Is It Okay To Wash Filter Container, Baskets And Tubing With...

[jarthel]

tap water and soap? And then give it a good rinse with just tap water to remove any soap. And then give the inside of the container (the thing that holds the baskets), baskets and tubing a rinse in tank water? and then dry them out using cloth.

The media will be rinsed in just tank water.

Any thoughts on this method? thank you

 

[drobbyb]

I would use something other than soap. Soap leaves a film that can harm your inhabitants. Use vinegar instead.

 

[erk628]

What I do is fill a bucket with tank water throw all my fliter media in there and take my filters heaters and ornaments to the sink and wash them with tap water don't use anthing else except maybe a paper towel. Then I rinse the filter media off in the bucket that has tank water in it then put it back in.

 

[waterdrop]

Definately do not use soap! Soap can be quite clingy and can leave traces that you can't detect. My understanding is that it can be quite harmful to fish. I clean my filter box, powerhead areas and hoses quite regularly but I use multiple sized brushes for this and use simply tap water, the brushes and my hand sometimes. Yes, you want your inner filtration path surfaces cleaned regularly but the only traces you want left on them are the same bacterial biofilms you are cleaning off, not any detergents. I believe its gills mostly and possibly some other outer surfaces of certain species that we are concerned about.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[jarthel]

thanks everyone

 

[Assaye]

I would never use detergents and stuff with fish things - the risk of not washing off the soap well enough is potentially killing your fish.

Warm water should suffice and if you are really worried, make up a mild bleach solution and soak them in that for 15 minutes before risning super carefully in a bucket with a quadruple dose of dechlorinator. Bleach is OK to use (if washed off properly with de-chlor) because it is chlorine based. However, bleach should ideally only be used if you can leave the items to dry (and thus evaporate all the chlorine off) overnight.

 

[LilyRose Tank]

tap water and soap? And then give it a good rinse with just tap water to remove any soap. And then give the inside of the container (the thing that holds the baskets), baskets and tubing a rinse in tank water? and then dry them out using cloth.

The media will be rinsed in just tank water.

Any thoughts on this method? thank you

As far as I am aware you should only use tank water...not detergents on anything, apart from harming the fish, they can kill the bacteria you are trying to grow in the filter. You take some water out of the tank and rinse all items in the aquarium water. Tap water will kill all bacteria in your filter
The only time tap water should be used is if a) brand new and setting up b) when the water has been dechlorinatoed

 

[Tolak]

Tap water will be fine for hoses, baskets, and filter cases. If you rinse the filter media in tap water you risk killing off your nitrifying bacteria, causing the tank to have cycling issues.

A mild bleach solution, as mentioned, is more for sterilizing than cleaning.

 

[raptorrex]

I also, would suggest tap water for cleaning the mechanical sections of your filter. (mechanical sections? anything that is not, specifically designed, to hold bacteria). reserving "old tank water" for cleaning of the bio media itself. if you are, particularly, worried use something like Milton solution. this rinses right off leaving no residue.