What Is The Best Way To Store Used Substrate?

[Scribbles]

The tank that my discus are in used to be heavily planted. However, as the discus grew I had to thin out the plants and now I don't have any. I would like to remove a large portion of the substrate to make cleaning easier but I'm not sure how to store it. If I just put it in a bucket will it stay wet on the bottom and mold? It is a mixture of gravel and course sand. Thanks in advance.

Chris

[pcsb23]

Use a woven fabric type bag like sacking, better it is man made so it won't rot.

[Scribbles]

Thanks! I didn't want to just throw it away.

Chris

[pcsb23]

I try not to throw anything away, I'm a dreadful horder :o Always comes in useful (honestly;))

[whitedevil]

I keep mine in sealed 5g buckets.

[Wahter]

I pour the gravel out into large pans, let them dry out, then put them away in large containers.



Walter

[mkv]

Get as much water out as you can and place it where you can let it dry out and then storage it in a damp free container or zip lock bags.

[mlw]

I poured mine into a rubbermaid container and when it dried put it in plastic bags. I actually sped the process up by blow drying it on low heat. I got these huge super thick bags when I bought my altums the first time. Makes nice gravel bags.

[Scribbles]

Thanks everyone! I need to find a place to lay out and dry about 40lbs. of gravel.

Chris

[tcyiu]

I bleach my substrate before storing. This kills off anything that might be left over. Before it is put back in service, I overdose with sodium thiosulphate (basically this is a pure de-chlorinator) to completely rid the substrate of any left over bleach. A $10 bottle of crystals from a pool store will last you a life time.

Tim

[Scribbles]

I bleach my substrate before storing. This kills off anything that might be left over. Before it is put back in service, I overdose with sodium thiosulphate (basically this is a pure de-chlorinator) to completely rid the substrate of any left over bleach. A $10 bottle of crystals from a pool store will last you a life time.

Tim

Thanks, that's a great idea.

Chris

[gills]

You can put in bucket out of tank. Then put in bucket with small holes in bottom to drain or go to the dollar store and get a culander (spell check) to drain. Hit with bleach then set spead out on a tarp or plastic to dry on deck.
Just dechlor when you go to use.

[scottishbloke]

I usually spread out my wet Fluorite in very thin layers onto large trash bags and leave it outside in a sunny spot in my yard or driveway to dry. I live in Georgia, USA, so not only does it dry out completely in a matter of hours in the summer, it is literally baked by the sun and gets very hot indeed, which pretty much sterilizes it as well. I then bring it indoors in the evening so that it does not become inhabited by bugs, get carried off to be used as building material by ants, or be peed on by some ex-domestic local cats mistaking it for litter during the night. Finally, I put it in a suitable Rubbermaid bucket or container with a good lid for long-term storage.

My $0.02

Colin

[Darrell Ward]

I agree. As long as you dry it out before storing it, you should have no problems. If stored wet, you'll get black mold in it for sure.

[Scribbles]

Yeah, I'm waiting for a couple of nice days to lay out the gravel for drying. It's currently monsooning and I don't have a place inside where the dogs can't get to it.

Chris