Cleaning a QT after medication and illness

[sdergar]

Just wondering what the best way to dissenfect a QT tank after illness/death and medication with paraguard?

Currently I removed all the water filled it back up with tap water and dumped in 4litres / 1 gallon of vinegar and just have everything running filter without media heater etc.

Is that enough?

Thanks...Steve

 

[Innovator]

As of now, using pure bleach and scrubbing each surface for 10 minutes. Then fill with freshwater and add a dechlorinator such as sodium thiosulphate (sts).

 

[sdergar]

Thanks. Will vinegar on it's own not do the job?

Steve

 

[Innovator]

Vinegar doesn't technically kill anything, just used as a cleaner. I need to contact Lysol as they have an ingredient more effective than bleach, but till then bleach it is. Some people are very sensitive to pure bleach so wear a mask and gloves to be safe or scrub using a "rigged" scrub pad on a pole to keep distance.

 

[sdergar]

Does running bleach through the system, HOB filter, make any sense? How much bleach should you use in a 10 gallon QT? Or is it just on a sponge and lots of scrubbing?

Thanks...Steve

 

[Innovator]

If using a sponge filter don't bleach the sponge as it will rapidly degrade into either mush or a black tar-like substance. Any plastics should be bleached, hob filter included. It was thought that just filling a tank with bleach (3/4 cup bleach per gallon water) was enough to kill most bacteriums/disease, but its the scrubbing process that dislodges and destroys said "nasties." Tipping a tank on end and pouring enough bleach to soak a scrubbing sponge and cover the glass pane is enough, from then on its elbow grease

 

[Wael El-Dasher]

Another great thread...I gotta follow this because I'm treating a couple of fish with Cupramine and will need to clean this tank after treatment and have it ready for anything that needs to be quarantined. Is the bleach really required if using copper previously?

cheers

Wael