How Do You Disinfect A Sponge Filter After Using It For Qt?

[kj23502]

Never sponged before...but after I'm done it's going back into my main tank. How do I thoroughly clean it b4 putting it back in
Using it for my hubby's crawdads tank.

Make that wild caught crawdads

Gives me the heebeejeebee's every time I look at it.

 

[piranha_tim]

what could you disinfect is with?

the best you could do is pour boiling water ... BUT

a) kiss your bacteria good bye
b) hope your sponge doesn't melt

There could be other products but I am keen on not using chemicals especially after infection and meds

 

[kj23502]

I don't know that they even have anything. I just don't want to take the chance. I don't really care about the bacteria as the tank they are going back into is filtered by 2 eheim pro II 2028's. It's my back up for QT, but I've never had to use it as my other QT has a hob and I've almost always had fish in it, or fed it some ammonia in between QT's.

I thought about hot water, but I don't want to ruin my sponge either

 

[Tolak]

1 part bleach, 20 parts water, rinse well with tap water & let it dry out. This will kill all bacteria, including any nitrifying bacteria, as well as most viruses.

 

[kj23502]

Thanks tolak!!!

One more question...I'm betting they'll tear apart my sponge filter???

 

[piranha_tim]

oh boy bleach ... this will do the Job and that part per million is small but i dont know I really try to keep the tank chem free. other then water conditioner

 

[kj23502]

I've heard of bleach being used before. You just need to rinse, rinse, rinse, and rinse again. I just didn't think of it at the time

I used a bleach soloution before. It cleaned the aglea off my plastic plants.

 

[Tolak]

I've used that bleach/water mix to disinfect aquatics equipment ranging from fry nets & tanks to 150 gallon tubs. That includes sponges, sponge filters, and other filter media. I pretty much eyeball the mix, if it ends up being a 1/15 mix or 1/25 mix it isn't that critical.

I posted a topic on the use of bleach some time ago, http/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/119809/Bleach-/

 

[piranha_tim]

thanks for the info I will look into it.

I have used boiling water until this time.

Nice info Tolak.

 

[kj23502]

so will they tear apart my sponge?

 

[Tolak]

The crawdads? I really doubt it, no more than they would tear apart any other non-food item.

 

[kj23502]

ok, I figured they would. Some are about 6" long.

thanks everyone for responding!!!