Cleaning a hospital tank..

[Mariah]

Hi,
I have a hospital tank which has just recently become empty. What procedures should I be taking to make sure its clean for a new and healthy fish?

I currently have some gravel and water sprite in the tank as well as a shell.

Any advice would be great

Thanks

 

[BOD]

clean it all in boiling water......are you turning it into a new fish tank then?

 

[Mariah]

Yes I would like to put either 2 male bettas (with a divider of course ) or 2 female bettas.

So I should empty the whole tank out and start over?

Thanks

 

[abstract]

yes, you need to completely empty and sterilize everything!

 

[Mariah]

Ok perfect! Considering today is a holiday over here in Canada thats what im going to be doing today!

 

[alabaster]

Hey Mariah what size tank do you have?
Im just wondering what others use for hospital tanks...

 

[maxpayne_lhp]

Don't you think you'll just keep that hispital tank for emergency use?

 

[Mariah]

If I keep the tank for emergerncy use, do I still have to wash everything? Also would I keep the tank running if theres no sick fish? I didnt get around to cleaning it yesterday...
Thanks

 

[abstract]

you should always sterelize anything that has held or will hold a sick (or new) fish..

as for leaving it running it sounds a little impractical to me, so i would say that there is no need to leave it running unless you're going to leave it running with fish in there to help it cycle (but that would kind of defeat the purpose)

 

[Mariah]

Ok so just wash everything, but do I keep water in there? Im confused because I thought that you cant just put new water than put a fish in if i just wash everything and leave it sitting there...
Someone please explain this to me!

 

[abstract]

well when quarantining a new fish or treating an ill one you could use tank water to fill it instead of just tap water if thats what you mean...

if you're worried about keeping it cycled, then yes you will need to keep water in there with the filter running and a couple fish ...or you will have to run the filter that you use on the quarantine tank on an established tank in between using the quarantine tank

i dont have a quarantine setup so i dont know if people generally recommend having it cycled (although my guess is it is always a good thing if possible, but may not be necessary so wait for some more responses)

hope im making some sense..lemme know if im not

 

[_FresHSquad_]

What you could use to sterilize you tank is Vinegar or (kitchen) salt.

Just use a little bit and clean it with a spons ( vinegar ). If ya use salt just put it in your tank with lukewarm water.

If you use this you have to wash your tank several times after you used the vinegar.

Then you have to put water in it and a pump to get rid off all the dirty things.

Leave it a day.

After the day you have to empty your tank and put clean water in it.

leave this also a day.

You can repeat this step for 3 a 4 times in total.

When everything is clean you can start your tank.

Mariah says

Ok so just wash everything, but do I keep water in there? Im confused because I thought that you cant just put new water than put a fish in if i just wash everything and leave it sitting there...
Someone please explain this to me!

The meaning is to empty your tank. That means no fish no plants no gravel etc.

only your tank and your technique ( the heater have to be out ).

Old water out of the tank and wash your tank with new water. Then empty your tank and put new water in it.

This method wil not 100% sterilize your tank.

 

[Mariah]

Ok now I understand! Thanks everyone!

alabaster - Its a 2 1/2 gallon.

 

[mlee0332]

wouldn't anyone agree that you CAN'T keep a quarentine cycled? If you think about it, putting the quarentine's filter in an established after use (if you don't sterilize it) just defeated the whole purpose of having the fish quarentined. That's b/c if you put a filter from a tank with a sickly fish, then you just introduced the disease to the healthy tank...

If you left it setup after use, you would have to boil, which gets rid of bene bacteria anyway. So if you keep it a hospital tank, leaving it setup is just a waste of energy.

The only way you could keep it cycled is if you boiled the filter GOOD, and were positive you got it cleaned good, then put the filter in the established tank.

NOTE: I know what I said is realatively similar to what someone said earlier, but they failed to mention boiling the filter. Just thought I'd make sure that was said

 

[Tolak]

I keep spare filters running on a few tanks, and keep quar/hospital tanks running with several healthy fish in them. If needed, the healthy fish can go in with other fish, or if I have the time, put a cycled filter on an empty tank.

If the fish in the quar/hospital tank are healthy, and ready to go into the main tank, the filter is too. In a situation where the fish don't make it, the filter, media, tank, and all associated equipment, including water change & cleaning equipment, get the bleach/ water solution treatment. Hatching tanks get this treatment after every batch that hatches & gets transfered to larger tanks.

Make sure all cleaning & water changing equipment are specific to that tank only, I've heard of people having disease outbreaks from sharing equipment.

Tolak