I have discovered a new trick!

[Daniel Morrow]

If anyone needs to reset a sponge to like new functionality soak the sponge
in a jungle net soak solution according to the bottle with the net soak to
water ratio for nets, over one or two nights (consecutively). I have done
this successfully for sponge prefilters which would otherwise have to be
thrown out because of being clogged with debris after a half year or so of
use (no matter how hard I try to clean the sponge filters/prefilters by
squeezing and rinsing it it remains significantly clogged and this very tip
is the only solution I have to fix that clogging, I tried bleach before as I
posted here before but all that did was melt/disintegrate the sponge which
is artificial, I think it's urethane), the sponge filters/prefilters are now
like new. This post is a direct solution to my previous post about bleach
destroying sponges (at the very least the artificial types especially my
urethane sponges, I think they are urethane). Good luck all and I am
assuming this trick eliminates all good bacteria so keep a backup handy in
the tank, later!

[spiral_72]

Cool!

[Charles]

On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 17:14:41 -0700, "Daniel Morrow"
> wrote:

>If anyone needs to reset a sponge to like new functionality soak the sponge
>in a jungle net soak solution according to the bottle with the net soak to
>water ratio for nets, over one or two nights (consecutively). I have done
>this successfully for sponge prefilters which would otherwise have to be
>thrown out because of being clogged with debris after a half year or so of
>use (no matter how hard I try to clean the sponge filters/prefilters by
>squeezing and rinsing it it remains significantly clogged and this very tip
>is the only solution I have to fix that clogging, I tried bleach before as I
>posted here before but all that did was melt/disintegrate the sponge which
>is artificial, I think it's urethane), the sponge filters/prefilters are now
>like new. This post is a direct solution to my previous post about bleach
>destroying sponges (at the very least the artificial types especially my
>urethane sponges, I think they are urethane). Good luck all and I am
>assuming this trick eliminates all good bacteria so keep a backup handy in
>the tank, later!
>


I clean them in the sink, run them back and forth between my hands,
with as much pressure as I can exert.

Seems to work for me.

the ones that are bad have baby trumpet snail shells in them, those
are hard to crush and get out.

[Daniel Morrow]

Bottom posted.


"Charles" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 17:14:41 -0700, "Daniel Morrow"
> > wrote:
>
> >If anyone needs to reset a sponge to like new functionality soak the
sponge
> >in a jungle net soak solution according to the bottle with the net soak
to
> >water ratio for nets, over one or two nights (consecutively). I have done
> >this successfully for sponge prefilters which would otherwise have to be
> >thrown out because of being clogged with debris after a half year or so
of
> >use (no matter how hard I try to clean the sponge filters/prefilters by
> >squeezing and rinsing it it remains significantly clogged and this very
tip
> >is the only solution I have to fix that clogging, I tried bleach before
as I
> >posted here before but all that did was melt/disintegrate the sponge
which
> >is artificial, I think it's urethane), the sponge filters/prefilters are
now
> >like new. This post is a direct solution to my previous post about bleach
> >destroying sponges (at the very least the artificial types especially my
> >urethane sponges, I think they are urethane). Good luck all and I am
> >assuming this trick eliminates all good bacteria so keep a backup handy
in
> >the tank, later!
> >
>
>
> I clean them in the sink, run them back and forth between my hands,
> with as much pressure as I can exert.
>
> Seems to work for me.
>
> the ones that are bad have baby trumpet snail shells in them, those
> are hard to crush and get out.

I think the clogging I am talking about effects only certain types of
sponges, I haven't had to renew any sponges other than my sponge prefilters
(lustar, filtermax III) my other sponge prefilters (marineland, coarse) have
lasted 2 years now, same with my air driven sponge filter. So everyone with
a sponge filter that isn't a lustar (I still love lustar's sponge prefilters
as I can renew them at the very least) should have years of use out of their
sponge filters/prefilters, but my discovery is still very helpful and useful
for those who encounter the problem of clogging that won't go away unless
"renewed". Thanks for the feedback, I now have confidence my marineland
sponges won't ever have to be renewed. Good luck and later!