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10 gallon sponge filter help


Pitafish
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I’ve put together a 10 gallon tank for my daughter with a sponge filter.  It just cycled and is super cloudy (it’s been getting more and more cloudy).  The sponge came from a previously cycled tank but the other tank has additional filtration.   Is it normal for it to be so cloudy with sponge filters?

This is my first tank without real plants.  I let her pick out all the decor….she’s five and wishes unicorns were real so just imagine the tank.   
I’m thinking just add some real plants?  Or get a HOB filter or give it time?   

thank you!

Edited by Pitafish
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A sponge filter is a great biological filter, but can be a poor mechanical filter. It time the clarity should get better. In my opinion, it is best to have two forms of filtration, like your other tank that had multiple filters. A HOB would be a good pairing with the sponge filter.

Edited by Widgets
Stupid typos
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Also of note- if this is is a new tank started with an old filter it could be a bacterial bloom which would not be uncommon. This kind of cloudy clears over time, not necessarily with a filter of any kind. You just let it sit and clear as water changes can exacerbate the issue and take longer to clear. 

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On 4/9/2022 at 7:43 PM, Pitafish said:

This is my first tank without real plants.  I let her pick out all the decor….she’s five and wishes unicorns were real so just imagine the tank.   
I’m thinking just add some real plants?  Or get a HOB filter or give it time?

Add some anibias and just give the tank time. Easiest plant to keep going and won't cause too many issues. You shouldn't need a HoB for clearing up the water. You can wrap the sponge filter in some filter floss for a day or so and that might do the same thing. If you have issues after 3-4 days then you might have some dead spots or be struggling to cycle.

Keep an eye on ammonia and nitrates and see what happens. Just have to give the tank some time for the filter to work.

If you have a HoB sitting around, then by all means. But I wouldn't go and get one just for this. It'll work itself out eventually.

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On 4/10/2022 at 1:28 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Add some anibias and just give the tank time. Easiest plant to keep going and won't cause too many issues. You shouldn't need a HoB for clearing up the water. You can wrap the sponge filter in some filter floss for a day or so and that might do the same thing. If you have issues after 3-4 days then you might have some dead spots or be struggling to cycle.

Keep an eye on ammonia and nitrates and see what happens. Just have to give the tank some time for the filter to work.

If you have a HoB sitting around, then by all means. But I wouldn't go and get one just for this. It'll work itself out eventually.

I use pillow stuffing as floss, would this work here?  I have a 100 gallon turtle tank and use the pillow stuffing as floss.  

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