One and Only for QT?

Yes - having sponges in your filter means that the sponges are trapping organics material which promote the growth of heterotrophic bacteria that compete for space, oxygen and other resources with the nitrifiers. It is not the ideal location.

 

So I took a sponge out of the filter and put it in the water column. Should I do both sponges like that?

 

are you running water though it or by it? yes you can put both sponges in the water column for now.

 

In the filter was running through it. Now they're just sitting in the water column.

 

You need a sponge filter that you run an airline to the center of it. A small air pump is all you need. This will pull water through it and actually filter. See here: Foam Aquarium Biological Filters: Azoo Oxygen Plus Bio-Filters

 

Maybe let's regroup and see where things are. What are you latest water quality values (units please or test kit used)

 

Sorry it took so long, I had to battle a leak in the DT.

Last night I did a 2 gallon WC.

I just checked and it's all through the roof. Which would explain why my clowns look like they're getting a little "Ich"y. Using API saltwater master test kit.

Temp-78
SG-slightly above 1.024
Salinity-33 ppt
Ph-7.8
Ammo-.5 ppm
Trite-looks to be between 2 & 5 ppm
Trate-looks to be between 0 & 5 ppm

 

put the sponges back in the filter and let eater run through them. pH is a little low - need to add buffer or change more water and get it above 8.0

 

Ok, I put the sponges back in the filter last night. I will add a buffer this evening. What should I be doing/looking for next?

I should also add that I'm dosing Melafix(based on fellow aquarist's rec's) right now b/c the clowns had a few spots pop up on their rear fins. Not small enough to be Ich based on pics I've seen.

 

In theory Melafix may inhibit the nitrifying bacteria but I doubt the concentration is high enough.

For now, ust keep measuring ammonia and nitrite to determine when the system has cycled.