Storing used sponge filters ...

[Ulysses048]

We are closing down twelve (12) grow up fry tanks during the re-vamp of our fish room.
All of these tanks have individual sponge filters in them.
My question is - "How do I clean and store them for future use?"
I have washed them in the discarded tank water ... but it is impossible to get ALL of the "dirt" out of them ...  should I dry them in the sun? - and would this get rid of all the "harmful" bacteria and make them suitable for re-use in the future?
My husband suggested soaking them in Milton - the product used for sterilising baby bottles.
I would be interested in other enthusiasts comments and advice on this subject.
Thank you
Regards

[gasnitro]

Carole throw them in the washing machine {with no detergents}

[ndoboi]

Or you could run them in your other tanks so they are good to go when you have finished the renovations. Always nice to have spare capacity for the unexpected.

Cheers
Steve

[DeagonTheo]

If you're going to store them dry, why bother with used water, just clean them with chlorinated water out of the tap and leave them to dry.

Or as the other guy said if you want them to go when ready, put them all in a tank with the air pump on.
Theo

[Ulysses048]

Thank you all for your advice - I am going to use them again but probably not for a couple of weeks and I do not have enough air outlets to store them wet in other tanks.
I am sure I can work something out from the advice given - as I have said many times before, you just never stop learning in this hobby/obsession.... lol
Regards

[Luke39]

you dont even need extra air outlets, i just thread the sponge over airline from another functioning sponge filter. Seems to work 8)

[Savage_roo]

Or you can get some of those resealable plastic bags

Just ring them out put them in the bags and squash out as much water and air as u can so there flat and just freez them

So all u need to do them is put them in a tank and they will come back in to shape
Ya well it might be a dum idear but that way they wont dry out and maby some of the good stuff will be ok so start a tank

Andrew

[nick]

just thinking....wouldnt all that good stuff die when it froze?              

a bit like bugs, when i was little i put it in freezer and it froze and yeah defrosted it.....it was dead :( would good bacteria be the same?

[Savage_roo]

I said it might be a dum idear but hay its worth a shot lol

Some 1 should try it they dry out yest and its viable when used so Y not filter matter
Just a thought lol

Andrew

[nick]

yeah i see where you are coming from roo, but yeast isnt exactly a living thing, and most living things died under extreem varients of temperature weather it be hot or cold

[ndoboi]

$20 for a cheap airpump that can be kept as a spare....

[Ulysses048]

I have a HUGE air pump that drives my whole fishroom of 40 tanks ....
just didn't want to change the outlet valves when it was only for a few weeks til these tanks will be reinstated into the system.
Regards

[Savage_roo]

all u need is to run a pice of iragation hose out from 1 or your out lets
put in a few of those spray inserts in to each of the spongers that should create enough water flow to keep them going

Andrew

[aquaholic99]

Just throw them all into an existing tank with filtration/fish, no need to run air (and hence water) through them as the existing tank will mean some of the beneficial bacteria will remain so when it is time to re-use them the sponges will re-seed rapidly. Depending on stocking levels, hours rather than days. Benificial bacteria will be on all surfaces of an established tank.

[aquaholic99]

Just throw them all into an existing tank with filtration/fish, no need to run air (and hence water) through them as the existing tank will mean some of the beneficial bacteria will remain so when it is time to re-use them the sponges will re-seed rapidly. Depending on stocking levels, hours rather than days. Benificial bacteria will be on all surfaces of an established tank.

I wouldnt run milton solution ever. If you need to sterilise then some mild bleach which is easily removed is what Id recommend. I wouldnt clean too carefully before storing either. In fact when starting a new tank/filter I empty out a dirty old filters crap into the new tank.