How do you sterilise tanks and equipment?

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I'm currently treating two aquariums of livebearers for worms after seeing some symptoms. I now have two empty tanks, one of which is probably contaminated with worm eggs, and all the equipment I've used on the tanks that can apparently transfer worm eggs, like nets, buckets, syphons, a heater, sponge filter... How do you guys sterilise equipment or tanks after a disease outbreak, to be sure it's all gone?

I'm tempted to take the empty tanks outside, wipe them down with bleach and let it sit for a while before rinsing incredibly thoroughly. Then filling them and using declorinator, rinsing some more, and letting them air dry.

I know I can do the same with most of the equipment, but not all of it. I just really want to be sure I've eradicated any eggs on the equipment and tank, but on the other hand, I don't want to kill my fish with bleach either.... Is there a safer but still effective way? What about syphons? Should I just throw those and get new ones?

Appreciate any advice, thank you!

 

[Salty&Onion]

Gamma radiation. No.. wait... that's for hospitals......

 

[Desperado070]

You can also use vinegar but it is less effective than bleach oblivious.
Toss out the old sponges and clean everything else with bleach.
Just make sure you leave it to air dry for a LONG time.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

You can also use vinegar but it is less effective than bleach oblivious.
Toss out the old sponges and clean everything else with bleach.
Just make sure you leave it to air dry for a LONG time.

Thanks man. Have you ever used vinegar or bleach to do something like this?
How long to leave it to air dry? I thought once it was dry, the bleach had evaporated, do you mean make extra sure that the silicone and stuff is dry? I should have done this during the heatwave... it's usually pretty wet and rainy here!

 

[Circus]

I use cleaning vinegar, which is about 20x stronger than standard white or distilled vinegar. I let it sit in the tank for 48 hrs, I use 1 gal of the vin per 15 gal of tap. Then rinse and soak very well. Then fill with clean water and soak.

 

[Desperado070]

Vinegar has a PH of 2.5 its acidity is what makes it such a good cleaner.
People often use vinegar to clean their hands before they go with their hands in the tank or touch the fish.
If you well rinse it and let it air dry you won't smell it anymore.
So basically once the smell is gone the vinegar is gone...

Bleach is somewhat harder to work with because it is just poison for anything alive.
Never done that myself yet.

 

[Circus]

But be carful of cleaning vinegar since it can irritate the skin if left too long.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

But be carful of cleaning vinegar since it can irritate the skin if left too long.

I'm not sure what cleaning vinegar is! Is that a US thing? Gonna have a google, 'cos I'd prefer to use vinegar, I just also really don't want to go through all of this hassle, with six weeks of medicating and cleaning everything, only for the worms to come back again. It was a nightmare last time it happened, and a nightmare this time! But the last time, I didn't treat every tank, and I regret that! So I want to make sure I'm thorough this time. I really appreciate the help! Going to look up cleaning vinegar now.

Have you had to do this after an illness or disease before?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Wait, like white spirit? The really smelly stuff that is used to dissolve paint from paintbrushes??
When I searched "cleaning vinegar" on Amazon, this came up first White spirit vinegar


Or there's something like this.
Which looks more like normal, everyday white vinegar. I'm confused!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Vinegar and a lot of hot water/scrubbing.

I would never use bleach in or around a tank. Its just not a good idea...

As far as equipment goes, (heaters/filters/etc) I would clean with hot water and a sponge. I never use any chemicals in my tanks. I just don't like the idea of it. I wash my heater with as hot of water that my faucet will give me.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Vinegar and a lot of hot water/scrubbing.

I would never use bleach in or around a tank. Its just not a good idea...

As far as equipment goes, (heaters/filters/etc) I would clean with hot water and a sponge. I never use any chemicals in my tanks. I just don't like the idea of it. I wash my heater with as hot of water that my faucet will give me.

Hot water and sponge wont sterilize though

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Hot water and sponge wont sterilize though

It will get it clean. Hot water will kill bacteria.

I never use any chemicals or vinegar (except for cleaning calcium build up) because 1( Chemicals are bad for tanks and 2( Vinegar smells terrible and it takes forever to get rid of. I’m pretty sure the fish don’t appreciate it any more than we do....

 

[mbsqw1d]

since chattin about acids.. i just looked at my box of citric acid ive got for my co2 mix then googled cleaning with it.. seems to be a thing

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

It will get it clean. Hot water will kill bacteria.

I never use any chemicals or vinegar (except for cleaning calcium build up) because 1( Chemicals are bad for tanks and 2( Vinegar smells terrible and it takes forever to get rid of. I’m pretty sure the fish don’t appreciate it any more than we do....

I use vinegar for some typical household cleaning. It only smells at first, but once it evaporates, the smell is gone. Of course you rinse and air dry the tank or equipment after using vinegar (or bleach, which also evaporates if rinsed well and allowed to air dry) so the fish won't be affected.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

since chattin about acids.. i just looked at my box of citric acid ive got for my co2 mix then googled cleaning with it.. seems to be a thing

That makes sense to me. I use citrus a lot for cleaning too, like a kitchen spray (mr muscle) that has citrus oil in it, and I didn't like how oily it felt at first, was using it on kitchen counters and didn't like it. But when I tried using it on the stove top, the oven and greasy pans? Love it! It's the best degreaser I've used. Plus if you're into the natural cleaning, using vinegar, salt, biocarb of soda etc, lemon is used a lot in that too. I do some cleaning with those kinds of things to reduce chemicals/plastic waste and stuff, but some brand cleaners for parts of the bathroom and kitchen. Citrus, salt, biocarb and lemon are great cleaners.