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Tips on PreSeeding sponge filters?


braids
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I have 3 large sponge filters (not as big as Cory'sย ๐Ÿ˜‚) that I would like to pre-seed. But I don't have an aquarium open that doesn't have snails in them. And I want to put different kinds of snails in the new tanks.

My plan is to use aquarium water in a 5 gallon bucket and run the sponges. I'm assuming I would need to add something more to build the bacteria biome.

I would prefer not to heat it. Unheated in the basement is about 68 degrees.

I can't take any media from my other tanks because of the snails/eggs.

Thoughts? Ideas?

Thanks!

cory and filter.jpg

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Put them in the bucket with a water change from one of your mature aquariums. Maybe squeeze out some filter media into the bucket through a fine net to avoid snails? Id say add some substrate also but its likely that could have snails as well. You could also add a product like Bacter AE to get things growing.

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@braidsย You could try a trusted local fish store or friend who keeps fish - just ask for some cycled filter media OR have them just squeeze some filter media into dechlorinated water and get it home asap and pour it with your sponge filter. I've done that a few times, it's very effective. Of course there are always risks there.

Or you could try a product like this:ย https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/water-care/products/fritz-zyme-7-live-bacteria-freshwater. It's like filter squeezings in a bottle lol. Live bacteria ready to live and multiply in your tank. It isn't perfect though, you'll want to be testing your water consistently with this product.ย 

That's just how to seed a filter normally. Since you'll want a consistent source of ammonia for the bacteria to feed on and thrive, maybe you would consider adding some of your new snails into the bucket (provided you took the steps above) and giving them some food to munch on. Or if not, consistently feeding the bucket with fish food even though it's empty. The food will break down and release ammonia into the water which the bacteria will eat up and convert to nitrites / nitrates. Some people add actual ammonia, it's a whole thing. A 'fish-less' cycling rabbit hole..ย 

If it were me though, I would take all my steps above and just do it in the tank I want to keep long term. And skip pre-seeding. But, maybe I'm lazier than you ๐Ÿ˜›

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My tanks aren't ready to go yet. I'm resealing one and rearranging rooms to make room for a 6ft tank. I have only one room that has floors and water access to put something of that weight and size in. Soย  I just want to get a jump on the bacteria building while I'm doing the other stuff. One of those things where you fo little bits of the project in between adulting ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜

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If you can't use inoculate from an existing filer or sponge, just use ammonia. I'd probably also throw a large airstone in the bucket, keep the PH over 6.5, and the temperature in the 80s. I know you said you prefer not to use heaters, but beneficial bacterial will do better at a higher temperature. In another post I mentioned cycling where I used black kow in a bio bag over the airstone and it cycled in 9 days.

Edited by Bill
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