55 gallon planted tank

[Michael62]

I have a 55 gallon planted aquarium, right now I'm running a canister and an hob and two sponge filters. Was wanting to know if it would be okay to switch to nothing but sponge filters, will that hurt the tank? Thanks

[AllFishNoBrakes]

You can definitely run a 55 on just sponge filters. 
 

Considering you have several types of filters, I’d just start turning them off one-by-one until you’re down to what you want. Shut one down, and then wait a couple weeks for the bacteria to catch up on the remaining filters. Shut down the next filter, and then wait a few weeks again. Could also reduce feeding a bit when you shut down a filter just to ensure you don’t overload the system. 
 

I have (2) 55 gallon tanks, one of them being a grow out tank for fry. There’s probably 75 angelfish in there, along with Platy’s and Cory’s I’ve bred, too. Easily over 100 fish in that tank and it runs on 2 medium sized sponge filters and a small HOB with just some sponge and an intake filter sponge. 
 

My other 55 has Angelfish, Cory’s, and Cardinal Tetras. It runs on a HOB and a large sponge filter. 
 

I’m confident either of my tanks could run on the sponges alone. 

Edited June 20, 2023 by AllFishNoBrakes

[Michael62]

Thanks for the information, I will try that. 

[BuzzDaddy21]

Well, I don`t think that would hurt anything but, recently I removed a Fluval from my 20T and put in a Penn-Plax bottom filter as an experiment (You make your own filters cut to size from whatever material you want.) so far, it's working very well. (Air driven.)

Also, I use a plenum that's the big secret no one talks about. (I don`t have many plants not needed anyway and my nitrates are usually under 0.25ppm.)

Good luck.