Think I Have Ruined A Good Tank

[Akasha72]

isn't there an aquarium sterilizer? I'm sure I've seen them somewhere

 

[Baccus]

One of the best sterilzers is sunlight, but white vinegar will also kill most household germs.

 

[fluttermoth]

Will any of those natural cleaners eradicate disease or kill algae as well as bleach does? I was actually intending to bleach one of my tanks soon so I'd be interested to hear if there are alternatives.

A really, really strong salt solution kills nearly all freshwater pathogens; all the one's we're likely to come across.

 

[Alasse]

I use vinegar to clean and sterilize.
 
Its good for soaking snail infested gravel in, kills the snails. It will also kill planaria

 

[Akasha72]

that's a good tip Alasse

 

[daizeUK]

I'm particularly interested in killing algae and algae spores (BBA specifically).  How about hydrogen peroxide as an alternative to bleach?

 

[NickAu]

 
I use vinegar to clean and sterilize.

Would this be a good way to sterilize new plants and driftwood before putting them in a tank?

 

[Akasha72]

that's a good question Nick. I currently soak any new plants in hot salty water to kill any pest snails and snail eggs and it does seem to work but it'd be interesting to know if something else will work too

 

[Bubbelzzz]

Any traces of bleach that are left in your tank wouldn't harm very much. Once the tank is filled the concentration of bleach becomes very low. You could add some charcoal to your filter to be sure.
 
You should always wash new plants with tap water before adding it to the tank. Plants might have pesticides on them or can bring animals in your tank. This is all I'd do to clean them. On the other hand, I've never seen any snails or other creatures on the plants I bought.
 
others use bleach (mostly H2O2) or salt water to clean their new plants. But I wouldn't recommend bleach myself.