Can I put bleach in my garage sale bought emperor

[caliskier]

I know, I know bleach will kill fish, but I have bleached a used aquarium, before putting in fish, to kill all the bacteria from a snail farm. (For those interested I refilled the tank with fresh water and major doses of dechlorinater before refilling again for fish.)

Back to my question. The filter I bought has a thick layer of calcium/algae all over it and it is almost impossible to get off, and some places I just can’t get a brush to. Does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning these filters? I plan on replacing all the media. Will bleach or CLR damage the parts of the filter? Can these chemicals be removed completely before putting the filter into use?

Thanks for any help

 

[Tolak]

Bleach won't hurt the plastic parts, I wouldn't use it on the media if the filter came with used media. It may be hard to rinse the bleach out of something adsorbant. Vinegar works good for removing lime buildup, just rinse good as you would for bleach. A plastic scrubber pad may work for any tough areas.

Tolak

 

[lucky62]

You could also use rubbing alcohol , kills like bleech will and rinses out easier .

 

[Tolak]

Alcohol will act as a solvent on some plastics, cause a haze on others. Bleach is a buck a gallon here, alcohol is double that.

Tolak

 

[caliskier]

Thanks guys for the info. There is a "S" bend in the pipes that I can't get a brush to, do you guys think I can also use CLR (Calcium Lime and Rust Remover) on this thing? I don't want it to hurt any parts, I guess if it is all plactic I can just read the label, but the concern is can the CLR seep into the plastic to seep out later when fish are in the tank.

 

[Tolak]

If you rinse the parts good it should be ok. For hard to get to & longer pipes I hold them up to a hose, let the pressure do the work. You could also feed a length of wire or string through the bend with a piece of rag attached to one end. Pull the rag through a few times, this usually does the trick.

Tolak

 

[GSD]

i dont use bleach in my tanks.If you do rinse it thouroghly.Only use a little bit.And do what tolak said to make sure its clean.I wouldnt use alcohol

 

[caliskier]

Thanks all for the info!!!!!!!!