Poret foam is the media of the first chamber of my sumps. Specifically, water goes though one layer of floss, half a dozen odd layers of poret, and then an awful lot of pumice, which is the main biological media. I change the floss every couple of days here or there, and once per week, I take out all the poret, rinse it and leave it to dry in the sun. I have a second set of poret cut to the same size, so I alternate each week.
But I have noticed recently that the poret is decaying. At least the surface appears to be decaying, with bits of the black foam coming loose after each drying, and cracks appearing in the structure.
I thought poret lasted for years. My current batch is about eighteen months old, and so with alternation has been used for about nine months. Much of the pumice I have got has been in constant use for more that twenty years.
Is it decaying because I dry it in the sun? I do live in a very hot environment. I do know that UV can damage many plastics.
Has anyone else noticed poret decay? How long should it last? Are there different grades of poret? Should I stop drying it? How in general should I care for poret, apart from what I am already doing?
But I have noticed recently that the poret is decaying. At least the surface appears to be decaying, with bits of the black foam coming loose after each drying, and cracks appearing in the structure.
I thought poret lasted for years. My current batch is about eighteen months old, and so with alternation has been used for about nine months. Much of the pumice I have got has been in constant use for more that twenty years.
Is it decaying because I dry it in the sun? I do live in a very hot environment. I do know that UV can damage many plastics.
Has anyone else noticed poret decay? How long should it last? Are there different grades of poret? Should I stop drying it? How in general should I care for poret, apart from what I am already doing?