# Best way to disinfect a Planted Aquarium



## mark4785 (3 Feb 2013)

I have removed all of the plants from my planted aquarium and detached all equipment so it's not really a 'planted aquarium' anymore.

My question is, what is the best way to remove bacteria/fungus/parasites (assuming they are in there) from an aquarium without causing the silicone to become damaged?

Products like Interpet 'Pond Disinfectant' or bleach seem to be inappropriate and hazardous to use in an aquarium since they can interact with the properties in the silicone, causing it to become weak.

With this in mind, should I scrub the aquarium with a simple flannel and soap or is there another way of disinfecting?


Mark.


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## Matt Warner (3 Feb 2013)

Hi, I would use bleach and water to disinfect the tank. Then I'd fill it with water and dechlorinated for a day or so to get rid of any traces of bleach. Personally I wouldn't bother disinfecting it at all, as you will have parasites and bacteria in no time once it's set up again. If you want to just clean the tank then a sponge and warm water will be fine.


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## krazypara3165 (4 Feb 2013)

Never ever use soap or detergents! Bleach is fine, as is vinegar.


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## mark4785 (4 Feb 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions.

Are there any other cleaning products? My understanding was that bleach can weaken silicone. Believe me, I don't want a 120 litre tank spontaneously combusting on me!


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## Alastair (4 Feb 2013)

Hi mark, jbl do a special cleaning solution called bioclean  for tanks and it's supposed to be harmless to fauna.


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## mlgt (4 Feb 2013)

I tend to use vinegar or lemon juice.

This helps remove limescale or at least makes it easier to clean with a razor blade.

But as others have said over time you will get bacteria/parasites back over time.


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## ian_m (4 Feb 2013)

mark4785 said:


> My understanding was that bleach can weaken silicone.


I doubt it. If silicone wasn't bleach proof that it would be rather useless sealing kitchen worktops, baths to walls, round toilets etc etc.

When I cleaned a tank, I used Viakall to remove scale and bleach to remove green slime. Don't mix the two or else chlorine will be produced and obviously do it outside. Afterwards I filled filled tank with water and dechlorinator for a few hours then just used/.


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## mark4785 (4 Feb 2013)

mlgt said:


> I tend to use vinegar or lemon juice.
> 
> This helps remove limescale or at least makes it easier to clean with a razor blade.
> 
> But as others have said over time you will get bacteria/parasites back over time.


 
Oh I know it will re-form but I recently had  'brown gunk' matter forming on the glass and in the filter system and all of it's parts. It zapped all of the oxygen out of the water and despite adding a mild disinfectant to the water and also having scrubbed the glass with the disinfectant it keeps re-forming.

It's a very perplexing substance; it resembles a orange water droplet when removed from a surface (as though the muck that comes away from sand has been deposited in the droplet).

I may try vinegar on top of using the JBL product mentioned (thank you to whoever mentioned this).


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (4 Feb 2013)




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## Alastair (4 Feb 2013)

That's the stuff but think it's changed to bio clean A


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## bogwood (4 Feb 2013)

If a thorough clean /sterilising is required, its Bleach every time for me. 
I know there are aquarium specific products now available.
 However been using  it for well over 40 years, on a variety of tanks. Freshwater and Marine, Housing some very sensitive  creatures, without problem.
And if i recall, some of the earlier tanks were held together with, dare i say it "putty"


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## kirk (5 Feb 2013)

Could you use Milton the stuff used for doing babies bottles? You would have to rinse well after or use declorinator. Personally I just use a filter foam and distilled water/ro to clean and skip chemicals altogether.in the tank I do use Milton to soak nets in when not in use.


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## bogwood (5 Feb 2013)

kap k said:


> Could you use Milton the stuff used for doing babies bottles? You would have to rinse well after or use declorinator. Personally I just use a filter foam and distilled water/ro to clean and skip chemicals altogether.in the tank I do use Milton to soak nets in when not in use.


Sounds a good idea............ must be safe.


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## kirk (5 Feb 2013)

The active ingredient is sodium hypochlorite . So you will need to use declorinator after. If you do.


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## Ady34 (5 Feb 2013)

kap k said:


> Could you use Milton the stuff used for doing babies bottles? You would have to rinse well after or use declorinator.


This is what I use to soak co2 diffusers in to clean them up, then soak in water a few times, then dechlorinator and water mix just to be sure.


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (5 Feb 2013)

How about using Hydrogen Peroxide, if your concerned about killing any algae or 'bugs'.

You can get it from boots, and best of all, it kills organic matter, but reacts with air and turns into normal water. Then use the Clean A by jbl to make the glass shiny


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