Empty shells

[MarkW19]

Steve: thanks. Could you answer this one please (!):-

>>
I don't have any de-chlorinating liquid...

I've just got some standard "Thin Bleach", which is sort of light green in colour. Will that be ok?

Should I rinse them with tank water (after rinsing and drying with freshwater a couple of times) after I've bleached them for 2 hours?

How do I know they'll be ok to put in the tank after I've done all this (ie. if they bleach has done it's job and the green stuff is nothing to worry about, and then get rid of the bleach!)?
>>

 

[Nitrate]

Mark,
When I used to bleach decorations in my tank I would soak in diluted bleach, then thouroughly rinse in the sink, then soak in the sink, then sun dry, then soak in SW, then dry again, then put in the tank.

That may be more steps than necessary, but I never had any problems.

 

[MarkW19]

And with those steps, there'll be no bleach or germs (that may have been there before!) left?

 

[Atari]

LOL Mark, you still got that big rock?

 

[Nitrate]

Smell the rock after all the steps are done, If you smell even a hint of bleach then rinse and dry some more. I do know of any germs that can survive a bleaching, so it should be ok as long as your certain theres no bleach left.

I stopped bleaching decorations because it also kills beneficial bacteria and like Steve implied, why risk it?

Bleaching a large porous rock could be dangerous, I know of an instance where a rock was bleached and shortly after being put in the tank a Tang died. Not necesarily the bleach that did it, but most likely was.

 

[MarkW19]

OK, I'll not do the rock then! But I need to do my shells - Atari any tips for bleaching the shells??

They're green and stink!

I've got some standard green tinted "Thin bleach".

 

[Atari]

Just follow the precautions everyones given you and if you have any doubts then get different shells.

 

[MarkW19]

Well, as long as I get all the bleach off (smell it to make sure and rinse/soak them a few times) the bleach should make the shells ok shouldn't it?

 

[Atari]

Try it and see.

 

[MarkW19]

The bleach should sort the shells out, so as long as I get the bleach off they should be ok I guess...

 

[MarkW19]

Well, I've boiled the shells (which turned them green!), then dried them.

Then bleached them (1/8th strength using "Thin Bleach" which made them 90% white again), then rinsed them in tap water, then dried them. Then rinsed them again, then soaked them in tapwater for a day.

They look ok, but they still smell a bit - I plan to rinse them thoroughly again and let them dry naturally.

If they still smell after this (they don't smell of bleach, just a "strange" baddish smell) what should I do??

 

[Atari]

You might wanna scrub/boil/bleach some more.. I don't think I'd feel comfortable adding them while there's still a strange smell.

 

[Guest]

You shouldnt have wasted all that time cleaning it, just put them in your tank itll be fine

 

[MarkW19]

 

[MarkW19]

Atari: I'm going to get some new shells after much worrying about the state of these ones (which haven't gone in yet)

Do you think if I phone Oasis that they'd send me a bag of empty shells that DON'T STINK and are ok to put straight in my tank with a quick rinse?