55 Gallon Tank The best laid plans for biological filtration

I had decided a while ago to switch to using Poret foam for my biological filtration. I figured this would allow me to use the foam as both a mechanical and biological filter and give me more room in my AquaClear filters for other types of media.

And this has worked well for me. But now I have an interesting issue. I don't have biological media I can easily move from one aquarium to another aquarium to instantly cycle a tank.

As much as I think Poret foam makes a great biological media, it doesn't make a good portable biological media.

I'm thinking it might be a good idea to hang an Aquaclear 50 on my 55 gallon tank and just leave it running all the time. Then I have a seeded filter I can use on a new tank. I think the 50 is reasonable size that can scale down to a 10 gallon or up to a 29.

 

I'm thinking it might be a good idea to hang an Aquaclear 50 on my 55 gallon tank and just leave it running all the time. Then I have a seeded filter I can use on a new tank. I think the 50 is reasonable size that can scale down to a 10 gallon or up to a 29.

Good thinking. I use sponge filter for this purpose though. I keep 2 of them running in my 55 gallon specifically for using to set up another tank. I have one in each of the back corners hidden behind plants so they don't stick out like a sore thumb.

 

Good thinking. I use sponge filter for this purpose though. I keep 2 of them running in my 55 gallon specifically for using to set up another tank. I have one in each of the back corners hidden behind plants so they don't stick out like a sore thumb.

I have tried to use a sponge filter before and I don't like cleaning them. I watched the Aquarium Co-Op, put-it-in-a-ziplok-bag method. Tried that and didn't like it.

I want a sponge filter with some kind of enclosure around it that I can grab onto to easily pull it out of the tank.

 

I have tried to use a sponge filter before and I don't like cleaning them. I watched the Aquarium Co-Op, put-it-in-a-ziplok-bag method. Tried that and didn't like it.

I want a sponge filter with some kind of enclosure around it that I can grab onto to easily pull it out of the tank.

Sounds like the aqua clear 50 is the best option for you then. It should work really well. One day I guess I will have to clean my sponge filters. I have had these 2 aquarium coop sponge filters running for at least a year and have never pulled them to clean them.

I suspect they would be a mess when I do but it seems my plecos and corys keep them looking pretty clean. The fact that I also run 2 cascade 300 HOB filters on this tank helps to prevent a lot of buildup on the sponge filters too.

I pulled the one I run in my shrimp tank and it was surprisingly clean. I guess the shrimp do a good job of keeping it clean. I expected the water to turn black when I squeezed the sponge but it didn't happen.

 

As much as I think Poret foam makes a great biological media, it doesn't make a good portable biological media.

Why do you think this is true?

Poret foam does not appear to be significantly different than other types of filter sponge materials. In foam or other porous filter media, the beneficial bacteria grow on the surfaces surrounding the pores. Thus, if you remove the poret foam from one tank and transfer it to another, most of the beneficial bacteria will be retained. Some of the trapped debris and water will drain out, so there will be some bacteria lost, but not enough to be an issue. Just do not rinse the foam in chlorinated water or allow the foam to dry out. As long as it is kept wet in dechlorinated water, the bacteria will be fine.

 

As much as I think Poret foam makes a great biological media, it doesn't make a good portable biological media.

Why do you think this is true?

Poret foam does not appear to be significantly different than other types of filter sponge materials. In foam or other porous filter media, the beneficial bacteria grow on the surfaces surrounding the pores. Thus, if you remove the poret foam from one tank and transfer it to another, most of the beneficial bacteria will be retained. Some of the trapped debris and water will drain out, so there will be some bacteria lost, but not enough to be an issue. Just do not rinse the foam in chlorinated water or allow the foam to dry out. As long as it is kept wet in dechlorinated water, the bacteria will be fine.

What I mean by this is that I have an AquaClear 70 running packed with Poret foam. Now I need to set up a quarantine tank with an AquaClear 50 on it. All that lovely seeded Poret foam is too big to fit in an AquaClear 50. Or in a Seachem Tidal.

If I had used pumice stone or some other media, I can make it fit any filter I need it to by just putting it in a smaller bag. I'm sure I could get Poret cubes and put those in a bag and they would do a great job. But that kind of defeats my original purpose with using the Poret foam.

The Poret foam is fine. Moving it between filters that are a different size or brand is the hard part.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I know you do not want to cut your Poret foam, but that is an option.