125 gal.  and 3 of them in my 75 gal angel tank.  All other smaller tanks have one each.  Just love them!!  I enjoy all the bubbles and the quiet air pumps.
Barb

[Mugwump]

You might want to pick up a couple HOT Mag's to rotate around...they're great for getting the debris after water changes, and for general water polishing......you an move them from tank to tank...

[Barb]

I have heard of them but have no idea what they are. 
Barb

[BallAquatics]

That's great news Barb.  Isn't it simply amazing how something so simple can work so well?  Most of the hi-tech gadgetry in this hobby is just that..... something they say you need because they have them to sell.   

Dennis

[Mugwump]

I have heard of them but have no idea what they are. 
Barb

http://www.bigalspets.com/h-o-t-magnum-canister-filter.html?utm_source=Google+Products&utm_campaign=Google+Products+Datafeed&utm_medium=Comparison+Shopping&gclid=CI_S8ZyRocICFQyPaQodj64AUg

[LizStreithorst]

I wish you'd have given your filters away here.  I'm sure you would have been happier with the outcome.  Over all, people here are more appreciative that people at simple.

You will love your sponges.  You can decide for yourself if you need Magnums to rotate.  They take more space between the wall than a HOB power filter.  If you can put them on the side of the tanks and rotate them they would work for you.

[Mugwump]

I wish you'd have given your filters away here.  I'm sure you would have been happier with the outcome.  Over all, people here are more appreciative that people at simple.

You will love your sponges.  You can decide for yourself if you need Magnums to rotate.  They take more space between the wall than a HOB power filter.  If you can put them on the side of the tanks and rotate them they would work for you.

I just put em on the front of the tank...run a while, and move em....I don't run em full time on any one tank.

[BallAquatics]

I just put em on the front of the tank...run a while, and move em....

Years ago, I had a fungus spread through my fish room.  Ever since then, I get a chill when I think about sharing equipment on multiple tanks.

Dennis

[Mugwump]

I just put em on the front of the tank...run a while, and move em....

Years ago, I had a fungus spread through my fish room.  Ever since then, I get a chill when I think about sharing equipment on multiple tanks.

Dennis

It happens, good quarantine practices usually prevent it...but it still can happen...pretty rare tho..

[Barb]

Thanks for all the replies and info. Liz you are right, I wish I had.  Too late.  I will remember it in the future though.
Barb

[BillT]

If you are worried about spreading pathogens around when you use a motorized filter for only debris removal on different tanks, not for biofiltration;

then, after you use it on a tank, you could put some bleach in a bucket and have it pump that for a while followed by a bucket of water or water with a bleach inactivator like sodium thiosulfate before it gets used on another tank.

[Mugwump]

If you are worried about spreading pathogens around when you use a motorized filter for only debris removal on different tanks, not for biofiltration;

then, after you use it on a tank, you could put some bleach in a bucket and have it pump that for a while followed by a bucket of water or water with a bleach inactivator like sodium thiosulfate before it gets used on another tank.

True...plus if you have a naughty pathogen in your fish room, by the time that you have discovered it, wouldn't you think it would be in more than one tank anyway??...even if the strictness of hygiene habits, if we don't know something lurks....it gets spread around casually...
This is without any new additions to the area too....granted that a movable HOB would spread it faster....

[LizStreithorst]

Yep, if there is something bad in one tank in a fish room it will spread to the others.  That's why my QT tank is in the kitchen rather than the fish room.

[ilroost]

You know i have been lucky so far. I use the same net on every tank and gravel siphon.

[BillT]

As general practice, for nets I either:
use a net for only one tank or
give a net long soaks in stuff to kill things without destroying the net after it is used.

I also have 3 or 4 siphons which I bleach between uses (I always have a bleach tub set-up for this).

Water systems with multiple tanks have UV sterilizers, although they are not 100% effective.

Although these are probably the most common ways for bugs to get around, there are lots of others.