Sponges bad for reef?

[dhmx220]

I am curious on opinions of whether or not sponges are bad for a reef tank. I run sponges in my hob filters and clean them every 2 days. My nitrates are at about 20 but it may be because the tank is a month old. Are sponges good or bad?

 

[ff337]

If they are cleaned out regularly, no. Idea is to trap food debris and remove it before it breaks down. You could use a bacteria additive like stability or special blend to see if that would help with nitrates and phosphates.

 

[jef4y]

Your tank is still pretty fresh unless you used all cured live rock. As mentioned, the sponges will collect crap and eventually it will rot & add to the nitrates & phosphates unless cleaned religiously (like every 1-2 weeks at the longest depending on tank size).

 

[acroholic]

Sponges as a means of mechanical filtration are good, as long as you clean them out regularly. Many Sumps come with sponges that go between the skimmer and return section to eliminate microbubbles. If you are not willing to clean them our regularly to get the organics that they catch, then you should not use them.

 

[ichthyoid]

If your tank is only 1 month old and your nitrates are 20, just do a couple of large water changes (50%).

If the nitrate continues a rapid rise then you are feeding too much.