# How to clean the sponge filter?



## Green Leaf Aquariums (Feb 26, 2007)

clean it in a bucket of aquarium water.


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## crisrisl (Jan 16, 2007)

Yup, what Orlando said. Next time you're doing a water change, take the sponge out/off and squeeze it in a bucket of water that you removed from the aquarium. It is amazing how dirty that bucket of water can get just from that too


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## lousicoolboy (Dec 19, 2007)

thanks 
and 1 more question
how do you guys clean the waste sitting around the substrate during water change?


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## wearsbunnyslippers (Dec 6, 2007)

get an aquarium gravel vacuum, be careful not to stir up the gravel too much, or hold the pipe you are siphoning from just high enough to suck up the mulm but not low enough to suck up the gravel.


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## jlroar (Aug 19, 2007)

wearsbunnyslippers said:


> get an aquarium gravel vacuum, be careful not to stir up the gravel too much, or hold the pipe you are siphoning from just high enough to suck up the mulm but not low enough to suck up the gravel.


Hi,

Maybe this is a stupid question wearsbunnyslippers but why not stir up and vacuum the gravel getting all the muck out of their? I have been doing this for over a year now. Mind you I only have river-rock as a bed in my aquarium and do not have layers of different sub-straight. I also have Goldfish in my tank.

James


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## spypet (Sep 15, 2006)

jlroar said:


> Mind you I only have river-rock as a bed in my aquarium and do not have layers of different sub-straight. I also have Goldfish in my tank.


specifically because you have large gravel, and large poop factories for fish,
you need to vacuum much more often than the average planted tank keeper.
large quartz gravel does a poor job hosting the bacteria and microorganisms
helpful at breaking down poop and left over food, thus the junk accumulates.

if you had 3" depth of 1-4mm grain size substrate, preferably volcanic or clay,
you would not need to vacuum at all as long as you also under feed your fish.

so a tank with proper substrate should not be disturbed or the large amount
of mulm (fish & plant debris, bacteria & microorganisms) deep in the substrate
will become water bourne and disturb your fishes health, as well as temporarily
reduce the effectiveness of your substrate as a biological filtration system.


as for how to clean a spong filter - I never squeeze mine.
I place them in a half gallon jar half full of water, then
I close the lid over the jar, and shake it around a while.
I pour out the waste water, then put back the sponges.


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