Need to clean tank after disease - just afraid to use bleach

Hi Everyone- A few months back I quarantined two sick fish. I was never sure what they had, but might have been ick or at least that’s what I was told after showing pics to the fish store person. Anyway, sadly they died. I got rid of the substrate and decorations and I’m left with the guts of the tank. I’ll post a pic of what’s left. I gave everything a deep wash with very hot water and gave multiple rinses, although it looks like the little piece of hose needs more. That said, this tank is really hard to find replacement parts/sponges and I don’t even know what those blue and black balls are - they came with the tank. Everywhere I read it says to use very deluded bleach. I just don’t trust that I will get it all out - especially the filter, sponges and those little balls. The tank has been sitting dry for a few months. Is that enough to have killed what ever was in there or would it be reactivated once I add water? Is there any other less potentially lethal way to make my tank safe again? If you look closely at the pic, you will see a cute betta that I want to put in the tank and definitely don’t want to kill the little guy … he’s already making a bubble nest❣️ Also in my pic I included everything I want to put back in the tank. If anyone thinks there is anything that should be replaced instead of cleaning, please let me know. Thank you in advance for your help

 

For the future:
When it's parasites (like Ichthyophthirius aka "ich") you can simply leave the tank running without fish for 3-4 weeks. Any leftover parasites will die in that time. No host, no parasite. Simple as that.

If it was a bacterial infection it's very likely it was some omnipresent bacterium that opportunistically used a defective immune system of a stressed fish. You can't do anything about those, they will be reintroduced with new fish.

If you really want you can let things completely dry out for a week and that's it.

No need for chemicals.*

* Only exception and ONLY if confirmed by a vet: Mycobacterium marinum, aka fish tuberculosis. This is very rare and only about 1-2 of 100 suspected cases are confirmed. Then disinfection is warranted. With hot water and H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide).

 

if it's a clear sunny day, take it outside, dry in a safe place in direct sunlight for an hour. it will sanitize but it won't sterilize. it should be good enough for most all of the nasties. similar to how a UV sterilizer works. especially dry, the sun will kill bacteria, virus and protozoa. in about an hour.

Like lysol though, there is that .01% of stuff it can't work on. It works on most everything though between UVA and UVB

you can check the UV index if it's 5, about an hour will do, if its way up near 10, a half hour to 45 mins. and if like a 2 like 2 hours ought to do it.
it's the most environmentally friendly and safe way I know of doing it for free.

A Hydrogen peroxide 3% wipe down should also work though and it rapidly decays with water and you'd be done in like 10 mins. hydrogen peroxide 3% sold at pharmacies will turn into harmless water and oxygen after 24 hours in contact with water.

 

For the future:
When it's parasites (like Ichthyophthirius aka "ich") you can simply leave the tank running without fish for 3-4 weeks. Any leftover parasites will die in that time. No host, no parasite. Simple as that.

If it was a bacterial infection it's very likely it was some omnipresent bacterium that opportunistically used a defective immune system of a stressed fish. You can't do anything about those, they will be reintroduced with new fish.

If you really want you can let things completely dry out for a week and that's it.

No need for chemicals.*

* Only exception and ONLY if confirmed by a vet: Mycobacterium marinum, aka fish tuberculosis. This is very rare and only about 1-2 of 100 suspected cases are confirmed. Then disinfection is warranted. With hot water and H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide).

Thank you so much! Your answer was so clear and easy to follow. Sounds like I may be good to go since the tank and contents have been sitting dry for months. I was really most worried about whether adding water could reactivate whatever it was in the sponges or the filter since I was never quite sure, that even though I washed throughly in hot water, I was still not sure if that was enough. Thank you so much again!

 

You will just have to set it up and cycle the tank again from scratch, except if you have filter media you can add from other tanks.

 

If something like this ever happens again, be a good idea to check in with the forum.
Looks like you went through a lot of unnecessary work and worry.

 

if it's a clear sunny day, take it outside, dry in a safe place in direct sunlight for an hour. it will sanitize but it won't sterilize. it should be good enough for most all of the nasties. similar to how a UV sterilizer works. especially dry, the sun will kill bacteria, virus and protozoa. in about an hour.

Like lysol though, there is that .01% of stuff it can't work on. It works on most everything though between UVA and UVB

you can check the UV index if it's 5, about an hour will do, if its way up near 10, a half hour to 45 mins. and if like a 2 like 2 hours ought to do it.
it's the most environmentally friendly and safe way I know of doing it for free.

A Hydrogen peroxide 3% wipe down should also work though and it rapidly decays with water and you'd be done in like 10 mins. hydrogen peroxide 3% sold at pharmacies will turn into harmless water and oxygen after 24 hours in contact with water.

Great idea. I will set it outside tomorrow. We’re in the heatwave, so not really dry, but I will set it and the contents out there and check out my hydrogen peroxide. Thank you so much for your advice.

You will just have to set it up and cycle the tank again from scratch, except if you have filter media you can add from other tanks.

The tank is for a betta, so not thinking to cycle more to prep water. Thank you for responding.

If something like this ever happens again, be a good idea to check in with the forum.
Looks like you went through a lot of unnecessary work and worry.

Your absolutely correct. I think I was worried everyone would recommend bleach and just so worried I wouldn’t use it correctly and kill my fish. Thank you.

 

White vinegar would be my cleaning choice over bleach.

 

White vinegar would be my cleaning choice over bleach.

Is that the same as vinegar essence? Stumbling over different translations here right now.
But anyway: Vinegar or citric acid are a great alternative and not the least problematic.

 

I think it's just a translation issue. In the USA. White vinegar is referred to as cleaning vinegar.

 

I think it's just a translation issue. In the USA. White vinegar is referred to as cleaning vinegar.

Really? I use it for making hot sauce. I don't clean with it at all.... hmm