# Bleaching sand (sterlization)



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Just wondering if the o'l 1:20 part bleach to water would be good for sterlizing sand? I got a 40gal hex tank a while ago that I would in the backyard and covered up with some garbage bags to keep the UV off it but recently the top cover leaked so now I've got like 3 gals of water in there for some time before I noticed it.

I'm wondering if the 1:20 bleach would do two things. 1. sterlize the substrate (as I do not know what is in it from the last user) 2. have the bleach water eat/kill any algae forming on it (lazy and don't want to scrub it as it is something like slightly more then arm deep.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

You could use even stronger bleach, and it would do the job even better


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Darkblade48 said:


> You could use even stronger bleach, and it would do the job even better


Thanks for the FYI. I'm curious how well does gravel and sand retain on the bleach? I'm thinking a few stirs each rinse of the substrate would be enough to remove most of the bleach if it's holding onto the gravel and sand. Then use 4 times the water treatment to remove the rest.

Just speaking out loud here but would like more experienced people to let me know if my thinking is correct.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Let the bleach sit for a while (2 - 3 hours). Then rinse very well, then treat with like 10x dechlorinator and let sit for a while again.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

ameekplec. said:


> Let the bleach sit for a while (2 - 3 hours). Then rinse very well, then treat with like 10x dechlorinator and let sit for a while again.


After the 10x dosing can I use it directly or do I need to drain that water? I;m thinking of other uses for the drained water.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

The dechlorinator will neutralize the harmful aspects of the bleach, so yes, technically you could water your plants with it.

I'd dump it out though.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Bleach will only kill off any bacterial or orgnaic stuff. Any chemical stuff will remain.

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## marbss (Feb 11, 2010)

get a big pot and boil your substrate


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Boiling is a waste of electricity, and bleach, being a powerful oxidizer, will react with many chemical substances in he sand, as well as kill most biological entities. I use it all the time.


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

Well I've not had time to do that yet. What is the dosing amount of bleach if I need to kill mosquitos in the tank? IIRC a mosquitos full lifecycle from egg to adult is ~14days.

I don't go to the backyard often so just going to do it the simple and lazyman way then drop a fountain pump in after all the bodies are dead and pump all the water out and dry the sand.

I'll be modding a coleslaw square container you get at Loblaws to put the pump in and cover the intake with some filter floss to keep any sand from entering the pump.


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## marbss (Feb 11, 2010)

BillD said:


> Boiling is a waste of electricity, and bleach, being a powerful oxidizer, will react with many chemical substances in he sand, as well as kill most biological entities. I use it all the time.


point taken. but I have a gas stove and natural gas is cheap and energy is almost free in this country. even if you use electricity it costs around $0.12-0.14 per kWh. so say your stove uses 1000watts for 1 hour -- that will cost you around $0.14? Bleach costs around $2-3?

personally I wouldn't be cleaning baby bottles with bleach -- I wouldn't risk it with your substrate. then again I have no idea how much substrate you have. another alternative is to bake your substrate in the oven -- you need a proper fan/exhaust hood for this method.

If you are using silica sand (pool sand) I don't see a problem with boiling and giving it a stir from time to time.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

A $2 bottle of bleach lasts about 6 months to a year. I'm more interested in the time consideration. I bleach something I can leave it until I have time to get back to, perhaps in a few days. Boiling would demand my attention. I just bleached 50lbs of sand, right in the tank. For me it is a convenience thing, but I also like how it makes the tank easier to clean, and how it oxidizes organic materials which helps in their removal. So, do what your comfortable with, and I will continue to do what works for me, and what is easiest.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

AquaNekoMobile said:


> Well I've not had time to do that yet. What is the dosing amount of bleach if I need to kill mosquitos in the tank? IIRC a mosquitos full lifecycle from egg to adult is ~14days....


Is mosquitos your only concern? You don't need to do all that just because of the mosquitos. In egg form, the moskitos eggs are a floater. They are about the size of a grain of rice. All you need to do is rinse that off. If they are a larvae, then just let the sand dry and they will die.

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