Sterilizing my loach tank

NancyD · Post by **NancyD** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:37 pm

Bleach near the carpet?!? I'm sure my mother would have freaked out more than over the boyfriend upstairs LOL.
Do you have an old shower curtain or tarp you can put down? A square shaped plastic container can help scoop out most of the water. A really wet towel with the dilute bleach can be draped over & wiped around to keep it in contact with the tank long enough to kill stuff. Open lots of windows.

pierydys · Post by **pierydys** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:54 pm

NancyD --

Thanks for the tips! Yeah, I suppose leaving bleached splotches on the carpet might cause something of a fuss with the parents as well... I figured I'd just cover it with a rug or something if it came to that

No old curtains, but I'll go out and get a couple of shower liners to cover the way to the bathroom. The towel idea will be perfect for getting under the top trim.

As for the windows, I learned that lesson a few years back the hard way, during a particularly ambitious cleaning spree, when I started mixing cleansers without looking at labels, and then turned on the hot water...

Icewall42 · Post by **Icewall42** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 5:35 pm

Okay, I got the bleach and I'm going to start disinfecting it as soon as all the sand is out of it. I got the most consensus on the bleach, so it's definitely a go on that. I really can't afford to let the tank run because all my fish are in the 30 gallon, and I know they can't be in that small a tank forever... so I have to do what I can, and do it fast.

It's also going to take some time getting a cheap fish after the bleaching to see if it lives or not (to make sure I got most of the infection out). That's the only way I'll really feel certain... cruel as it sounds

Also, that's amazing that you got that 60g up the stairs. I'm guessing it was glass? I had to get a 90-100g up the stairs by myself, but it was acrylic, so it slid really easy on the carpet. Miss that ank... never really had bad problems with it.

Rubix · Post by **Rubix** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:10 pm

i know this is a little old, but still good information...

Martin Thoene wrote: I would empty the tank like this, place it back flat, then partially refill with a reasonably strong bleach solution. Wear old clothes in case you splash Confused Clean everywhere well, including up under the top frame trim. Let it sit for a little while, then drain the tank again, including the tilt procedure

how long is a little while? couple hours? i'm sterilizing a tank tonight. also, can i leave the biowheel (with no filters or media currently) and powerhead (with no rivertank manifold hooked up yet) running or should i remove those for the sterilization? i should prolly remove and clean them in the sink eh?

Tinman · Post by **Tinman** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:37 pm

Yes Bleach, When dry it is gone , no worrys, I used it it on wood which soaks it up ,let the wood dry ,rinsed and let it dry again and had NO problems, If you air out your tank or let a box fan blow in it a couple of days this should satisfy you and be more than enough for the tank. Use adequate ventilation....

Rubix · Post by **Rubix** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 10:52 pm

excellent, just what i wanted to hear. i cleaned it,s crubbed, rinsed a few days ago, the other day i rinsed it again and filled it up. its been full and had a penguin 350 running and a powerhead, both with no filters and both were with the tank when bought (though not used together) and i cleaned them thoroughly. i plan to add bleach within the next day or so, let it sit for an hour or a few, empty it completely using siphon-n-tip method (i live on second floor and drain it off my balcony down below (no neighbors in my building

)). ill then rinse it out yet again using 4-5x usual dosage of dechlorinator, maybe even a second or third time if i still smell bleach inside it. then ill let sit where its currently sitting so it can air dry. my apartment has terrible a/c - i dont waste my money using it, i have a box fan in the front window blowing out and another in the back pulling in for optimum breeze, this ventilation will air the tank out no problem.

there really are no -bad- stories about bleach use in tank sterilization, nothing proven anyway, the negativity is hearsay and paranoia. as long as its properly rinsed and dechlorinated it should be fine.

Icewall42 · Post by **Icewall42** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:42 am

Well, I was paranoid about the bleach, but I ended up filling, bleaching overnight, emptying, filling again, and emptying once more before putting all the sand and ornaments back in. All my remaining fish, and the 6 little guys I've since added to the tank are healthy and happy. Whatever was in there seems to be thoroughly gone, and all the fish are doing well together.

shari2 · Post by **shari2** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:36 am

That is very good news Icewall!
Did the rug survive?

Rubix · Post by **Rubix** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:47 am

congrats icewall, glad to hear everything is well so far

Icewall42 · Post by **Icewall42** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:06 am

Thanks... I'm so relieved. Couldn't have done it without you either, Shari, thanks for talking me through it. The rug, amazingly, did survive!

I added two baby clowns which are just the cutest little guys ever, and they look so happy. There's two "little" modesta loaches in with my two older modestas, they are growing like weeds. There's a new botia helodes which gets along with everyone. There's also a new horseface loach which I see once every couple days... he looooves the sand.

I'm just happy the horror is over! Here's to hoping it never comes back. I've since learned that bleaching is a very, very good thing.

Loaches Online Forum

Sterilizing my loach tank

Who is online

Go to page

About us