# Sphagnum Re-use....



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Anyone working with a large amount of moss, that reuses it?

I'm trying to stop throwing out a ton of it.

I don't really think it can be safely bleached...but.....what could be done to make it safe?

High temp water?


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## Estrato (Jan 6, 2009)

Boil and strain maybe?


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Thats what I'm thinking....


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

pressure cooker


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

I got a lot more than a few loads....so...I'll probably go with a large tub of boiling water.


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

soak it in a bleach and vinager solution, then boil it. maybe bake it?

also, you shouldnt throw it out....just compost it or throw it in your yard waste. otherwise its just more stuff in a landfill!


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

thedude said:


> soak it in a bleach and vinager solution, then boil it. maybe bake it?
> 
> also, you shouldnt throw it out....just compost it or throw it in your yard waste. otherwise its just more stuff in a landfill!


Yeah....you definately don't wanna just throw it out, with Cytrid and other possiblities....

Bake it? It would burn......maybe hot sun though.

Bleach and Vinegar?...yikes  I would be afraid it would not rise out even with a lot of water...


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## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

thedude said:


> soak it in a bleach and vinager solution, then boil it. maybe bake it?


You should really be careful mixing bleach with acids such as vinegar or ammonia . . . it releases chlorine gas which can be pretty nasty to say the least! 

I'd saying boiling would be more than sufficient!


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## Geckoguy (Dec 10, 2008)

Maybe try the black trash bag method? Stick it in one in the hot sun the tems should kill a lot a the nasty stuff in it.


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## vivariman (Sep 26, 2007)

Whenever I want to re-use sphagnum, I toss smaller amounts into my noodle strainer (inside the main pot with a lid) and steam it, for larger amounts it goes into the pot alone. Boiling water works like a charm.


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

bleach and vinager solution was something a reputable breeder told me for plants. moss is a type of plant you know  thats why i figure it would be fine.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Use it in the flowerbeds, compost it, heck, start a bog garden. I wouldn't risk reusing it.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

zBrinks said:


> Use it in the flowerbeds, compost it, heck, start a bog garden. I wouldn't risk reusing it.


As for tossing it outside...I would be more concerned for the environment - possible Chytrid ect ect.

$$$ also makes me want to reuse it.

It should be ok after boiling....


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## bobberly1 (Jul 16, 2008)

Are you talking from another frog tank? I'm thinking about using some coir from an old crested gecko tank.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Yes...from frog tank to frog tank.


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## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

thedude said:


> bleach and vinager solution was something a reputable breeder told me for plants. moss is a type of plant you know  thats why i figure it would be fine.


Vinegar is often recommended in "homemade" cleaners as there is evidence that the performance of bleach used as a disinfectant is greatly increased when used with an acid to reduce the pH. While it can be done without harm there is no way to tell how much chlorine gas is being released by the mixture. Get a lung full of that stuff and you'll know it!

I was merely suggesting that one should be careful using bleach with acids such as vinegar, ammonia, and urine . . . I would also concur that boiling it should be more than adequate. Chytrid isn't particularly difficult to kill.


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## Catfur (Oct 5, 2004)

I think that a pressure cooker would be the safest method.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

It isn't disinfectable. Unless you autoclave it or pressure treat it, you can't be sure its disinfected much less sterilized. 

Actually a landfill that is sealed is a safe disposal point. 

Ed


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Ed said:


> It isn't disinfectable. Unless you autoclave it or pressure treat it, you can't be sure its disinfected much less sterilized.
> 
> Actually a landfill that is sealed is a safe disposal point.
> 
> Ed


Can you give us a temperature to reach that would approximate an autoclave?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

You need to be able to increase the pressure otherwise some parasites like some coccidia are going to be unaffected as you can't get wet materials hot enough (above boiling point) at your altitude. 

Ed


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

You need to boil at a temperature of 250° to properly sterilize, and that isn't possible at atmospheric pressure; hence, the necessity of a pressure cooker.



> While it can be done without harm there is no way to tell how much chlorine gas is being released by the mixture. Get a lung full of that stuff and you'll know it!


The safe way to do it is add bleach to water, then vinegar to the dilute bleach solution to acidify. Mixing bleach and vinegar directly is a sure-fire way to produce a noxious cloud of death.


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