Sterilizing a FW aquarium for QT?

MarineGirl411 · 09/06/2006, 01:10 AM

Sorry everyone,
I asked this before but I forgot to ask the most important question. What part bleach/water do I use? Or do I just apply with a cloth then rinse? How long should I let it sit with the solution in it? It is a 10 gallon freshwater tank that I am going to be getting ready for my quarantine tank. Thank you all.

UH_OH_5_OH · 09/06/2006, 01:41 AM

I have used 1:10 bleach to water.....I also get a brand new scouring pad...like one of those green ones and rinse it real well with some RO to get any 'whatever' out of it....and then scrub like a man, or in your case, WOman, possessed !

Rinse rinse rinse and then rinse then repeat ! til you can stick your head into the tank and get NO whiff of bleach at all. Then wait a day...letting it dry...and take another big inhale inside the tank....then it should be okay to rinse it 5 more times then it's okay to use....for rinsing !

MarineGirl411 · 09/06/2006, 02:07 AM

LOL I'll scrub the dickens out of it. Thank you. Hopefully I'll get the junk out of it. I guess rinse rinse rinse. I'll use some hot water for that. Whatever it takes. I can't use tap water for the rinsing? Of course I'll use RO DI for the stocking. But wouldn't tap water be fine for just rinsing? =)

jdieck · 09/06/2006, 02:21 AM

Sure you can use tap water. Also rather than rinsing rinsing and rinsing, once you are done with the bleach just fill it up with tap water and add three times the dose of a water conditioner which will remove any chlorine remains. leave it 24 hours, empty and sweep dry with a sponge or towel.
I you have heavy carbonate incrustations you can use either stright vinegar or 1:10 muriatic acid to clean them out.
By the way if you use a sponge insure it is aquarium compatible. There are many sponges out there treated with fungicidals, bactericides or chemicals to prevent them from drying out.

MarineGirl411 · 09/06/2006, 02:23 AM

thank you. =)

UH_OH_5_OH · 09/06/2006, 03:14 AM

Yeah what he said !

09/06/2006, 01:10 AM	#1
MarineGirl411 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,583	Sterilizing a FW aquarium for QT? Sorry everyone, I asked this before but I forgot to ask the most important question. What part bleach/water do I use? Or do I just apply with a cloth then rinse? How long should I let it sit with the solution in it? It is a 10 gallon freshwater tank that I am going to be getting ready for my quarantine tank. Thank you all. __________________ I am a reefaholic and there is no cure. =) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef, Cardiff Nano Seahorse tank.

09/06/2006, 01:41 AM	#2
UH_OH_5_OH Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,184	I have used 1:10 bleach to water.....I also get a brand new scouring pad...like one of those green ones and rinse it real well with some RO to get any 'whatever' out of it....and then scrub like a man, or in your case, WOman, possessed ! Rinse rinse rinse and then rinse then repeat ! til you can stick your head into the tank and get NO whiff of bleach at all. Then wait a day...letting it dry...and take another big inhale inside the tank....then it should be okay to rinse it 5 more times then it's okay to use....for rinsing ! __________________ Life is hard; it's alot harder if you're stupid ! Current Tank Info: None !

09/06/2006, 02:07 AM	#3
MarineGirl411 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,583	LOL I'll scrub the dickens out of it. Thank you. Hopefully I'll get the junk out of it. I guess rinse rinse rinse. I'll use some hot water for that. Whatever it takes. I can't use tap water for the rinsing? Of course I'll use RO DI for the stocking. But wouldn't tap water be fine for just rinsing? =) __________________ I am a reefaholic and there is no cure. =) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef, Cardiff Nano Seahorse tank.

09/06/2006, 02:21 AM	#4
jdieck Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maumee, OH Posts: 15,673	Sure you can use tap water. Also rather than rinsing rinsing and rinsing, once you are done with the bleach just fill it up with tap water and add three times the dose of a water conditioner which will remove any chlorine remains. leave it 24 hours, empty and sweep dry with a sponge or towel. I you have heavy carbonate incrustations you can use either stright vinegar or 1:10 muriatic acid to clean them out. By the way if you use a sponge insure it is aquarium compatible. There are many sponges out there treated with fungicidals, bactericides or chemicals to prevent them from drying out. __________________ Did I write what I wrote? What the heck am I talking about! Well..... Nevermind. Current Tank Info: 225 gal reef, DSB, 40 g sump w/ LRT100 return, 37 g pre-sump, 3 MH 250 W 15K, 4 96 W PC dual actinic,ETS 1500 Skim.w/LRT70, 20 lb Ca R., 40 W UV, 1/3 HP chiller, two 350 W Htrs, Neptune II Cont., 330 P LR/ 330 P LS. 55 gal Refugium

09/06/2006, 02:23 AM	#5
MarineGirl411 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,583	thank you. =) __________________ I am a reefaholic and there is no cure. =) Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef, Cardiff Nano Seahorse tank.

09/06/2006, 03:14 AM	#6
UH_OH_5_OH Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,184	Yeah what he said ! __________________ Life is hard; it's alot harder if you're stupid ! Current Tank Info: None !