How do you disinfect your quarantine equipment?

[Karen B.]

Greetings!

I have a ton of things to wash/disinfect right now, from buckets, pitcher, nets, heater, aquarium tool, tubing, python, you name it! Most of it comes from when I would use these before/during quarantine of new fish, water change, drip acclimate. After use, I would toss them in this plastic bin.  I think most of the equipment has been there, completely dry for more then 4 months. There was no outbreak of any disease in the fish room either (touching wood here) during/after quarantine and I always use the med trio.

I know of the bleach method, I just hate it. Considering most things have been dry and there was no outbreak of anything, would a good soak in very hot water be sufficient and safe?

or is there any other way? I boiled what could be/would fit in. I know you can you dish soap but it seems to take forever and then some rincing and I am always stressed there will be some residue that could harm my fish.

Thank you!

[Mmiller2001]

I just let my tank run empty for 30 days. Many of these disease can be treated, and if treated properly, are eradicated. The other diseases, I'm worried about, have life cycles that require fish to complete or die. If I ran into something nasty, like Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia, I would throw everything away.

[Karen B.]

On 1/26/2022 at 11:01 AM, Mmiller2001 said:

I just let my tank run empty for 30 days. Many of these disease can be treated, and if treated properly, are eradicated. The other diseases, I'm worried about, have life cycles that require fish to complete or die. If I ran into something nasty, like Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia, I would throw everything away.

But what do you do for the equipment that come in contact with the tank while in quarantine, like tweezers, or syphon, buckets, etc? If the have been sitting dry in a bin for more then 2 months, am I safe to wash them in hot water and reuse them?

[Mmiller2001]

On 1/26/2022 at 9:05 AM, Karen B. said:

But what do you do for the equipment that come in contact with the tank while in quarantine, like tweezers, or syphon, buckets, etc? If the have been sitting dry in a bin for more then 2 months, am I safe to wash them in hot water and reuse them?

I have a product called Net Soak that I use, but heaters just stay in the tank. Tools get washed with dawn soap. As far as buckets, I have 2 set, one set is dirty water and the other is clean water and they are different colors. Same goes for draining and filling. I never use my python in the QT tank. It only ever touches my display tanks. I just use old cut hose or tubing for the QT tank. To fill it, I use a clean pump and hose.

 

Edited January 26, 2022 by Mmiller2001

[gardenman]

If there have been no problems, then there's no need to disinfect everything. I'd just go ahead and reuse the stuff without fretting over it too much.

[Guppysnail]

For equipment I use hydrogen Peroxide and hot water.  Peroxide is also effective on mycobacterium. It’s cheap and effective on parasites and bacteria 

[Gideyon]

I personally used bleach at recommended percentage for disinfectant and sanitize.  But it involves soaking for at least 20 minutes. Otherwise it's useless. 

After rinsing, filling it up, add lots of dechlorinater, then more rinse, I left it in the sun for 2 days.  

I had a betta die of unknown causes, so I played it safe.  Soaked the filter, heater, gravel, decor... Anything I wanted to reuse. 

But it's freezing now. I wouldn't do it in this weather. You have to be outside because of the fumes.  

[tekjunkie28]

huh... I/ve never cleaned anything in the quarantine tank LOL.   Oh well. 

[lefty o]

i either allow to dry out for a few days, or wash in very hot water.

[Andy's Fish Den]

I don't use bleach, as I have developed a bleach sensitivity from exposure to chlorine gas. I use straight hot water out of my tap for 99% of washing any tools or equipment used. If I do have an outbreak of say ich in a tank and I have to do a water change etc, I will spray hydrogen peroxide on the item and let sit for a few minutes then rinse with hot water. 

[ChefConfit]

I just rinse in hot water after use and then let it dry out until I need it again. I do keep separate nets for qt and display tanks though. Everything else is shared