Second hand filter smells, dead bacteria

Hello Fishlore,

Today i've picked up a second hand Eheim professionel 4+ 600 for my 50 gallon which will replace my 250. I found a great deal on it (100 euros) and it's only been used for half a year. It looks as good as new.

My current filter only has 2 media trays, the new one has 4. I'm planning on transferring my 2 trays into the new filter and use 2 of the media trays that came with it, including the media. The media is in great shape and doesn't look dirty at all. However, the previous owner left the filter slightly wet and closed the filter for a few weeks, the bacteria obviously died off and it smells like dead fish or rotten eggs.
The media is currently sitting in a 1:10 thin bleach bucket and i also filled up the cannister with water and bleach. I also put the impeller, ceramic stick and the adapter (valve) which holds the hoses in the bleach bucket.

Is it safe to keep the adapter and impeller in the bleach? How long should i keep the media in the bleach? And am i doing something wrong or missing something?

Thanks!

 

I bleach all my second hand fish things. I bought a filter like you did second hand. I did 9 cups of water per 1 cup of bleach (9:1) and let it soak for 20 minutes. Rinse and scrub well and it’s ready!

 

I bleach all my second hand fish things. I bought a filter like you did second hand. I did 9 cups of water per 1 cup of bleach (9:1) and let it soak for 20 minutes. Rinse and scrub well and it’s ready!

Oo good to know, and do you reckon it's safe to put an impeller in the bleach? i was planning on keeping everything in bleach overnight.

 

Just got a secondhand tank/hood/light/filter for a quarantine/hospital tank and did the same thing.

Except I did run an overdose of prime through it afterward to ensure chlorine was totally neutralized.

 

My current filter only has 2 media trays, the new one has 4. I'm planning on transferring my 2 trays into the new filter and use 2 of the media trays that came with it, including the media. The media is in great shape and doesn't look dirty at all. However, the previous owner left the filter slightly wet and closed the filter for a few weeks, the bacteria obviously died off and it smells like dead fish or rotten eggs.

I would not necessarily believe the bacteria - or the nitrifiers rather, have died. They easily survive weeks to months ammonia-starved, so long as they were kept wet. Of course, other organisms may die, creating the smell. I would have just added the filter media and ran the filter.

The media is currently sitting in a 1:10 thin bleach bucket and i also filled up the cannister with water and bleach.

But I guess it's too late now. XD You already bleached everything.

I also put the impeller, ceramic stick and the adapter (valve) which holds the hoses in the bleach bucket.

Is it safe to keep the adapter and impeller in the bleach? How long should i keep the media in the bleach? And am i doing something wrong or missing something?

What I'd do is just to give everything a good rinse in water. Just plain ol'. Unless there is reason to believe there are contaminants that needs to be actually removed, I don't see a reason to use bleach. All I'd do is to rinse in water to dilute waste and stuff is all.

 

I would not necessarily believe the bacteria - or the nitrifiers rather, have died. They easily survive weeks to months ammonia-starved, so long as they were kept wet. Of course, other organisms may die, creating the smell. I would have just added the filter media and ran the filter.

But I guess it's too late now. XD You already bleached everything.

What I'd do is just to give everything a good rinse in water. Just plain ol'. Unless there is reason to believe there are contaminants that needs to be actually removed, I don't see a reason to use bleach. All I'd do is to rinse in water to dilute waste and stuff is all.

Thanks for the reply, yeah i guess it's too late now lol. I asked him if he had any diseases or bluegreen algae in the tank and he said no. He had a few stingrays in there and an arowana, he had to sell everything because he was having his first kid. But the smell was quite bad and it even made me feel sick a lil bit lol.

Good to know that i don't have to worry that much about it. But i keep all my stuff, filters etc. in a very good condition so i wanted everything to be as good as new.

I was planning on rinsing everything tomorrow and then put some prime in there aswell and let everything dry out completely. Better be safe than sorry i guess?

I just hope that my filter trays fit in the new one, but i'm almost sure they will.

 

Thanks for the reply, yeah i guess it's too late now lol. I asked him if he had any diseases or bluegreen algae in the tank and he said no. He had a few stingrays in there and an arowana, he had to sell everything because he was having his first kid. But the smell was quite bad and it even made me feel sick a lil bit lol.

Good to know that i don't have to worry that much about it. But i keep all my stuff, filters etc. in a very good condition so i wanted everything to be as good as new.

I was planning on rinsing everything tomorrow and then put some prime in there aswell and let everything dry out completely. Better be safe than sorry i guess?

I just hope that my filter trays fit in the new one, but i'm almost sure they will.

Even if they don't fit, don't worry, just put the ceramic media etc in nets.