Question???

[LamarMarcotte37]

How would I go about sterilizing a tank, and it's cannister filter? Since it housed diseased fish in the recent past, I want to be sure it's safe before adding expensive discus to it. Can you guys give me step by step instructions?

[Filip]

Hi and welcome Lamar.
Its quite easy . Just pour bleach in your running tank and canister along with its filter materials and wait it out overnight . Rinse the filter materials afterwards and let them dry out , the same thing with tank glass sides or decor, if any .
Than Fill it with water, start the filter , pour botteled bacteria and some ammonia or fish food to start the cycle.

I've nuke my last tank this way , using 4 liters (8 pounds ) of bleach in 260 liters of water (64 gallons ).

[Pices]

When I sterilized my tank I was told to use 10% bleach and let it run overnight. I drained and refilled tank a couple times then double dosed with prime (chlorine remover) but Filip’s way of rinsing and letting everything dry out might be easier. I also bought seeded sponge filters and did a 90% wc for the first 5 days while beneficial bacteria caught up to increased bioload.
Patty

[rickztahone]

both suggestions above work fine. I always have let my tanks run with ALL equipment in it including nets, filtration accessories and anything else that had contact with old stock, just in case.

[Adam S]

A cup per 10 gal is usually fine.