How Long to Bleach?

[aquagal]

I'm bleaching out a 55-gal w/ 1 cup/gallon. Any suggestions on how long to soak...an hour...a day...?

Thanks!

[rick.c]

one cup per gal is alot of bleach !!! i dont usely use that much maybe one cup per the 55 gal .i usely wash the tank down with bleach water then fill it up add more bleach one cup as im filling it ,let that sit over night ,empty ,rinse, it let it dry out for a nother day then it is ready to go

[crazie.eddie]

I usually put allot of bleach as well, but I use the smell test. If it smells strong, then it's enough.

As far as how long, if the tank just had fish, I usually let bleach sit for a couple of hours, then rinse, then soak with allot of dechlor and let it sit for a few hours also. If the tank has been sitting in storage for awhile, I will soak with bleach , then rinse, then soak with dechlor.

[tonymaccs]

Hi Aquagal,
The kill rate for most organisms that chlorine affects is in minutes rather than hours, particulary at the super high dose rates. You will find it is still effective at much lower dosages than you are using, so save your money and use a lot less. Even one cup in a 55 gal is a high dose. Leaving it for longer won't do any harm though.
Tony

[aquagal]

Thanks everyone!

[ShinShin]

1::10 ratio, bleach to water is more than adequate. 1::100 generally kills most infectious agents. 15 seconds at 1::10 is what we consider effective in the clinical lab, and that is overkill, not the time the 1::10 ratio.

Mat

[Rod]

200ppm for 1 hour is an Australian Quarantine approved technique for dissinfecting tanks, and for waste water that will later be discharged into the sewerage system.

[Ardan]

Here is a link for common disinfectants, concentrations and contact time .
http://ehs.uky.edu/biosafety/disinfectants.html

hth
Ardan

[tonymaccs]

Unfortunately, unless I missed it, it doesn't mention a contact time for sodium hypochlorite.

[Ardan]

Look at the chlorine/chlorox line.
5 to 10% dilution for 10 to 30 minutes

hth
Ardan

[tonymaccs]

Oh, in the table under the heading "iodine and idophors"! How did I miss that bold print?:o

[Ardan]

How did I miss that bold print?

You should see the things I miss....:D

Ardan