Question on Whatman Filters

[Tough Old Man]

I found a company that sells sterile or un sterile Whatman Filters. The difference is a $1 a piece.

Would there be anything wrong with buying the un-sterile and running a little alcohol through it first.

 

[FordFan]

I've always bought sterile. An infection is not worth risking $1.

But....I think you could do it.

 

[Bleed]

Spend the extra dollar bro

 

[LK3]

I found a company that sells sterile or un sterile Whatman Filters. The difference is a $1 a piece.

Would there be anything wrong with buying the un-sterile and running a little alcohol through it first.

prob the only difference is them coming in a bag with a bunch of them or in the little plastic bubble thing.

to be honest i have used both with no issue, there is more to sterylity then just the filter aspect...( if thats a word )

either way its a buck... if you know what you are doing i see no issues.

 

[Tough Old Man]

I would think that running a little alcohol would make it as sterile as needed for the gear you home brew.

If you make 100 mls of Test, it's only Sterilization is the BA you put in it. I use grapeseed oil and I know it's not sterile..

I believe a .45 whatman only removes particles. It does nothing to sterilize the product being made.

I Know some bake the final product but I never have and I've never had an infection from my home brew gear.

Think about the above before making your post.

 

[buck]

i believe that the standard at labs etc. is to soak in alcohol for 10 minutes as i remember so running some alcohol through may not be enough. depends on how much of a dare devil you are.

 

[Bleed]

If the gear is sterilized with BA (which it is) why not just use the whatmans without the alcohol?

I would think that running a little alcohol would make it as sterile as needed for the gear you home brew.

If you make 100 mls of Test, it's only Sterilization is the BA you put in it. I use grapeseed oil and I know it's not sterile..

I believe a .45 whatman only removes particles. It does nothing to sterilize the product being made.

I Know some bake the final product but I never have and I've never had an infection from my home brew gear.

Think about the above before making your post.

 

[MightyJohn]

Yeah I'd just spend the extra buck...hell if You're brewing You probably only need 1-2

 

[chrisrivers]

Ive used both unsterile and sterile whatman filters. I didnt have a problem with unsterile(no infection or anything)

I just buy sterile just for peace of mind.

 

[borderbound]

its kinda like car insurance you dont really need it till you need it

tons of people have run ug gear that was put through a .45 filter
when in reality a .45 doesnt stop certain virus's whether it was a sterile one or not

my 2 cents worth id rather run it through a .22 that was unsterile than a .45 that was

 

[Tough Old Man]

its kinda like car insurance you dont really need it till you need it

tons of people have run ug gear that was put through a .45 filter
when in reality a .45 doesnt stop certain virus's whether it was a sterile one or not

my 2 cents worth id rather run it through a .22 that was unsterile than a .45 that was

I've tried the .22 and I end up going thru 2-3 of them for every 100mls. w/ a .45 I only use one

 

[BoostedSil80]

Yea whatman just removes particles. BA is for sterilization. If you are paranoid about it then I would just run some distilled water/alcohol 50/50 mix thru it first, then some grapeseed to flush all that out. BTW I have never used .22 before, I just double filter thru .45

 

[bananas007]

all dem alcohol is getting to your head. Trust me on this one, buy sterile.

 

[borderbound]

I've tried the .22 and I end up going thru 2-3 of them for every 100mls. w/ a .45 I only use one

150ml Nalgene MF75 Complete Sterile Filter - 0.22 Pore Size/50mm dia. (Qty. 1) | Filtration | Med Lab Supply


T.O.M try one of these sometime .. the convienience will win you over
worth the couple bucks and sterile as well
they have em that fit on your final bottle too but i have never tryed them ones

 

[snrose07]

Yea whatman just removes particles. BA is for sterilization. If you are paranoid about it then I would just run some distilled water/alcohol 50/50 mix thru it first, then some grapeseed to flush all that out. BTW I have never used .22 before, I just double filter thru .45

Labs rely on similar filtration as an acceptable process of sterilization.
.45um, and .22um even more so, will filter out almost all bacteria. Some viruses may pass through. BA is more for creating a bacteriostatic environment inside the vial if anything happens to get inside between multiple uses.

150ml Nalgene MF75 Complete Sterile Filter - 0.22 Pore Size/50mm dia. (Qty. 1) | Filtration | Med Lab Supply


T.O.M try one of these sometime .. the convienience will win you over
worth the couple bucks and sterile as well
they have em that fit on your final bottle too but i have never tryed them ones

These are great especially if you are filtering 100ml. I will NEVER use a wataman to filter anything over 20ml ever again. The only thing I would suggest when going with these vacuum filtration units is to get a glass receiving container. The plastic ones that come with this will always crack as you create a vacuum inside of them. You just pore your goods in the holding container on top, screw your receiving container on the bottom, set your vacuum and walk away. Boom, filtering taken care of. Then just transfer to vials.

 

[Userat204]

With the filters, sterile is speaking of the packaging, not the actual filter, no matter what, as soon as the air touches it, it's no longer sterile, as soon as you push unsterile oil into the filter does it become non sterile? No.

Think about this, you take an unsterile solution, and it goes thru the filter, it's the process of the oil going thru the filter paper that removes particles, bacteria etc.

BA DOES NOT STERILIZE A SOLUTION. BA is an anti microbial. It's a multi use vial, a pin that touched the air is no longer sterile so you continuously put an unsterile needle into the oil, thru the stopper. BA prevents any new growth of bacteria it doesn't sterilize, and baking doesn't do anything.

If you wanted to bake it so it was sterile, it would be at such a high temp it would most likely run the gear.

You don't need to run IPA thru the filter, you can wipe the outside with 91% IPA if it makes you feel better but it becomes sterile once it passes the filter and everything is removed.

Just use a .22 whatman zap cap bottle top with a pre filter, but no the sterile are not really any different, as soon as you open the package and pull it out to attach to your barrel it's not sterile.

If BA sterilized a solution, you could simply make your solution with BA, then let it drip thru a coffee filter and it would be good to go but that's it the case. Email whatman and ask them the difference between sterile and non sterile filters!!! Ask them if the are any different as soon as you touch then, breath near them, or attach to your syringe barrel. It's not like they are sending you dirty filter papers, it's the oil passing thru it that removes everything.

I've used both in .22 and .45 sterile and not, and in close to 12 years zero infection, any on who's used it, zero infection. Be more concerned about sterilizing your working area as best as you can, and making sure that anytime a filtered solution leaves the filter its into a sterile vial or media bottle. Then draw out using a sterile instrument, and use something like HIBICLENSE before touching anything.

 

[Stayinfit]

Glass receiving container...

Labs rely on similar filtration as an acceptable process of sterilization.
.45um, and .22um even more so, will filter out almost all bacteria. Some viruses may pass through. BA is more for creating a bacteriostatic environment inside the vial if anything happens to get inside between multiple uses.




These are great especially if you are filtering 100ml. I will NEVER use a wataman to filter anything over 20ml ever again. The only thing I would suggest when going with these vacuum filtration units is to get a glass receiving container. The plastic ones that come with this will always crack as you create a vacuum inside of them. You just pore your goods in the holding container on top, screw your receiving container on the bottom, set your vacuum and walk away. Boom, filtering taken care of. Then just transfer to vials.

CAn you please pm me where you get the glass receiving container? I've looked at a few sites and Im not seeing them on there. IN the past I def. had issues like you mentioned...cracking at the bottom. Thanks!

 

[Zomb131]

wow, the bro science in this thread is strong.

Zap-caps for example are Non-sterile. Once the oil/ba/bb/eo goes through the membrane, .22um, it becomes sterile. Done.

 

[Zomb131]

CAn you please pm me where you get the glass receiving container? I've looked at a few sites and Im not seeing them on there. IN the past I def. had issues like you mentioned...cracking at the bottom. Thanks!

Are you looking for a glass flask? You can get them off e-bay for cheap.

 

[Kaladryn]

.22 will remove all bacteria, there still can be "endotoxins" but you can't get an infection from those. Endotoxins are basically bacteria waste products, your immune system will attack them, so you CAN get a sore injection site from them, however they do NOT cause infection, just an immune system reaction (like an allergy).