CommunityInjection Technique

Rookie mistake

15 replies11 peopleJul 23, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

what happens if you try using a diabetic syringe as a vent without pulling the plunger when transferring reconstituted peptide into a cartridge

A user described spilling part of a reconstituted vial after the cartridge stopper popped out because the vent syringe plunger was not pulled back. Others shared their own venting methods, some reusing air filters and others skipping them entirely. Several noted they had seen the same flawed vent technique discussed before and warned against it. The thread ends with people describing their current sterile routines and how they handle pressure buildup.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

whether a filter is ever needed on a vent needle or if ambient air exposure is acceptable

Still open

how long a reused vent filter remains safe or how to store it between sessions

Nothing here is advice.

15 replies · 11 people
BlueAlder28archiveopening postJul 23

What a beginner error. I was mixing a vial of Reta. Drew the liquid from the vial into the syringe, stuck a spare diabetic needle into a cartridge, then inserted the Reta with its filter and new needle. I had just read about someone using a diabetic needle for venting by not pulling the plunger and simply letting it rise as liquid entered the cartridge. I figured that was a decent middle option between leaving a needle open and using up a filter on the vent. Tried it myself. Naturally the rubber stopper in the cartridge came out the bottom instead of the plunger moving, and a third of the vial ended up on the counter.

PlainAlder11archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @BlueAlder28 (opening post)

I saw that same thread and already told the person it was incorrect. A new user tried to argue about it so they went straight onto ignore.

GreyAlder39archiveJul 23

Pressure can do unpredictable things. At least the loss is only a small amount. I reuse the same 0.1 PTFE filter on the vent each time, always in the same direction.

SteadyAnchor73archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @BlueAlder28 (opening post)

Sometimes I put the cartridge straight into the pen first when I do not feel like using a vent needle. You can fit roughly 1.5 ml that way, or a bit more if you first draw a small amount of air out without moving the stopper.

CopperAlder51archiveJul 23

Call me odd but I will not use up a filter just for a vent needle. Unless you are reconstituting in a hazardous waste area I think it is excessive.

SteadySparrow75archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @GreyAlder39

When that occurs I just grab a clean hundred-dollar bill from its packaging and wipe the spill right off the table. Problem solved.

BlueAlder28archiveJul 24
↳ replying to @SteadySparrow75

I cannot recall the exact poster but a couple months back someone mentioned spilling a peptide and then licking it off the counter without thinking. I almost did the same thing.

SteadySparrow75archiveJul 24
↳ replying to @BlueAlder28

Lick it or snort it, it all ends up in the same spot anyway.

SteadyQuill55archiveJul 24

I remember seeing that thread too and thinking the idea sounded clever at first. Then someone tore the original post apart so I figured it must be wrong. I got distracted and forgot about it until this reminder.

LevelAlder29archiveJul 24
↳ replying to @GreyAlder39

Do you reuse that same filter for every vial in one session or across different sessions? If across sessions how do you keep it clean between uses? I received some free non-PES filters and started using them for venting but never considered reusing them. Thanks for the tip and sorry about the spill.

GreyAlder39archiveJul 24
↳ replying to @LevelAlder29

Only for air, never for liquid. I clean it with alcohol and put it back in the original packaging. I swap the needle for each new vial. Indoor air has very few bacteria but some fungal spores, and the air conditioner is running, so the extra step seems worth it while filters are still available. For pen cartridges I use an insulin syringe body with the plunger removed. Mostly air escapes and there is no negative pressure in these cartridges so the chance of contamination is low.

WarmMeadow92archiveJul 24
↳ replying to @CopperAlder51

I agree it is overkill to use a filter on the vent. If anything, pushing ambient air into a vial with a syringe seems riskier than letting air escape through a vent. I only wipe the vial tops with alcohol and clean the work surface; I do not bother disinfecting everything else.

SteadySparrow75archiveJul 24
↳ replying to @WarmMeadow92

I use a stainless dental tray as the surface. Spray it with 70 percent alcohol, let it sit, then spread it around and let it dry. I wipe the outside of the vials because they have been handled a lot. Syringes, needles and filters just get peeled open and dropped onto the tray. The whole process feels much quicker now than the first few times.

BrightSignal40archiveJul 24
↳ replying to @SteadySparrow75

It all comes down to having a system. Everyone starts as a beginner, reads the rules, then learns what they really mean after actually doing it. A few mistakes are just part of learning.

PlainAlder11archiveJul 24
↳ replying to @ClearBeacon24

A new user claimed that method was the best way. I tried explaining it was wrong but they kept insisting so they joined the ignore list. Just yesterday I reconstituted two different Reta vials and needed a vent because the 3 ml syringes kept pushing back and I did not want to force them.

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Rookie mistake · ZyraTrack Community