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Disinfecting sand

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kerncake233

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Wasn't sure where to post this. I'm in the process of disinfecting my tank and equipment after a disease killed everything. Most everything is ready to go after a bleach solution clean and heavy saltwater soak, except my sand which is still in the bottom of the tank. I had planned to just toss it and get new stuff, but the sand I like is literally sold out everywhere. Guess people are setting up tanks during the lockdown.

Looking for a quick and easy way to ensure that my sand is completely dead of anything. I thought about a bleach solution just covering the top of the sand bed and mixing it well, but its about 120 pounds of sand. Not sure I'd be able to rinse and dechlorinate well enough to get the bleach out. Any other suggestions? Could I put it in baking sheets and bake it in batches in the oven? Thanks.
 
Either bake or boil it. Stick it in trays in the oven and cook it at 100C for 30 minutes.
Put it in a pot with some water and bring it to the boil.
 
Ok great, will do thanks. Thinking to reduce time, I'll put a bunch in a big kettle and bake it in that. Tomorrow I'm bleaching my rocks for a couple days to be sure everythings dead on there too. It's lava rock, so porous, but I'll rinse it very well and dechlorinate well and I'd think it'll be ok. Thanks.
 
Baking should work well :)
 
Amazon should have some aquatic sand. That's where I've been buying mine. They are slow shipping these days but it's picked up since they hired another 100,000 workers (can you imagine?). I rarely buy locally and here you can't get into the stores right now - if it's merchandise you want they'll bring it outside for you to look at an approve purchase - but, like you found - substrate is in big demand and very hard to find locally.
 
If you bleach porous rocks, make sure you use a bleach that DOES NOT contain any surfactants/ detergeants, because these will get trapped in the rock and are really hard to get out. If possible, use granulated swimming pool chlorine because it won't have surfactants in it.
 
Jan Cavalieri said:
Amazon should have some aquatic sand. That's where I've been buying mine. They are slow shipping these days but it's picked up since they hired another 100,000 workers (can you imagine?). I rarely buy locally and here you can't get into the stores right now - if it's merchandise you want they'll bring it outside for you to look at an approve purchase - but, like you found - substrate is in big demand and very hard to find locally.
Click to expand...
It is nuts! Amazon didn’t even have the stuff I like. In fact all major online pet sites were out of what I like. The black and white Caribsea stuff. Anyway, oven preheating so I can reuse!
 
kerncake233 said:
It is nuts! Amazon didn’t even have the stuff I like. In fact all major online pet sites were out of what I like. The black and white Caribsea stuff. Anyway, oven preheating so I can reuse!
Click to expand...
Why not just get play sand? 50lb for $5 is a killer deal. I have it in all of my tanks, it looks great and it’s completely safe.
AF76058D-F364-4C53-BF62-BCE1A4B69F73.jpeg

Much cheaper than that high end expensive stuff.
 
Colin_T said:
If you bleach porous rocks, make sure you use a bleach that DOES NOT contain any surfactants/ detergeants, because these will get trapped in the rock and are really hard to get out. If possible, use granulated swimming pool chlorine because it won't have surfactants in it.
Click to expand...
I bought the cheapest most basic bleach I could find. Says nothing about ingredients other than it’s just “original bleach.” This work?
 

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PheonixKingZ said:
Why not just get play sand? 50lb for $5 is a killer deal. I have it in all of my tanks, it looks great and it’s completely safe.
View attachment 101858
Much cheaper than that high end expensive stuff.
Click to expand...
Nice! The stuff I like is the caribsea stuff that buffers by water for Mbuna cichlids, and the black and white color. All gone. But you’re right. Either way, ovens on so I’m good.
 
kerncake233 said:
I bought the cheapest most basic bleach I could find. Says nothing about ingredients other than it’s just “original bleach.” This work?
Click to expand...
I guess so... I never use bleach because I personally don’t believe it’s safe for aquarium use, even if it is in a 1:10 ratio.
 
kerncake233 said:
Nice! The stuff I like is the caribsea stuff that buffers by water for Mbuna cichlids, and the black and white color. All gone. But you’re right. Either way, ovens on so I’m good.
Click to expand...
Oh yes! I’ve heard of that stuff. I just never use it, because I never could afford it, lol.
 
kerncake233 said:
I bought the cheapest most basic bleach I could find. Says nothing about ingredients other than it’s just “original bleach.” This work?
Click to expand...
It doesn't look like it has surfactants in so is probably safe. But see if you can call the company/ manufacturer and just check with them to be 100%.
 
Colin_T said:
It doesn't look like it has surfactants in so is probably safe. But see if you can call the company/ manufacturer and just check with them to be 100%.
Click to expand...
Got the SDS sheet from the manufacturer. Sodium Hypochlorite and water. That’s it for ingredients. I’m going for it. Soaking in plastic garbage can for couple days. Just rinse the rocks thoroughly and dechlorinate well?
 
kerncake233 said:
Got the SDS sheet from the manufacturer. Sodium Hypochlorite and water. That’s it for ingredients. I’m going for it. Soaking in plastic garbage can for couple days. Just rinse the rocks thoroughly and dechlorinate well?
Click to expand...
Yup
 
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