For bleaching plants for algae it is a low dose- 19-1 water to bleach and the dip is normally 90 seconds and never more the 2 minutes. Delicate plants may hanlde 1 minute but they may also die from bleaching. So with more delicate things I would to a small test dip first and wait overnight to see what the plant does.
When I am bleaching to sterilize things that the bleach wont harm- rock, a filter with no media, a thermometer etc. I do not measure. I am happt anywhere from 10-1 to 2-1. However, when bleaching some things like a sponge or even a quality foam like Poret. I am more careful. These things can be harmed by bleach. This is why I have putting mopst of them into am H tank. I am more inclined to use them in Q tanks under the idea that if I shopped smart I will likely not end up having to medicate but I am prepared to be wrong as well. So, I am likely not togo above a 10% bleach amount.
Bear in mind we are working with household bleach. I have no issue if it contains surfactants, but no scenting or other additives. My first few years of doing fishless cycling I used bleach with surfactants just fine. But, I ran carbon in the filters and did big water changes when the tanks was cycled before any fish went in. I never had an issue unless it was so hidden I could never discern it was there.
My anubias get really big over time. Taller means closer to the lights and that means algae on the leaves. When this is softer algae I remove it by hand in the tank. But when It is worse or really rampant, I remove the plant and bleach it. It has to go back into the tank so here are my steps. Bear in mind I have well water and I normally never use dechlor. I have dechlor for when I bleach dip and for when I do weekend events where I have to use some local water.
For the tanks spread out on the house I use a bathroom as fish central for maint. I have a 32 and a few 20 gallon RubberMaid heavy duty trash cans and a bunch of 5 gallon buckets. Using the bath tub and one 20 gal can filled with water and then two 5 gal buckets. one is filled with the 19-1 bleach mix and the second with an overdose of dechlor. The plant gets submerged in the bleach bucket and a time is started. as the time gets near 90 second (for most things) I turn on the tub faucet to let the water start to warm a bit.
When the timer goes off the plant comes out of the bucket and gets rinsed under the running water. I try to hit both sides of the leaves. Then it is plunged into the dechlor bucket and left there for about 15 seconds. The plant is no safe to return to the tank but it usually stops for a while in the 20 gal can.I will accumulate several bleach plant there and then I return them all to their respective tanks.
With the item I rempoved from H or Q tanks that I must bleach time us nit relevant in terms if seconds or minutes. However, this doesn't mean I ;eave stuff for a long time in a bleach mix. But, if they sit for 10 or 15 minutes it is fine. I rinse them and then allow them do dry completely. I will take days if I think it is needed. But here is a warning worth understanding.
Spore forms of bacteria are hard to destroy because bacterial endospores can survive temperatures up to 150°C and as low as near absolute zero. Further, endospores are resistant to chemical agents (including alcohol), ultraviolet radiation, extreme pH gradients, drought, and nutrition depletion.
https://ethidelabs.com/why-are-bacterial-spores-hard-to-sterilize/
Chlorine (hypochlorite) compounds are effective in inactivating vegetative bacteria, fungi, lipid and non-lipid viruses, Coxiella burnetii and TB. Chlorine compounds have some effect in inactivating bacterial spores.
https://ehs.stanford.edu/reference/comparing-different-disinfectants
Bleach is pretty nasty stuff. Do not get it on any of your clothithing as the colors will ugh. The fumes from it are toxic since chlorine kills many things. However, when used properly it can be a useful toll for fish keepers.
However, I did a little looking on Google Scholar about another way to kill spores, microwaves. These can be effective, but it is not a guarantee. Basically the spore form greaty protects whet is inside which has moisture. Micrwaves cause heat and ths may kill the spore. It dpemnd on the sporem the mocrowave and then ytthe method of administration. The drawback with our home micorwave is the the actual waves are not transmitted evenly. They come from above. Many units also have a rotating plate on which we put the food etc. To be effective against something with many spores on/in it, the item being radiated should be rotated on both axes during exposure in oorder to obtain complete coverage. All the spores need to be killed (inactivated).
Also, much of what we may have to deal with in our tanks will not be that awaful. With most things a bleach dip or merly allowing it to dry thoroughly may be sufficient.
And I bet that most of you were like me when we were getting our first tank going. We though this will never be all that difficult. Get glass box, put in water and some decorations and add fish. We though cycling was done on a bike and our fish would never get sick.
MA, JUST LOOK AT US NOW..........
