sterilization tips?

[daddyg70]

Hello everybody :D,

I'm inheriting a used 10g tank and filter and was wondering what is the proper procedure to clean it.

I plan to buy some new discus from Jeff soon and was wondering if the tank will be safe if I threw in my hydrosponge and an aquaclear sponge from my current tank into the 10g setup for the new fish?

Greg

[Tony]

1) Boiling water poured into the tank and media (if it doesn't melt)
2) very concentrate salt solution.

flush....

last resort
a) PP (potassium permangenate) (dilute solution)
b) bleach

flush them very clean and if you use bleach consider add dechlorination stuff afterward.
'antidode' for PP is hydogen peroxide

I would not use a) nor b)

I would just try boiling water. Note: I did use a) before. It 'burns' and kill everything organic....

[Carol_Roberts]

Rubbing alcohol is also good to sterilize an aquarium after you have cleaned it.

A ten gallon tank is really too small for discus :-\ A 29 is a good size for a Q-tank for a while, but you'll need a 55 in the long run.

[DarkDiscus]

Fill the tank with a 10% bleach solution or wipe it down thoroughly with a bleach soaked sponge. Rinse well. Re-fill tank and add dechlorinator. Empty and refill and you are ready to go.

Been using this method on tanks for 20 years with no complaints. Cheap, easy and effective.

John

[darcy]

I have been using rubbing alcohol also and has worked great for me!!! I have to try John's bleach solution one day and see how that works.
Darcy

[DarkDiscus]

A double benefit of the bleach is that it's really good at dealing with even old tanks which had a lot of algae or mineral deposits and have been collecting dust in the garage. A good bleach soak and some wiping and rinsing and the tank is all like new.

John

[Fisheyes]

I have always used potasium permaginate.
However I am starting to doubt the effectivness of using it .
The reason being is I normaly use 10 times the amount
of PP or till the aquarium is almost purple black. I had a mix in a pail not long ago and it was so strong you could walk on it.
I placed a couple of plants in it that had a few snails on them in hopes it would kill them .They stayed in the solution for 30 minutes and guess what snail and plants are still doing well.
To just wipe down with a solution of PP is not enough .
The potasium I used was fresh .
I think for this to be an affective steraliser it would have to sit in the tank for an extended time . A longer time than just minutes .
Fisheyes( :crazy:)

[korbi_doc]

:bounce2: :bounce2: Hi all, have had fish for over (a lonnnngggg time)!! Hahahahaha! Always used a mild bleach solution, 'bout 10% as John has suggested. Worked well, haven't used the alcohol yet Carol, but that sounds efficient also. Both inexpensive easily obtained & good methods. JMO, oh! also, agree with Carol, 10g won't be near efficient enough 'cept to qt plants or 1 ill patient. You do need larger quarters for even baby discus, my QT tank is a 37g, & boy, were they happy to get into their 125g. lol, Dottie ;D ;D

[daddyg70]

Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately the 10g tank broke during steriliazation procedures :( :(

Now, very unfortunately, it was suggested by Jeff that I should destroy my discus. :-[ :-[ I started in December with 3 discus from an LFS that were called "Red Eagle" discus. A discus known to be imported from Thailand. Since then I bought 5 more, 2 from Jeff and 3 that are Wattleys. During the past 2 months I have been dealing with fin rot, hexamita, and tapeworm. The fin rot has gotten worse and the bodies on some of them are started to waste away. (fish from Jeff looks fine) After many treatments of metro, prazi, and penicillin, I consulted with Jeff. He diagnosed the fish to have TB based on the fishes visual findings as well as the origin of the Red Eagle discus.

:'( :'( I plan on destroying them today and am putting the discus hobby on hold right now. When and if I start again, I am going to do it right. I will only buy from a reputable dealer like Jeff. Also when I buy I am going to buy 6 at one time of the same size. Therefore, I need to save my money for now.

I just want to thank the board and Jeff for being so helpful during my 3 months with this hobby. You guys are all very helpful and dedicated to this hobby.

Thank you and happy birthday Simplydiscus!