Question about filter and cycling

[troy1976]

I have a 29 gal tank and set it up almost 2 weeks ago and have a hang on back filter i know i have to clean the spongy thing in it every 2 - 3 days but should i wait until the cycle has finished or should i be doing that while it is cycling.

[travie]

Why do you have to clean the sponge every 2 to 3 days? Definitely don't clean anything while fishless cycling.

[troy1976]

ok thanx thats is kind of what i thought but just trying to make sure, i was told in other forums that these filters work best in SW tanks when you clean that sponge every 2 - 3 days

[travie]

Ahh... SW tank. Do you have LR? Or is the HOB filter your only filter?

EDIT: Just looked at your other thread. If you intend to keep the sponge in use, definitely clean it out every couple of days, and don't rely on it to be biological filtration just mechanical. Since you have LR for the biological filtration, I would clean the sponge out while cycling.

[troy1976]

i have about 25 - 30 lbs of LR and another 5-6 of base rock and 20 lbs of dry sand then added another 10 lbs of live sand

[troy1976]

so you say i should clean that sponge while cycling? should i just rinse it or clean it really good

[travie]

Somewhere in the middle of those two as long as it is only being used for mechanical filtration.