Hosiptal tank

[pamc]

Hello I have a novice question about hospital tanks.

I am wondering once a hospital tank has been in use and the fish expires, what is the best way to clean up the tank to insure what ever the previous fish had does not linger in the tank.

Example I had a GB Ram develop a large eye (popeye?), I believe it was from injury as the other rams all look healthy. The ill ram was placed in a hospital tank and expired.

What is the best way to clean a hospital tank after it houses sick fish?
Ten gallon tank, sponge filter and one airstone, heater and very thin layer of 3m color quartz (sand)

Thanks in advance

[goldenpuon]

There is more than one method I know to sterilize tanks such as a with salt water or cleaning with bleach and of course thoroughly rinsing afterwards.

See this article. It goes into more detail on aquarium sterilization Aquarium Disease Prevention

[pamc]

Thanks goldenpuon, read the article which the bleach method is the same when buying a used or second hand tank.

However I would like to know does one keep the sponge on the sponge filter or replace it?

[Carl]

Nov 22, 2009 9:08:08 GMT -5 pamc said:

Thanks goldenpuon, read the article which the bleach method is the same when buying a used or second hand tank.

However I would like to know does one keep the sponge on the sponge filter or replace it?

I would bleach when purchasing a used tank of unknown origin that may or may not have had disease issues.

As to the sponge filter, if disease pathogens are a concern, bleaching (1/20) then "re-seading" the sponge filter in a healthy tank is a good idea.
(See Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle, Cycling Methods)

Carl

[pamc]

Thanks Carl, it is good to know I do not have to throw out the old sponge, that it will be fine for future use. I know some things can hibernate or seal itself in a hard shell while the tank has no hosts for them to exploit and a sponge filter is just the place for something to hide in.

Presently the tank has been bleached with the sponge filter running, this should kill any disease pathogens. I will start water changes in the tank leaving the sponge in to continue to run, should take about ten days to clear out. On the tenth day I will add a dechlorinater to the water change before moving the sponge filter for reseeding. Does this sound reasonable?

Yes it is understood that the tank will recycle, the sponge filter will be re seeded in a healthy tank. I have not had the need to run a hospital tank, until now and was just trying to figure out the proper way of cleaning up the hospital tank's sponge filter and not spread the unknown problem. I did not want to place a sponge with potential disease pathogens or a bleach soaked sponge in a healthy tank. Thanks for helping with a novice questions about hospital tank clean ups.

[Carl]

Nov 24, 2009 9:45:27 GMT -5 pamc said:

Thanks Carl, it is good to know I do not have to throw out the old sponge, that it will be fine for future use. I know some things can hibernate or seal itself in a hard shell while the tank has no hosts for them to exploit and a sponge filter is just the place for something to hide in.

Presently the tank has been bleached with the sponge filter running, this should kill any disease pathogens. I will start water changes in the tank leaving the sponge in to continue to run, should take about ten days to clear out. On the tenth day I will add a dechlorinater to the water change before moving the sponge filter for reseeding. Does this sound reasonable?

Yes this is a very good plan IMO, this is how I occasionally re-started some client's tanks with the filters running while the water contained bleach (minus carbon).

Yes it is understood that the tank will recycle, the sponge filter will be re seeded in a healthy tank. I have not had the need to run a hospital tank, until now and was just trying to figure out the proper way of cleaning up the hospital tank's sponge filter and not spread the unknown problem. I did not want to place a sponge with potential disease pathogens or a bleach soaked sponge in a healthy tank. Thanks for helping with a novice questions about hospital tank clean ups.

Your welcome,
I hope I was not being condescending in noting the need to re-seed your filters, I wanted to make sure this was noted for all that might read this thread (we also have many ghost readers that never sign on as members)

Carl

[pamc]

No, no, never condescending, just checking for understanding to make sure we are on the same page.
As much as there is written about hospital tanks and filters, I had yet to read the proper cleaning of a hospital tank with a sponge filter after it is used for an illness. Mostly I found info on setting up and the purpose of... I guess one could never write a complete book of aquarium maintenance as no one would ever read it in its entirety. LOL Thankfully there are forums as such as this one.

Yes I was a ghost member for a while until I just had to ask my silly little question.
Thanks a bunch

[Carl]

Nov 24, 2009 16:28:21 GMT -5 pamc said:

Yes I was a ghost member for a while until I just had to ask my silly little question.
Thanks a bunch

Cool!

I knew we had many "Ghost Members" (from hit counters, etc.), nice to meet one ;D

Carl