Freshwater sponge filter for saltwater QT?

[FlyingFish65]

I'm starting a 75gal reef and want to establish a QT with a sponge filter. I have some fresh water tanks... can I "seed" a sponge filter in a fresh water tank, and then use it in my saltwater QT? Will the saltwater kill the freshwater nitrifying bacteria? Should I set up my 75 gal with LR/LS without fish and then use THAT tank to seed my sponge filter? OR get some LS or rubble from LFS for QT? Thanks.

 

[Pandora]

I'm fairly certain that though the FW & SW bacteria that accomplish this task are both from genuses Nitrobacter and Nitrosomas, that the species are different between FW & marine. If you take the FW ones out and put them in SW, they will shrivel up. I would ask your LFS to seed your sponge in one of their established tanks; if not, the rubble/LS seed should work ok as well. You can also just leave it in the sump of the new tank, but that will take longer, since that is just being set up also.

 

[FlyingFish65]

Thanks, good advice.

 

[piranhaking]

if you have a sump i dont see any reason you couldnt run the sponge in the sump till you needed it.