Sterilizing tank

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Arizonagrace

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 3, 2007
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Pennsylvania
What is the best way to sterilize an entire tank set up (heater, filter intake, biowheel, etc.) I have a tank that I need to sterilize completely and then recycle.

I am assuming that it is best to get a new biowheel. I had thought about removing sponge filter and soaking it in methylene blue and then leaving everything else in. Take out all the water, add fresh water and either add methylene blue or net dip and let the tank run (no filter) for a day or so. Will this work?
 
C

chesterthehero

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 20, 2008
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corona, ca
industrial sized autoclave.... however the heat will wreck prettymuch everything so yer better off just tossing everything and starting from scratch.. however this still will not be steril so yer still screwed.....

for most of us "clean" is usuially enough... empty it.. scrub it all with a 1/10 bleach/water solution.. rinse the crap out of it.. let it dry... then rinse it again... then rinse it again.. that should do the trick
 
A

andyjs

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Aug 13, 2008
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You could also do a salt bath for all parts that can get wet. Just fill it up with water and add enough salt to totally saturate the water. Let it soak like that for a little while then rinse everything out with tons of fresh water.
 
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rallysman

Polypterus
MFK Member
Aug 7, 2005
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you're not going to be able to sterilize it.

A high level of disinfection can be achieved by using bleach. Just be sure to rinse with a dechloriner/water mix.
 
R

rallysman

Polypterus
MFK Member
Aug 7, 2005
17,533
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indiana
chesterthehero;2125958; said:
industrial sized autoclave.... however the heat will wreck prettymuch everything so yer better off just tossing everything and starting from scratch.. however this still will not be steril so yer still screwed.....

for most of us "clean" is usuially enough... empty it.. scrub it all with a 1/10 bleach/water solution.. rinse the crap out of it.. let it dry... then rinse it again... then rinse it again.. that should do the trick
Click to expand...
You can aslo go for ETO or Plasma sterilizers:D
 
A

Arizonagrace

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 3, 2007
361
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Pennsylvania
Thank you very much for you responses. I can do the bleach scrub and then the rest in salt water.

I want to sterilize the tank and everything in it as I have had guppies dying off from fin/tail rot. My niece added 3 guppies without isolating (I didn't know) and they got everyone sick. I lost all but 1. I scrubbed everything and soaked in hot water, and set up, cycled and added more guppies. Lost 5 so far to same thing. I can only assume I didn't sterilize enough.
 
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