# Sterlize



## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Is there some way to sterilize a tank with out removing everything in it .Some of my fish got fin rot when my hubby missed a dead minnow in the tank. Ive treated them in hospital tank and they were better as soon as i put them back in the 100 gal 3 days later they had it againtreaded them againthen the same thing happened at my wits end. I change the water 30% twice a week no ammonia and no nitrites the only thing I can think of is the bacteria is in the tank .


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

i dont think you have to worry too much about sterilization of the entire tank. It would be a bacterial or fungal in this case, just keep up with the water changes and add pima/melafix, and you should be fine. 

but if you are really adamant, the particles in suspension could be treated by using a UV sterilizer.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Instead of 2 x 30% water changes, try one 60% (or even 2). It will be more effective at removing any pathogens (60% vs 30%). You could go even bigger, to 75% or 80%.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

I agree with Bill, in this case, the larger water change the better.


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## Lei (Jan 14, 2011)

I also was at my wits end battling a "sick" tank. I ended up ripping it apart. For a long time I was using pimifix and ick meds, though, only half strength due to a ghost knife in the tank. I was doing 50% water changes every few days or so. Even once did about 70%. At that point I also pulled all the plants so I could vacuum like mad. This was a heavy planted tank with tons of driftwood. 

So, after thinking everything was fine after weeks of this, I replanted the tank. A week later some parasite was back (I don't think it is ick, a bit bigger) I lost a juvenile phillipine blue angelfish. I had HAD it. 

I removed all the fish. I even had to buy another tank off kijiji because I was out of extra tanks (My isolation tank had new fish in it that were never able to go into this tank, another tank was housing my friends fish) The ones showing signs of parasite are in one tank, the healthy are in another, the ghost knife in pleco's in another because they can't be treated as strongly.

I drained the tank, then filled it 3/4 so the filter would run. I used a double dose of malachite green and formalin. I wanted the filter to run so if there was anything in the filter it would be dead too. Obviously the the tank is needing re-cycling. I am sure I killed everything a little too well.

I would like to stress again there were NO FISH IN THE TANK WHEN DOSING OCCURRED, gheesh, that is all I need for someone to just skim this and go double dose a tank.

The fish are all fine though  Plus, so much easier to medicate all in the basement in barebottom tanks. Mind you, the bleaching /rinsing everything between 7 tanks drove me nuts. The reason for this babble is just top say that I wish I would have ripped the tank down in the first place. Tank is disease free, fish are alive and well.

Actually what I wish I would have done in the first place is isolated some new plants!!!!!!


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## balto (Feb 5, 2011)

Lei said:


> I also was at my wits end battling a "sick" tank. I ended up ripping it apart. For a long time I was using pimifix and ick meds, though, only half strength due to a ghost knife in the tank. I was doing 50% water changes every few days or so. Even once did about 70%. At that point I also pulled all the plants so I could vacuum like mad. This was a heavy planted tank with tons of driftwood.
> 
> So, after thinking everything was fine after weeks of this, I replanted the tank. A week later some parasite was back (I don't think it is ick, a bit bigger) I lost a juvenile phillipine blue angelfish. I had HAD it.
> 
> ...


Wouldn't a UV Sterilization have helped with a lot less work?


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## Lei (Jan 14, 2011)

Balto there you go making all that sense 

Yes, I certainly plan on looking into them in the future to prevent any more of this nonsense. 

Though, really adding a plant to the tank was dumb. I would not have done that with a fish. I rinsed it but obviously not well enough. Lessoned learned.

I mean the fish are fine but the fishkeeper is tired!


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## Lei (Jan 14, 2011)

Does anyone know the effect of these sterilizers as far as planted tanks go? Also, do they not also kill the good bacteria?

I guess what I am seeking is a pro/con list from those with more experience.

If it does have some effect on the tank, could Pat and I just have used it temporarily to combat our problems? Do you have to buy a whole new unit or can you "add" this to a filter?

Thank you, Lei


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## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

UV Sterilizers will only kill any/ everything in the water column. Thus all free floating ich larva, ich eggs that get sucked in the UV intake, bacteria, algae daphnia, etc... But it won't kill the ich lavae/ eggs that fall into the gravel. So, UV's are a good _preventative_ measure but not an all-in-one solution.

As far as bacteria that help filter your tank, these are stuck on the rocks, wood, plants, glass, etc... and in your canister filter - they won't be affected as they're not free floating in your water column.

UV Sterilizer units can be added on to the intake or out put piping of your canister filter pretty easily. I suggest using the Coralife Turbotwist UV Sterilizers for smaller (80 gals or less) aquarium applications.


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## Bwhiskered (Oct 2, 2008)

Plants from a dealers tank can host as many diseases as fish. Often they come from the same tank. To make the plants safe mix 1 teaspoon of alum in a litre of warm water and dip the plant for about 30 seconds and then rinse well in fresh cool water. This kills all bacteria and pests.
Alum can be bought at most drug stores.


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## Lei (Jan 14, 2011)

Thanks Cypher, I will look into them further.

Bwhiskered, great tip! Like I said I knew better than to not rinse them, and this worked fine for a long time with just h2o, but obviously my luck ran out. I will use this for sure.


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