Transfer beneficial bacteria from sponge filter to another?

[newcomer12]

Hey guys,

Planning to upgrade my sponge fitter to a bigger one for my tank. Just wonder if there's anyway I can transfer the beneficial bacteria from old sponge filter to a new one? Or keep some of the bacteria in some way?
I want to transfer that one to my another tank asap so I can't keep both running.

 

[A201]

Maybe just place the new sponge in the tank beside the functioning sponge filter for a few weeks.
That should jump start the new sponge.

 

[newcomer12]

Maybe just place the new sponge in the tank beside the functioning sponge filter for a few weeks.
That should jump start the new sponge.

thank you for your advice!

however, i want to move my old sponge from 10 gal tank to 1.5 gal tank as soon as i got my new one. so i wonder if there is some way to keep some of the bacteria from the old one.

i also have 1 HOB filter for my 10 gal tank as a main filter. the sponge filter is just a super small extra filter.

here is the link of my old sponge that i want to move to my 1.5 gal tank for size reference: https://www.amazon.ca/Pawfly-Aquari...r+pump&qid=1719493263&sprefix=,aps,163&sr=8-5

 

[cdr63corv]

You could squeeze the old one out over the new one. That would help, but if you could leave them together for a couple weeks like A201 mentioned would be best.

 

[Fishfur]

Squeeze out the old sponge quite vigorously. Remove it from the base & bullseye and really give it a harsh cleaning in a small amount of tank water. Twist, wring, slap it hard on the side of a bucket - you’re trying to knock loose as many nitrifiers as possible so there is no need to be gentle. Don’t worry about any solids, leave them in the rinse water & if they end up on the tank bottom later you can siphon them out.

Pour the rinse water/squeezings into the 10G tank, limos and all, with the new sponge.

The new sponge will end up housing all the nitrifiers you knocked into the rinse water within a day.

Keep an eye on parameters because it will take time for the numbers of nitrifiers to increase enough to handle the bioload.

Reassemble the old sponge and pop it into the small tank.

 

[86 ssinit]

Ok in the 10g you have a small sponge and an hob? If so just remove the small sponge and add it to the 1.5g. This will instant cycle the 1.5. Now just add a new sponge to the 10g. Hob has more than enough media to keep the cycle strong in the 10g.

 

[newcomer12]

You could squeeze the old one out over the new one. That would help, but if you could leave them together for a couple weeks like A201 mentioned would be best.

thank you for the advice! yes i want to leave them a couple weeks as well, but my 1.5 gal doesn't have a filter right now, so i think the earlier i add the filter might be the better.

Squeeze out the old sponge quite vigorously. Remove it from the base & bullseye and really give it a harsh cleaning in a small amount of tank water. Twist, wring, slap it hard on the side of a bucket - you’re trying to knock loose as many nitrifiers as possible so there is no need to be gentle. Don’t worry about any solids, leave them in the rinse water & if they end up on the tank bottom later you can siphon them out.

Pour the rinse water/squeezings into the 10G tank, limos and all, with the new sponge.

The new sponge will end up housing all the nitrifiers you knocked into the rinse water within a day.

Keep an eye on parameters because it will take time for the numbers of nitrifiers to increase enough to handle the bioload.

Reassemble the old sponge and pop it into the small tank.

thank you for the advice! will definitely consider this! not a hard/tough method at all!

Ok in the 10g you have a small sponge and an hob? If so just remove the small sponge and add it to the 1.5g. This will instant cycle the 1.5. Now just add a new sponge to the 10g. Hob has more than enough media to keep the cycle strong in the 10g.

yes i have a small sponge and an hob right now for my tank.

i used aqadvisor for stocking and filtration capacity and they recommend me adding a bit extra filtration. i know aqadvisor is inaccurate sometimes, but i'm pretty new so just wanted to have some recommendation lol. i add it as a small backup as well in case the other one goes wrong, and i think my amano shrimps might like the sponge filter.

will def consider adding the old one to 1.5 gal right away as i dont think there's much bacteria on that small one compared to my main one.

 

[Fishyfreeonz]

I simply clean the sponge in the new tank with the new filter running that way it filters out the grunge that contains so much bacteria. It works pretty well.