Bleaching old tank for reuse ...(did I mess up)?

[LisaT]

I was told in a previous post that the best way to clean an old tank was to bleach it and let the bleach water run through the filter. SO...I filled the tank with water, added bleach and plugged the filter in. Then I got the idea that I should also bleach the silk plants and drift wood as it too could harbor germs.

This morning while emptying the bleach-water out of my tank, I did an internet search on cleaning tanks which stated, "Never bleach your filter or tank ornaments as bleach residue can remaing and kill your fish"....I don't really care about the silk plants but I love my driftwood. I also do not want to buy another filter. As of now I'm thinking that I still need to cycle the filter which will probably take weeks. If my driftwood and filter are in clean water all of that time, I would think that any bleach residue would be gone if I change the water before buy fish. What do you think?

[blueluv]

Fill the tank up with water, l drop silk plants in their if you still want them and double dose the tank with prime. Run your filter for 24 hrs, after paper towel dry it and let it get bone dry and you're good to go. I don't know about the driftwood, maybe someone else can way in on that one and give you advice.

[BODYDUB]

Think of it this way. Never bleach something that can absorb water, i.e silk plants or driftwood. I personally would chunk the dw and plants just to be safe.............

[blueluv]

Think of it this way. Never bleach somthing that can absorb water, i.e silk plants or driftwood. I personally would chunk the dw and plants just to be safe.............

That's exactly what I thought about the driftwood. What you say makes sense:D

[LisaT]

Yes it makes sense...I will very sadly toss my driftwood.

[troysdiiscus]

HOLD ON....dont throw away your driftwood. There is nothing wrong with bleaching it. I have done it several times and other equipment and tanks, etc...all you need to do is soak your driftwood in Prime or Safe. Double the dose heck triple the dose if you want, it will neutrilize the bleach and be fine. Bleach is just chlorine. It will be fine. You didnt use scented bleach your fine....
Yes it makes sense...I will very sadly toss my driftwood.

[strawberryblonde]

Oh my goodness...what Troy said!

I bleach my driftwood all the time, I just soak it with a double dose of Prime afterwards. And yep, go with triple the amount if you really want to be on the safe side.

[LisaT]

Good...really didn't want to throw it away!

[kurare]

Bleaching stuff is fine so long as it's 1 part bleach, to 99 part water. That is sufficient enough to kill any unwanted microbial germs (my sister works at a laboratory and this is how they disinfect things).
Always as a precaution though, rinse thoroughly in alternating warm/cool water afterwards just to be sure any bleach left is removed. As for driftwood, use only cold water, this helps keep the wood from "soaking" in the bleach water.

[For100]

Can you do the same with sand? Looking to kill any snails and eggs.

[decoy50]

Can you do the same with sand? Looking to kill any snails and eggs.

Yes you can, but the problem with this is the dead snails that are left in your substrate. They will decompose & cause a huge ammonia spike.

[Keith Perkins]

I personally prefer using PP on driftwood rather than bleach so I don't have to worry about chlorine that's absorbed into the wood, but it's just what I do.