How To Clean Sponge Filters With NO MESS!

[@KGTropicals]

🪴 *Are you looking for live plants for your aquarium? We've got you covered, click this link to order Tropica Plants NOW:* bit.ly/40cb4gY

[@kickassclone75]

yeah but i dont buy them from you I get them straight from a big 10 university biology department for free.

[@richardcarrollcarroll1587]

I need Java moss for my pufferfish tank

[@richardcarrollcarroll1587]

I need Java moss for my pufferfish tank

[@richardcarrollcarroll1587]

Thanks for the information

[@lewashcliffe]

Jason from Prime Time Aquatics is a professor of microbiology and he says there is absolutely no danger of destroying the beneficial bacteria by rinsing your filters with tap water in the sink. I do this all the time for the last year and have never had a problem. I do the same with my HOB filter and media. So much easier! Great video, Lisa!

[@jeffmckee1825]

Been cleaning filter media that way for 50+ years. No issues.

[@gremlon111]

To be absolutely pedantic, he did say you might lose some beneficial bacteria, but not an amount that ultimately matters.

[@hawk71954]

All that dirty, gunky, diarrhea looking water is GREAT fertilizer for your potted plants🪴 .. mine love it and are mad crazy thriving😉 ... thanks for the video

[@stevewarren4813]

Our community absolutely bombs our tap water with Chlorine and Ammonia. You can smell it and see "solids" floating in the water.

[@lizzieb6311]

Yep…and I use tap water as well after learning that from him as well. I have healthy and happy Multi’s ♥

[@MFTAQ]

Dustin's fish tanks love that guy. He is the one that got me leaning towards doing a dirted tank.

[@dianecraig1119]

That yucky pail of brown water is a fabulous fertilizer for houseplants and outdoor plants. My houseplants are lovin’ it!

[@sabastainelifritz8883]

I have 5 tanks ran off sponge filters including a 55 but I still watched the video all the way through to support you guys I love the channel so much

[@lizzieb6311]

This is great ! Thank you…I’ve been using 2 sponges in my 40G lowboy Neo. Multifaciatis shelly tanks… I like them so much better than the hang on back filter’s because the wee fry are safe and I clean them alternately with each water change…it’s crazy how much crap is caught in those sponges…I use a plastic 2 cup measuring cup with a handle to set the sponge in before lifting it out of the tank…but I like the plastic bag method and will try it next water change. I really appreciate your knowledge as I’d tried fishkeeping several times with little success annd frustration …until I found your channel. I now actually enjoy the maintenance and upkeep of my tank rather than dreading it. The joy I get from the little multi’s darting in and out of their shells is very cool! Thank you for all you both do for us! ♥

[@adamworley196]

All that delicious garden water! Remembering that baggie idea; so cool! Keeps the mess down! Also, awesome shirt. Thanks a ton guys!

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

Thanks Adam 🙂

[@billpremore9509]

Off topic but I love the new hairdo looks great on you!!

[@QueAquatics]

This is great! This is how I do it to! Thanks for sharing about using tap water to clean the sponge especially if the tank is well established! You ROCK!

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

Thank you Suzy 🙂

[@DanishnSonic]

Not a big sponge filter fan, but its always satisfying to see a sponge filter being cleaned

[@KoalaAquatics]

What don’t you like about them? Just curious!

[@miguelcintron7048]

Super funny but definitely true lol

[@DanishnSonic]

@@KoalaAquatics I love porous rock media for its ability to hold denitrifying bacteria. Sponges are great but I mostly use em for mechanical filtration. Nothing wrong with em, just lacking that one ability.

[@KoalaAquatics]

@@DanishnSonic Thanks for the reply!

[@PaulZyCZ]

I use them as a pre-filter of the canister filters. It may put some strain on the propeller, but without it I always have to clean the whole filter from the gunk, not just the foam and filter floss. Also more often.

[@deanafowler6210]

Thank you! I haven't had a sponge filter for very long and this will help me when it's time to clean it.

[@martyborst5645]

Jason from PrimeTime cleans his sponge filters under tap water with no problems. He has done this for several years and no problem. Thanks for this video Lisa. 😊 Marty B.

[@jeffhester1443]

Thank you. I'm setting up several sponge filters on battery back up pumps for emergency power outages. Drop in the filter with a shot of fritzyme or turbostart. Next problem will be temperature but you have a litte time. Hopefully. Great video.

[@johnjwedrall4290]

Thanks for the helpful info on sponge filters 😊

[@joannemcgriff2016]

Thank you Lisa! I have quite a number of sponge filters to clean and have been dreading it!😂

[@donnauk2493]

Looks to me like a bucket of liquid gold great for boosting a new aquarium xx

[@dawnt6791]

Or for houseplants. They LOVE it!

[@donnauk2493]

@@dawnt6791 plants love it yes I water all of mine with the tank water x

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

Absolutely 🥰

[@-.Meylin.-]

Just what I needed! Thanks

[@frankcapel4557]

Team kgtropicals great video Lisa excellent tips and you didn't even make one bit of a mess keep up the great work guys love all the content see you on the next one

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

Thank you Frank 🙂

[@sturmfreii7219]

Not gonna lie I learned something new and watching you clean that filter under s tap still had me clutching at my metaphorical pearl necklace in shock. Pleased to hear the bacteria will be safe under tap water. Love those little guys!

[@amyboyd5760]

One thing I’ve been doing with the prefilter sponges on the HOBs, is to put them “in” a jelly jar before I turn off the pump, then take them off the intake and pull them up out of the tank to wring them in the bucket. It’s been so helpful!

[@VIDEOHEREBOB]

I bend a fish net 90 degrees, keep the pump running and connected, then slowly net out the sponge filter. I find it works well for me. If a filter is really dirty, I use two bent nets, one a little smaller than the other. 🎉

[@moonman9823]

Hey i absolutely love the solo videos you put out nothing against john but you have a totally different pace to videos. Hope to see more❤

[@ellenm4560]

Loving all the Lisa content lately ❤

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

Thank you Ellen 🥰

[@martyborst5645]

Thanks!

[@KGTropicals]

Thank you 😊

[@aka19774]

Thank you for sharing this it worked perfectly for me. I have set up and successfully established a 36 and 75 gallon tank just by watching yall's videos. Before I discovered KGTropicals I was stressing out everyday about my tanks but now I can actually enjoy my tanks because I have learned so much from both of yall. Thanks for being such an inspiration to me and also my wife thanks you both because she doesn't have to listen to me stress out everyday about my fish.

[@iranoveryourhead]

Hi Guys. I’m new to your channel and have just bought a jewel Rio 450. After many years of keeping fish I took a break for at least 4 years but missed it so much that I couldn’t resist this fantastic tank. I’m in the early stages of maturing the tank with 2 small pearl cichlids and a small Geophagus. Made a stupid mistake of not rinsing the sand but it’s not too cloudy and will clear in time. I would just like to say that I enjoy your posts and your valuable info.

[@BeeKayCee911]

Ty Lisa👍

[@MrHoopski]

ive been keeping tanks for 8-10 years now and I've never done a water change on any of them (only top up) and clean my filters once a year - only lost a handful of fish. I've always added a few litres from a natural pond and it seems to work perfectly

[@lakeshiamills1454]

Hey fish tank people! Dustin's fish tanks 😅 love his enthusiasm! I hate cleaning my sponges I usually don't unless they are really gunked up and seems like there's particles that are just floating no matter what. I generally try not to clean the too often bc of all the fry 😅 but I appreciate this video bc at the moment I just pull sponges out of water and keep towels on the floor bc it's just going to drop every where anyway

[@curtiscrump7153]

Timely advice. I am adding sponge filters as my disaster planning with the battery air pumps.

[@kallunsheppard2378]

Lisa, I think each video you do gets better than the last. John Watch out you got some competition LOL you are both my favorite fish tubers. I want that shirt btw. I know they are no longer available and totally get why but doesn't keep an Oscar/KGtropicals fan from wanting one.

[@Whips_World]

Without looking, I'm fairly certain that is Dustin Wunderlich's opening line from Dustin's Fishtanks. I wouldn't put money on it, but I am reasonably sure.

[@ACSchoenwald]

I need to do this however the whole point of using aquarium water is not to use tap water. I will say I have done your method in the video. And it isn't wrong, I just prefer to keep as much live bacterium in my sponge as i can. So I just do a second rinse with more aquarium water. Plus it's more plant food for my house plants!! Thank you Lisa (and camera man John) for these videos. It helps so many new people. I miss catching the live shows 😢

[@d_w_s_]

I basically do the same, except I remove the entire top section of the filter so I don't have to mess around with the airline.

[@johncameron4194]

Love my sponge filter

[@mrs.marydonahue5236]

thanks just transitioning to sponge filters for my 5&10 gal tanks

[@DidisFINDen]

i have done the bag before, but always took the air line off. going to use this method now....thanks lisa

[@PULAG]

Good move with the bag, can do with a mini bucket, too, but yeah if you grab the sponge and pull it put without doing that, it disperses a lot of waste. Good call.

[@Freshwaterfish_foliage]

Thank you for this video Lisa! Do you use tank water to water your houseplants? (The ones that aren’t in tanks ofcouse!)

[@caewalker9276]

If I can't get a bag, I GENTLY lift the sponge till it's just under the surface and scoop it out with a jug or small bucket. Thanks Lisa. Great advice.

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

Thank you Cae 🙂

[@tiffanyclark-grove1989]

thanks Lisa❤

[@Bloodhoundfostermom]

Hey fish tank people!!! Dustin's open to his videos ...Great job Lisa!!

[@rootsnwhiskers8351]

Thank you Bloodhoundfostermom 🙂

[@lizdyson3627]

Thank you Lisa.

[@Lawrence-n1z]

Thank you btw I do water changes every two to 3 months filters 3 times a year 55 and 90 gallon tanks haven’t lost a fish in years

[@justinmalangoni]

cat always steals the show!

[@gregallder7996]

Love how the kit kat had to look at the gross filter water

[@briant.4618]

Maybe wrong focus, but that Food Lion logo made me nostalgic and almost homesick!!

[@batbrains187]

🔥 awesome job 🔥

[@timrussell89]

Glad to see more and more people being okay with cleaning sponges in tap water. Like you said especially in well established tanks. Theres nothing wrong with using aquarium water if someone just wants to be cautious but I personally have been cleaning sponges in tap water since I started keeping fish and I've never seen any adverse effects from it. Great video Lisa! Even though I know it was made a while ago.

[@iranoveryourhead]

Hi Lisa. Could you or your Hubby recommend a good sand substrate vacume cleaner. I’ve got a 450 litre (118 US gallons). Not too sure if a python would fit on my tap 🚰here in France, so could you suggest any good alternatives ? Thanks for you help ! 😊

[@jacksonvillejoe679]

I tried using a new sponge filter in a newly planted tank with Fritz Fish Fuel and API Quick Start ( which I learned about from KGTropicals ) - but couldn't get it cycled. I waited, waited, waited some more. When I add an internal electric power filter for 5 and some 10 gallons and HOB on 10's and larger. I have a cycled in about 2 weeks. Not seasoned, but fish ready. Aside from borrowing a sponge from an already cycled tank - what am I doing wrong? Great videos, though. Please keep them coming.

[@olgapearson8437]

I love you guys. I have a beautiful tank because of you ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@nabokovfan87]

Use a fine mesh seachem net to help get the muck from the filter out of the tank. NO BAGS REQUIRED. You'll get used to it after a few times and it's definitely much easier.

[@wrmaldonado]

I dont use tap water, i use rodi in a 2nd bucket if i want it spotless. But that's because i also do reef tanks.

[@jer0051]

Personally I just save the old water in a bucket that I took out doing a water change and I take the entire top plastic piece off instead of the air tubing and I squeeze it in the bucket until it comes clean personally.. I guess whatever works..

[@edwardmc5831]

Instead of all the squeezing take the filter apart put the sponge back in the bag dump out the water, squeeze out the air seal it up and slap it on the floor or counter top a few times then rinse and repeat. You will get much more out of the center of the filter then just squeezing it.

[@royalgoldens6063]

I have an issue with hard water. That's why I've been using bottle water. My fish were suffocating because of the hard water had way too much calcium built up in the tank the calcium was underneath the rocks that were hard to pick up from the what are tube that cleans the tank.

[@jechithought]

I needed this two weeks ago when both my air stones got clogged up and I had to clean them out. After I had already done a water change. 😖😖

[@marymendez4178]

The way I cleaned my sponge filter back then was by adding Stability to tap water. It was the best way for me not to reduce fishtank water, I never did cleaned them together or had a fish died.

[@HadEnough745]

I take the sponge off of the base, put it in a small bucket with tank water and squish it many times with a hammer. I don't beat it with the hammer, but I use the hammer to continually squish the sponge in and out until the water is dark. Then I dump the dirty water and add new tank water and repeat until the sponge is clean. I personally don't like submerging my hands in that dirty water. Last year I developed an infection in my cuticle area. Not sure if it was due to dirty tank water....

[@geekroomlife5850]

As a NC neighbor too, when John is tired of that small piece of driftwood in his Oscar tank, I will gladly come and buy it 😂😂😂

[@TheAxebitten]

You can also use a washing machine (without detergent).

[@sirdave_thegreat5477]

what if my filter is covered in Black Algae? Its all over the filter and embedded throughout.. At this point I am OK with starting over with the filter, so should I use bleach or hydrogen peroxide? or just give up and buy a new sponge filter?

[@litoloco4fish]

I have 2 of those awesome shirts!!! 😂❤

[@MarsBarszs]

I would caution using tap water if the sponge is newer. It'll probably be fine but there is less beneficial bacteria there so (at least in my mind) you risk wiping out the entire colony of BB if the sponge is not established.

[@RabbiSpruceTech]

More Lisa!

[@TryNaturalAquariam]

I saw video with your house plants by throwing that on sink your taking away those plants yummy food

[@tuttabob]

What's the brand of the algae cleaner shown at the beginning, the tank that has the Bichir.😊 37 sec on the video. Thank you 🎉

[@edwardspaulding4015]

Can you us RO/DI water for a freshwater tank?

[@thehairywoodsman5644]

"Hey Fish Tank People" ....Dustin

[@Robb5994]

Gorgeous

[@loganryan1317]

Im shocked noone had a melt down over the tap water part. Lol i use to defend it but i gave up. I use tap 🤷‍♂️

[@NyteFlyer]

It sure looked like a fish splashing around in the bottom of the bag while you were cleaning the sponge, did he make it back to the tank?

[@tolstoy21]

Fish tank people? Isn't that Dustin?

[@joeprovenzano4362]

Yes please. Show me. I hate this part of sponges

[@kaprishoemaker400]

do you have to replace the spung on the filter and nice tank

[@daniellesomerville3018]

The sponges last years and they harbor beneficial bacteria so the point is to not change them out.

[@dhanushkajayathilaka5711]

can please tel me how long should i keep my filter on per a day , like how many hours

[@KGTropicals]

Keep it on. Don't turn it off.

[@toaster3822]

I've been washing my filters in (high chlorine) tap water for years and I have never had a tank crash or any negative side effects. For reference, my tap water WILL kill my house plants if I water them directly. If you manage your tank properly, the water and substrate in the tank is already FILLED with the bacteria you need

[@Rick-xy4bt]

That's not quite accurate... there is next to no beneficial bacteria in the water column. It's on surfaces, so the substrate, any decor in the tank, the glass, plants, airline tubing, literally any surface that it can grow on, but not in the water. That's the reason why taking water from an established aquarium to add to a new setup does nothing for establishing the new tank.

[@toaster3822]

@Rick I wouldn't go as far to say there's zero bacteria in the water, and that there's no benefit of using tank water instead of tap water to start a new tank. Remember (way back) in school looking at a drop of water under a microscope? FILLED with bacteria! I always take from my planted 75gal when starting new tanks, and have never lost a fish introducing day 1 (sure I use established filters but.... I never use tap water for new tanks)

[@shellybaker3670]

I break the sponge filter done and it’s easier to squeeze

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

dustins fishtanks

[@stephaniemcclung7779]

Hey guys where can I purchase some artificial 3d decor, such as 3d background

[@KGTropicals]

We've used Universal Rocks

[@bradnasarzewski932]

I always use dirty aquarium water. I never use tap water. Why take that chance!?

[@ryanmattockssr3392]

🤘🏼

[@MerkDolf]

😅 👌 👍

[@juststevethatsit117]

Thats Dustin's intro lol

[@Anirban_BHARAT]

👍👍👍✅✅✅✌️👏👏👏👏

[@matthewheinecke2621]

I didn't think Food Lion existed anymore. Weird.

[@hongluong3427]

I was told not to use tap water because tap water has chlorine and other metals, which isn't safe for fish.

[@Freedom_Fighter72]

That "diarrhea" is excellent for plants

[@ryan_bro265]

I prefer to say "Tanktube"

[@corydora2894]

very similar to what Cory from ACO recommended in his video a few years ago...

[@stewartfooter3580]

Sponge fillters suck sometimes...thats funny lol

[@tolstoy21]

Clean a dirty filter in the sink? Is this some kind of trap? If I did that, pretty much my wife would kill me!

[@danieljenkins7951]

The best way to clean a sponge filter is to toss it in the trash and buy a new one. At $7 it's not worth it in my opinion.

[@jborrego2406]

Lol ur cat heard diarrhea an looked in the bucket . Like u lied mom bye

[@smroussel]

Note to self: sponge filters are nasty to clean. Get a HOB.