Sanitizing A Tank

[Sesshis_grl]

Hello

I've been having a lot of parasite troubles in my tanks lately and since I'm moving soon would like to break down my tanks, and sanitize the gravel and the tank itself. I've heard that you can bleach stuff if you dilute it, but I'm not sure if thats true or not. If anyone has any suggestions that would be really helpful. I've tried using med in the tanks and its not working. I'm trying to get rid of any parasites, parasite eggs, or bad bacteria.

Thanks

 

[Tolak]

1 part bleach to 20 parts water, rinse well afterward & let it dry out. Double or triple dechlor when using the first time.

 

[Sesshis_grl]

Have you actually tried this? or just heard of this technique?

 

[Tolak]

Everything from 55's with new stock to 2.5's used for hatching out spawns as far as tanks. Pumps, filters, siphons, heaters, anything fish related.

Long term as can be found in this topic.

 

[Sesshis_grl]

Awesome. Thank you so much. I just wanted to verify before trying something crazy

Do you think this would kill any parasites? I'm really not sure if it will do anything but figured it prolly couldn't hurt.

 

[Tolak]

As far as I know it takes care of bacteria, viruses, parasites, anything I can think of that would be an issue.

 

[loraxchick]

Bleach kills everything due to its chemical nature. As Tolak said empty the tank, scrub with bleach solution and let air-dry. All the chlorine will evaporate as it dries so no worries there. Just use more dechlor on the first fill and youre all set!
cheers

 

[AstonN24vantage]

doesnt chlorine also kill everything?

 

[Tolak]

Chlorine bleach is chlorine.

 

[notg2009]

1 part bleach to 20 parts water, rinse well afterward & let it dry out. Double or triple dechlor when using the first time.

From my bio safety classes, I remember 1 part bleach to 9 parts water (meaning 10% bleach solution). You have to leave anything you want to sterilize in there for about 30 minutes and you should be good.

As far as I know it takes care of bacteria, viruses, parasites, anything I can think of that would be an issue.

Bleach is a strong oxidizing agent, and should kill almost any unicellular organisms.

doesnt chlorine also kill everything?

I don't think chlorine in solution alone can kill everything, maybe at high concentrations

Chlorine bleach is chlorine.

Chlorine bleach contains hypochlorite ions (ClO[sup]-[/sup]).

Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks.

******* You want to be careful around fish since some of their parasites, bacteria, and viruses can cause human diseases as well, but I don't think such organisms are regulars of every fish tank.

 

[AstonN24vantage]

didn't know that... my parents once told me we put chlorine in the pool to kill bacteria and bugs & stuff

 

[notg2009]

didn't know that... my parents once told me we put chlorine in the pool to kill bacteria and bugs & stuff

That's true. This is what I found on Wikipedia: Chlorine is usually used (in the form of hypochlorous acid) to kill bacteria and other microbes in drinking water supplies and public swimming pools. In most private swimming pools, chlorine itself is not used, but rather sodium hypochlorite, formed from chlorine and sodium hydroxide, or solid tablets of chlorinated isocyanurates. Even small water supplies are now routinely chlorinated.

Sodium hypochlorite is bleach, so I think concentration is the determining factor here.

Anyway, less nerdy talk for me. I believe 5-10% bleach solution kills almost everything in 30 minutes.

Good luck and please kill those suckers for all of us

 

[Sesshis_grl]

Problem is I have two tanks that I am moving and no where to really put the fish in the meantime, so they need to be put back into circulated water fairly quickly. If I don't bleach the actual tanks but just the gravel would that still have the same effect? Or would I be better off bleaching both and having them wait for 30 mins? If I'm understanding correctly the tanksgravel should be::

sprayed with "5-10%" bleach soltuion and left for 30 mins. Then rinsed out multiple times? and then filled for use with x3 dechorlinator?

The fish are going to be put in one of those styrofoam fish shipping boxes (I've bagged them all before and would really like to avoid if I can) and I'm not sure if they will be ok in there for 30-45 mins until their tank is ready.

So I'm starting to think that just cleaning the gravel with be better/easier but I don't want anything surviving in those tanks

 

[Tolak]

I bag fish on a regular basis for auctions & swaps, 12-24 hours is no big deal if a few things are done. Fast for 24 hours before bagging, maintain temperature. I'm sure fish on an auction table get down to room temperature, rarely is there a problem. During fishroom rearrangements I've put fish in buckets & such for hours without a problem. Make sure to cover the styro, jumpers happen.

What you are doing with the gravel is fine.

 

[Sesshis_grl]

Thank you to everyone who chimed in! The move was a success =)