glassbird
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
- Messages
- 449
Yesterday, I aquired a filter that I have been yearning for, for years, used. It's an Eheim 2028 that I found on Craig's list...I was the first to reply of 6, according to the seller. No wonder, since he was selling it for $50, including an inline heater and bio media! I have scrubbed the living heck out of the whole thing, and soaked everything in a Rubbermaid tub and bleach in water for an hour. Then it all soaked in plain water for several hours, and before it goes on my tank I will run heavily dechlorinated water through it for a few hours.
I did not want to use bleach on the bio media...somehow I think getting all the bleach out of porous media would be tough. And it might inhibit future beneficial bactera growth, maybe? So I rinsed it thoroughly and added salt to enough water to cover each type by an inch (in plastic bowls), and put it all in the microwave for 20 minutes. The water never truly boiled, but bubbles did form on the plastic. I let it all cool off in the microwave before handling any of it. And then rinsed with fresh water. (There are two types...ceramic hexagon-shaped rings, and light brown balls.)
Is that enough? Or should I do more? The seller never mentioned any disease issues in his tank, but I did not ask. (Who knows if you will get the truth from a stranger in a parking lot...)
I did not want to use bleach on the bio media...somehow I think getting all the bleach out of porous media would be tough. And it might inhibit future beneficial bactera growth, maybe? So I rinsed it thoroughly and added salt to enough water to cover each type by an inch (in plastic bowls), and put it all in the microwave for 20 minutes. The water never truly boiled, but bubbles did form on the plastic. I let it all cool off in the microwave before handling any of it. And then rinsed with fresh water. (There are two types...ceramic hexagon-shaped rings, and light brown balls.)
Is that enough? Or should I do more? The seller never mentioned any disease issues in his tank, but I did not ask. (Who knows if you will get the truth from a stranger in a parking lot...)
