cleaning quarantine tank

[horsedogfish]

I ended up with two ten gallon cycled quarantine tanks. Put some neons in one and two gouramis in the other. All are dead. Parameters were all zero. These tanks both have sponge filters. How do I sanitize these filters? And is flushing the tanks and plants under fresh water sufficient or do I need to use salt or something or completely dry them out so the nasties the fish left behind will die off?

 

[matthew_raw]

I sterylise with a weak bleach mix, never done it with filters tho just tanks. As for the plants i have no clue but to say warm water? In my qt tank i have no plants or decor just a sponge filter and heater.

 

[Scottyhorse]

I would completely sterilize them. Either dry EVERYTHING out, or put HOT water in the tanks and let it run through the system to kill everything.

 

[pip walters]

Sodium hydroxide is a very good disinfectant. Rinse well after AND WEAR SUITABLE GLOVES!

 

[Masha]

Don't use hot water to disinfect.
To kill bacteria, water has to be at a rolling boil for at least 3 minutes.
That's obviously not possible for cleaning a tank.

Hot water can crack your tank, and is not effective as a disinfectant.

 

[wildroseofky]

Use Oxyclean. The high dose of oxygen will kill any bad stuff. I was given this tip over at the puffer forum I visit after my first try with puffers ended in disaster. Puffers are very sensitive. Have you cycled your tanks? Do you have a liquid test kit like API Master test kit? The beneficial bacteria will not survive all the things you said you did. They will also not survive drying out. If they tanks were broke down for any length of time they are uncycled and will need to be re cycled.