Last Updated on June 10, 2024 by admins
Wondering how to disinfect an aquarium? Stay with us and find out.
Keeping your aquarium tank clean is essential to keep your aquatic pets happy and healthy. Over time, nitrates and metabolites accumulate which can eventually affect the appearance of your tank and the well-being of your pets.
Although almost all hobbyists buy filters to help keep the water clean, even the best versions are sometimes not enough to keep everything in perfect condition. Accordingly, safely sterilizing is one of the most important steps you need to take. Keep reading and learn how to disinfect an aquarium.
Table of Contents
How To Disinfect An Aquarium?
Considering the reasons for disinfection (parasites, fungal, bacterial infections, various diseases, or first time setting up a tank) there are quite a few methods you can use.
Read more about how to disinfect an aquarium below.
Method No. 1 Bleach
As for the type, it is proposed to use generic household bleach, with a 5-6.5% concentration of sodium hypochlorite. The use of a gel type is not recommended. Ideally, it should be poured out of its container like water does. For this purpose, use a 10% bleach solution; by mixing 1 part bleach with 9 parts water in a ratio of 1: 9.
Depending on the amount of equipment you want to disinfect, as well as the size of the tank, make sure you have enough solution to do a good job.
If you want to know how to disinfect an aquarium using bleach, the procedure looks like this:
- Get a spray bottle and fill it with bleach solution. Then, thoroughly spray the interior and exterior parts of your aquarium tank.
- Leave on, but no longer than 15 minutes.
- Rinse the tank with clean water, do not skip this step, otherwise, you can cause great damage to your pets as well as living plants.
- Allow to air dry for the next 24 hours.
- Finally, fill your aquarium tank with water. Don’t forget to add a water conditioner to remove chlorine/chloramine residue.
- Continue as usual with setting up your fish tank.
Method No. 2 Vinegar
The second most popular method of disinfecting an aquarium is vinegar. Aquarists usually use a 1: 1 vinegar solution, mixing clean water and regular vinegar. In case limescale builds up in your tank or if you have particularly hard water, feel free to try using a 2: 1 vinegar solution (2 parts vinegar to 1 part water).
If you want to know how to disinfect an aquarium using vinegar, the procedure looks like this:
- Take a spray bottle, fill it with vinegar solution and spray the container liberally.
- Leave the solution to work; this can take from 10 minutes to several hours. It is completely natural and will not harm your underwater world.
- Don’t forget to soak all your aquarium equipment too, in no less than 10 minutes.
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
- Leave to air dry for the next 24 hours.
- Refill the aquarium tank with water, and add a water conditioner before reintroducing your pets.
Now, a few sentences about less popular methods of disinfecting the aquarium.
Method No. 3 Benzalkonium Chloride
Benzalkonium chloride works by dissolving the fatty outer layer of bacteria cells which ultimately results in easier and more efficient sterilization of the tank. It is recommended to use it in a 1% concentrated solution.
Method No. 4 Potassium Permanganate
If you are wondering how to disinfect an aquarium to get rid of parasitic infestation, we recommend potassium permanganate treatment. It works through oxidation while destroying most cells. At the end of the disinfection process, the water turns pink or brown. As for the ratio, the solution is made by combining 2mg of KMnO4 with 4 cups of water.
Method No. 5 Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide is slightly more expensive than regular bleach, however, it is much safer because after 24 hours it breaks down into water and oxygen, while eliminating the risk of residual contamination.
For all those who are wondering how to disinfect an aquarium using Hydrogen Peroxide, it is recommended to use it in a 3% concentrated solution.
In Conclusion
Keeping your tank clean is the key to the healthy growth and development of your aquarium pets and plants. You have seen that sterilization can be done with some basic solutions that most of you probably already have in your household.
The most important thing is to make sure that the disinfectant solutions are in the right concentrations. Also, don’t forget to wash everything thoroughly with clean water and let it air dry.
That would be it, now you know how to disinfect an aquarium.
Do you have your own methods of disinfection and cleaning? Share them with us in the section below.
Take a look at this article as well.
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