Sterilization advice

[Hadrian]

so there is info on this subject elsewhere on MFK...but somehow I trust fellow crenicichlaphilles more, so please add your 2 cents. I want to sterilize my tank and filters in case my chronic problems were some sort of untreatable bacteria rather than a source water issues (will deal with that as well when i restart). To sterilize, I dumped a butt load of bleach in the tank yeasterday (stank up my basement) and ran it through everything for 24hrs. This morning I drained it and refilled it to rinse the bleach (with dechlorinator as well). Next I am going to let everything dry out and stand dormant for a month or so. will this effectively sterilize my tank? Do most water borne bacteria die wihout a host for a few months and no water? How much will the bleach help. I anyone has more thoughts on how to sterilize please speak up.

G

 

[apistomaster]

Hadrian,
Bleach is among the best of all diinfectants. It is commonly used in commercial labs rather than some thing more expensive because it is so effective.

I commonly use bleach and there are some things that make it more effective that are easy to do.

Wash everything clean and free of all visible dirt, algae, and scum.

Wash all your substrate until it the runoff is clear just as if you were setting up everthing new.

The reasons for doing all this prewashing is that bleach is far more effective if all the organic crud is removed first. Then wash all the equipment and the aquarium with a 50/50 solution of chlorox and warm/hot water(as hot as you can stand to keep your hands in.)
Then rinse everything in hot water until the bleach smell and or slipperyness is gone.

Soak all your prewashed gravel in full stength bleach over night. Rewash it the next day until it is free of any bleach smell. Treat all decoractive rocks and driftwood the same way.

That's all that is necessary to do to diinfect all the materials.
You can go ahead and set up your aquarium whenever your're ready.
Just add a dechlorinating water conditioner as you would with any new set up. I promise you that no diseases will survive this process and you need not wait X-amount of days before proceding safely.

All that is left is the normal time and processes all tanks require to establish the nitrifying bacteria. Just use your favorite time tested method.

 

[robmcd]

Ive disassembled an ick ridden emperor 400 and dipped the pieces into semi boiling water for 45 seconds or so, sort of ''blanched'' it if you will, and It turned out spotless and disease and parasite free.

 

[Potts050]

Hadrian,
Bleach is among the best of all diinfectants. It is commonly used in commercial labs rather than some thing more expensive because it is so effective.

I commonly use bleach and there are some things that make it more effective that are easy to do.

Wash everything clean and free of all visible dirt, algae, and scum.

Wash all your substrate until it the runoff is clear just as if you were setting up everthing new.

The reasons for doing all this prewashing is that bleach is far more effective if all the organic crud is removed first. Then wash all the equipment and the aquarium with a 50/50 solution of chlorox and warm/hot water(as hot as you can stand to keep your hands in.)
Then rinse everything in hot water until the bleach smell and or slipperyness is gone.

Soak all your prewashed gravel in full stength bleach over night. Rewash it the next day until it is free of any bleach smell. Treat all decoractive rocks and driftwood the same way.

That's all that is necessary to do to diinfect all the materials.
You can go ahead and set up your aquarium whenever your're ready.
Just add a dechlorinating water conditioner as you would with any new set up. I promise you that no diseases will survive this process and you need not wait X-amount of days before proceding safely.

All that is left is the normal time and processes all tanks require to establish the nitrifying bacteria. Just use your favorite time tested method.

Thats way more bleach and effort than is required to sterilize a tank. 1/2 cup of bleach per gallon dropped into the tank as is (reasonably clean and any plants/fish removed) is plenty. Let the water circulate for 48 hours and all unwanted organisms will not only dead but dissolved.

Next do a 100% water change, stir the gravel, and let circulate for 8 hours. followed by another 100% water change, again stiring the gravel. Let stand untill your ready to empty and refill with dechlorinated/conditioned water you plan to use for a cycle startup.
Don't use more bleach than you need to since it beats the crap out of the environment.

To Apistomaster's point, removing as much organic material as possible is a good idea since it reduces the amount of bleach you need to use significantly, as it is consummed in a reaction with organic material in your tank.

In any case sterilizing a tank is a pretty draconian step to take. Do you really need to go that far?

 

[apistomaster]

I only do it prior to setting up breeding tanks for some other fish I breed.
Non-pike type with microscopic fry to ensure no Hydra survive to take advantage of small fry and bbs. Then I use acrylic mops in lieu of live plant because there are always some Hydra on new plants. Fubendazole also works for snails and hydra eradication if live plants are planned.
Also when I want all MT snails dead in substrate. I still have to endure a period of high nitrites as the snails decompose.
I usually do all this way in advance of wanting to reuse the bleached substrates. I have the room and some wading pools I use for this stage of substrate reclaimation and do it outdoors.

Commercial tropical fish breeder.

 

[Potts050]

Sorry for the derail but do you normally use substrates in fry tanks? I generally (I raise Africans) do but there are many who advise against it for hygiene and food loss reasons.

 

[tcarswell]

Sorry for the derail but do you normally use substrates in fry tanks? I generally (I raise Africans) do but there are many who advise against it for hygiene and food loss reasons.

My breeding tanks have no substrate