disinfecting a sponge filter

[Jaster]

ok I got a ton of old sponge filters from a LFS thats shutting its doors. They're pretty dirty and I know they've been sitting in a back room for ages. So I'm thinking I want to clean them up before I go putting them into my angel tanks. I thought about a bleach solution but I'm kind of worried about getting the bleach out after. So I'm boiling them with the moutain of mopani wood I got from them too. :hmm3grin2orange:

I'm pretty sure this will be good enough but just wanted a second opinion.
Thanks all

[Cermet]

Rinse well in warm water first. Then boil vigorously and for a good amount of time will kill all bacterial and viral life but some spores could survive. Still, your best bet since chlorine based solutions tend to destroy sponges.

[madagascariensis]

Boiling will most likely kill everything still alive in those filters but I do not think it will remove organic matter, meaning that you will probably still need to squeeze and manually clean the debris off them.