I am attempting to start a small business maintaining fish tanks. I have my own python as well as two smaller syphons. I know that cross-contamination is a concern. So what can I do with my equipment in between tanks to eliminate this danger. I've done a few searches. I saw a lot of people talking about the fact that it was a concern but not much about what to do about it. Is there some magic chem that I can use that will kill all the bacteria and will not be harmful to the fish?
Cross Contamination
- Thread starter Torrean
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Rinse your water change equipment with a bleach/water solution, then plain tap water. I have one gravel vac for the 3 tanks that have gravel, I do this all the time. Same goes for the numerous syphon hoses for the bare bottom tanks.
Tolak
Tolak
OP
OP
Torrean
The Hairy Potter
I saw you post about that in one of my searches. What was it a 19 to 1 ratio? Would dechlorinated water be better since the dechlor would remove the chlorine in the bleach? I was really hoping for something that could not harm the fish. But if this is the best I can do I'll do it. The only problem is that I will hopefully be moving pretty quickly from one tank to the next. Does the equipment need to dry or sit in the air for a certain amount of time. Also in my search earlier I read a post that stated that bleach needed a long contact time to kill the tougher bacteria. Here is a link to the thread and a quote from the post
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=ST...ndpost&p=912891
6. Alcohol - very effective in lysing sell walls of almost anything, but needs a min 20 min contact time. Bleach could probably be placed in a similar league, as it also needs a very long contact time to be effective. It is not at all effective against spores, and takes 20 min at full concentration to completely whipe out anything strong.
http
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?act=ST...ndpost&p=912891 6. Alcohol - very effective in lysing sell walls of almost anything, but needs a min 20 min contact time. Bleach could probably be placed in a similar league, as it also needs a very long contact time to be effective. It is not at all effective against spores, and takes 20 min at full concentration to completely whipe out anything strong.
As far as the bleach/water concentration, 19 to 1 is good, you can mix it a little stronger, it won't hurt. As far as bleach taking a certain amount of time, I don't even consider it when dealing with aquatics. My mom worked as a lab tech in a level I trauma center for decades, dealing with blood and other body fluids from persons with unknown medical histories. They use bleach & water to clean up work areas, & after any sort of spills. They trust their personal health & well being to bleach; I think it will be fine for my fish. Ever have a root canal? Hope not, I have though. They rinse the inside of the tooth where the root was with bleach, then seal it up.
You can rinse with water with dechlor added to neutralize the bleach. I do this when I clean out a larger tank, after draining the bleach/water solution. Double the dechlor does the trick. I reuse the hoses right after rinsing with tap water, haven't had a problem yet.
If you are moving from one tank to another in the same location, go to the hardware store, and buy some male & female hose ends. Use the same drain hose, just change out the end for each tank. Got this idea from the dentist, they change the end of the drain thingies they put in your mouth, using the same hose. I have a separate 1/2" i.d. hose end for each tank that has no gravel, this attaches to a longer hose. This longer hose has a valve at the end to slow or shut off the flow. It can be used to vac gravel as long as you slow down the flow, a faster flow will suck out the gravel. These are used if I suspect or know something is wrong with a tank. Total isolation, as far as having a dozen tanks in one room goes.
Time is money they say, I'm always trying to save time with tank maintenance. Besides the separate 1/2" hose ends for each tank, I have 6 7/8" i.d. siphon hoses with a couple feet of pvc pipe on the end for the usual water changes. I'll do 2 or 3 tanks with each hose, always the same set of tanks together. These drain into a 35 gallon rubbermaid garbage can with a 1300gph pump that empties into my sump pump via a 50 foot garden hose. They drain 5 gallons per minute, water changes go quick. For filling I have a separate 50 foot water safe garden hose, you can get these at rv or camping stores. Each tank has a separate clamp; this keeps the end of the fill hose out of the tank. The fill end has a shutoff; the sink end has a Y valve with 2 shutoffs. I adjust the temp at the one side of the Y valve; switch on the side that leads to the fishroom. It costs a little more than a python; I can drain & fill at the same time. A 50% water change on a pair of 55's takes around 15 minutes. You have to be careful with larger bore drain hoses, especially around smaller fish. I've had a few go for a ride; you just net them out of the can.
One of the lfs I deal with does maintenance, he always adds a little ammo-lock to tanks he hasn't done before, or new tanks with a maintenance contract. This is done because he has no idea if there has been any sort of regular maintenance. If you start digging through the gravel of a neglected tank you are sure to kick up some debris that will temporarily overwhelm the bio filtration, causing an ammo spike.
Tolak
You can rinse with water with dechlor added to neutralize the bleach. I do this when I clean out a larger tank, after draining the bleach/water solution. Double the dechlor does the trick. I reuse the hoses right after rinsing with tap water, haven't had a problem yet.
If you are moving from one tank to another in the same location, go to the hardware store, and buy some male & female hose ends. Use the same drain hose, just change out the end for each tank. Got this idea from the dentist, they change the end of the drain thingies they put in your mouth, using the same hose. I have a separate 1/2" i.d. hose end for each tank that has no gravel, this attaches to a longer hose. This longer hose has a valve at the end to slow or shut off the flow. It can be used to vac gravel as long as you slow down the flow, a faster flow will suck out the gravel. These are used if I suspect or know something is wrong with a tank. Total isolation, as far as having a dozen tanks in one room goes.
Time is money they say, I'm always trying to save time with tank maintenance. Besides the separate 1/2" hose ends for each tank, I have 6 7/8" i.d. siphon hoses with a couple feet of pvc pipe on the end for the usual water changes. I'll do 2 or 3 tanks with each hose, always the same set of tanks together. These drain into a 35 gallon rubbermaid garbage can with a 1300gph pump that empties into my sump pump via a 50 foot garden hose. They drain 5 gallons per minute, water changes go quick. For filling I have a separate 50 foot water safe garden hose, you can get these at rv or camping stores. Each tank has a separate clamp; this keeps the end of the fill hose out of the tank. The fill end has a shutoff; the sink end has a Y valve with 2 shutoffs. I adjust the temp at the one side of the Y valve; switch on the side that leads to the fishroom. It costs a little more than a python; I can drain & fill at the same time. A 50% water change on a pair of 55's takes around 15 minutes. You have to be careful with larger bore drain hoses, especially around smaller fish. I've had a few go for a ride; you just net them out of the can.
One of the lfs I deal with does maintenance, he always adds a little ammo-lock to tanks he hasn't done before, or new tanks with a maintenance contract. This is done because he has no idea if there has been any sort of regular maintenance. If you start digging through the gravel of a neglected tank you are sure to kick up some debris that will temporarily overwhelm the bio filtration, causing an ammo spike.
Tolak
OP
OP
Torrean
The Hairy Potter
Thanks a lot Tolak. Ok I'm thinking I'll fill 2, 5 gallon, buckets with water. One will have the bleach the other will have the double dechlor. soak the equipment in the bleach solution then in the dechlor solution running the solutions through the python a few times. Then I'll run plain tap water through the python and over the algae brush for a couple minutes before they go into a tank. Then I'll add an extra dose (1 1/4) of dechlor to the tank during the water change. This should neutralize any lingering bleach.
Option 2: tell my customers they need to purchase there own python and algae brush. Or I could use mine for a small fee considering the extra work that goes into it.
BTW thanks for the tip about the ammo lock. That's a GREAT idea.
Option 2: tell my customers they need to purchase there own python and algae brush. Or I could use mine for a small fee considering the extra work that goes into it.
BTW thanks for the tip about the ammo lock. That's a GREAT idea.
Option #1 is the way to go. I use Prime for some tanks, sodium thiosulfate on others. I always add 1.5 times the dechlor, after talking to folks that work for the water department. They err on the side of caution, adding a little extra to be safe.
If you leave water change equipment with them, someone may get the idea to try doing maintainance on their own. You may get an emergency call, no telling what you may have to deal with.
Tolak
If you leave water change equipment with them, someone may get the idea to try doing maintainance on their own. You may get an emergency call, no telling what you may have to deal with.
Tolak
OP
OP
Torrean
The Hairy Potter
I use Stress Coat but now that I know the active ingredient I can mix up my own. I was thinking about getting each customer to buy there own stress coat but if I can mix up a batch that cheaply I may change my mind. Thanks a lot Tolak.
EDIT: just found a thread in another forum about Prime. It seems like some pretty good stuff. It does more than just dechlorinate. hmm decisions decisions.
In my humble opinion Each member should have a donate link in there sig. If a member gives me some really helpfull info then I feel like I owe them something. If things work out then you just saved me a TON of money. Just a thought. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything
Probably isn't logical or feasible or wouldn't be secure or something though.
EDIT: just found a thread in another forum about Prime. It seems like some pretty good stuff. It does more than just dechlorinate. hmm decisions decisions.
In my humble opinion Each member should have a donate link in there sig. If a member gives me some really helpfull info then I feel like I owe them something. If things work out then you just saved me a TON of money. Just a thought. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything
Probably isn't logical or feasible or wouldn't be secure or something though.That's all the sodium thiosulfate is, basic dechlorinator. The only problem with using it is the way it deals with chloramines. When it breaks the chlorine/ammonia bond in chloramine it gives off ammonia. I only use it on tanks with plenty of bio filtration with fish that aren't sensitive to a little ammo. With fry, sick fish, or new additions in quar tanks I use Prime. I use Prime on the regular tanks once in a while, just in case metals or something are present.
Tolak
Tolak
OP
OP
Torrean
The Hairy Potter
There you go saving me money again. I forgot about the heavy metals. I'm usually going to be using city water. I think what i'll end up doing is using the Prime or Stress Coat for the actual tank but I'll use a heavy dose of the sodium thiosulfate for the 5 gal bucket.
Will the Sodium Thiosulfate neutralize chlorine? From your last post I get the impression that it just deals with chloramines?
Will the Sodium Thiosulfate neutralize chlorine? From your last post I get the impression that it just deals with chloramines?
Isis_Nebthet
Fish Crazy
ST will deal with just chlorine okay. You don't want to put in with chloramines. It will eat the chlorine and leave ammonia.
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