Sponge filter question

[Calvin]

If I have a sponge filter in my tank but it's not running it will still be seeded right? 

Just want to clarify, I doubt myself so much! 🙄

[Maggie]

Are you saying you have a sponge filter from a seasoned tank, and put it in a new tank that has water but no fish yet? After a certain amount of time (a day or two is my guess but I am not sure), the bacteria will need to be fed - you could add a small amount of fish food for that purpose, until you add your fish.

[ScottieB]

Yeah, I see what your saying. And I yes, any surface in an established tank is technically “seeded”.

I often just have extra pieces of sponge or bio balls laying in a tank so I have a biological filtration source ready to go if need be.

 

[Calvin]

Thanks that's what I thought but I just wanted to check!

I have a sponge filter in my main tank but it's been disconnected due to me breaking off the airline connection by accident 🙄 so it's not been running for a while but it's just been in there. (I do have another filter in there) Just going to try and mod it with a airstone and stick it in another quarantine tank I'm setting up 👍🏻

[JettsPapa]

Hopefully someone will correct me if this is wrong, but as I understand it the bacteria does better with some water flow.  So with that in mind, it's likely there isn't as much bacteria on it as there would be if the filter was running, but there should still be some.

[Calvin]

Well I've since moved it over to another small tank and with that and some plants  from the main tank it should be enough to get it going. Got my one remaining lonely white cloud in there until I pick some more up this week hopefully. 

He's perked up so much already, the dominant zebra danio was forcing him to live in the corner for the majority of the time. 😕