How do you sterilize your system?

[Samantha]

Hi SD,

I'm interested in sterilizing an acrylic aquarium set up.

i have an 80 gal acrylic with a home made trickle tower filter using plastic bio media along with a mechanical pre-filter that i've used to raise other fish in and i'd like to be sure it's completely sterilized.

I'm planning to bring in a new batch of stendker discus to raise out and i'd like to have the peace of mind that i'm not introducing them into a contaminated environment.

what would you recommend for thorough sterilization of the whole system?

thanks everyone,

Samantha

[Filip]

Hi Samantha .
People here usually use PP - potassium permanganate or a bleach solution for a sterilization of tank and equipment.
First you clean the tank , equipment , decor , filter materials etc. and then you let them overnight with a PP or a bleach solution . Next day you rinse them good , let them dry , and they are sterilized and ready to be used again.
PP - dark pink to violet solution or bleach 2 gallons to 80galons tank with a warmer tap temperature > 110 f . should do the trick .

[Ardan]

I usually clean the tank, then put about a cup of bleach in 20 gallons and use a plastic bottle brush and scrub again, soaking for only 5 minutes or so, then I drain and flush real well with clean water several times.( I don't fill the tank, just add 10 or 20 gallons and slosh up the sides and all items, then repeat) Then I let dry. When I fill I use extra dechlor and run with airstones and heaters for a day, then do a large wc, fill, let temp stabalize and add fish.
I have all glass aquariums, so I would go easy on the bleach and scrubbing on acrylic....
hth
Ardan

[rickztahone]

I use bleach and let the system run. I add nets, hoses, any equipment I want sterilized during this process in the tank

[Filip]

I use bleach and let the system run. I add nets, hoses, any equipment I want sterilized during this process in the tank

+1 . This is the easiest way IME. Just don't forget to clean the filter materials and tank thoroughly before you start sterilizing.
After strrilization you put 100% fresh water in the system and let it run and rinse it self.
Letting things get dry on air dechlorinates the bleach out of the materials.

[John_Nicholson]

Bleach.

-john

[SomeFin's Fishy]

Again, bleach! Cheapest and easiest to use.

[LoGeek]

I've used hydrogen peroxide which is pretty cheap in paint stores and will turn into water in about 24 hours.

[Willie]

If the tank has any seams, PP will stain them light purple. However, a 20% Clorox solution for 20 minutes will kill everything. (Once you kill everything, an extra 20 minutes is not more effective, LOL!) Rinse and air dry, which completely removes chlorine molecules.

Most people overkill on this step and end up damaging hoses, connections, etc. To prepare a tank for quarantine, I just fill it with tap water and run overnight. Then I add dechlor, sponges and new fish. But to each his/her own...

Of course, people are going to jump in and tell me that such-and-such report they read on the Internet says that's not enough. The only microorganism I'm familiar with that could survive a 20-minute 20% Clorox solution is a water borne Pseudomonas. But if anyone has that in their fish tank, then discus quarantine is not going to be their biggest problem!

Good luck. Hans has great fish.

Willie