poefox

My fish died off because of a fungus. Which topic I do not care to discuss here, since it is being discussed elsewhere. What I am concerned with is this: what is the best means to cycle my tank again to make sure it has none of it left?

Gunnie

The best thing you can do is tear your tank down completely and carefully clean everything with bleach if you can. Make sure everything is rinsed very well before setting the tank back up.

poefox

*Groans* okay. This is probably a good idea. What I was thinking was after this to do about a week or so of cycling after that with a new filter bag. Does that make sense?

Butterfly

If the filter bag is new you will have to go through the whole cycling process again. If you have one from another tank that is cycled it would definately cut down cycling time.
Good Luck!!!
Carol

0morrokh

There are a couple things you can't bleach...gravel will soak it up and leach it into the water, and also I found plastic decorations soaked up the bleach. I think gravel can be baked in the oven.

poefox

Okay...seriously, before I begin this I want to make sure I'm not going to kill another batch of fish. I mean, there must be some way to clean gravel from a fungal thing other than bleaching it. Surely washing it with hot water and a disinfectant soap might work, then rinsing it really well, then letting it air dry, then filtering for a week with a new filter bag should work?

I'm sorry, I don't want to sound impatient, but I'd like to know which it is. Do I replace my filter bag? (which was brand new, btw, I just got it last week) Do I use bleach? No bleach?

0morrokh

I was saying you CAN'T bleach gravel; you have to bake it in the oven. It will soak up bleach and leach it back into the tank water.

Butterfly

You could always boil everything and forget bleaching anything If the filter has been in the tank toss it. Please don't use any soap of any kind, it's almost impossible to get the residue out.
Whenever I have had to clean a tank I usually take it outside, use the water hose and scrub it down good real good with vinegar, rinse well. Then let the sun and air dry it.
Just some suggestions.
Carol

0morrokh

The sun's also a good germ killer as well as detoxing any bleach that may be left if you use it; let everything get a good suntan on a few nice hot days. I'd get rid of the heater too...it might not tolerate all the cleaning.

poefox

Toss my FILTER? Or do you mean the filter bag? I mean the filter is made of plastic. So is the cover for the heater.

From what you guys are saying I might as well buy a new tank.

Butterfly

Toss the filter bag. No need to get a new tank just clean it really well. I think the heater should be able to hold up to a good cleaning.
Carol

poefox

Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it.

Butterfly

Let us know what you decide to do.
Carol

chickadee

When Azul died of dropsy, I bleached everything but the gravel. I bleached the heater, filter (throw away the bag or cartridge, sorry), plastic plants - don't use them anymore but not because of disease because of sharp edges, thermometer, anything not made of stone. The electrical items I just made sure that only the parts that had been in the water went into the bleach water. (should be a 1 part bleach and 19 parts water solution for a couple of hours - then rinse, rinse, rinse and on the last rinse use dechlor treatment. ) Then I put it in the sunlight to finish the disinfection process. They say that when the bleach smell is gone the danger of chlorine poisoning from it is gone. So, new cartridge or bag for your filter, and new gravel otherwise you should be able to keep everything.

Rose