The need for complete disinfection of the aquarium is infrequent, but still sometimes it comes. Moreover, it is not necessary that your fish have obvious infectious diseases - the aquarium should be disinfected when new residents move in there, even if everything is in order with the previous ones. It can contain hidden infections that do not affect healthy fish, but can be activated, for example, under stress.
It is necessary
- Disinfectant;
- UV lamp (if available);
- A pot for boiling the soil (if necessary).
Instructions
Step 1
The easiest way is to run the aquarium with hot water, ideally boiling water. In this case, all microbes and microorganisms will die. Be careful: the water temperature must be raised gradually so that the glass does not crack. But this method is only suitable for seamless aquariums and structures with solid glue - it looks like ceramics. If the glasses are planted on a soft silicone sealant, then hot water will soften it and the aquarium may begin to leak, and the glued container may collapse altogether.
Step 2
Another effective method is a strong disinfectant. You can clean the aquarium with a powerful liquid cleaner or chlorine solution. But after processing, the aquarium must be thoroughly rinsed, as even small residues of the cleaning agent can destroy the fish. Ideally, the aquarium should be thoroughly rinsed several times, then filled with water, allowed to stand for 24 hours and then rinsed again.
Step 3
You can also use hydrogen peroxide to disinfect your aquarium. It works weaker than the previous options, but is safer. Of course, the aquarium will have to be rinsed with water, but not as intensely.
Step 4
You can use ordinary table salt to treat the aquarium. First, make a slurry of salt and water and use a soft sponge to work the glass and seams. Then fill the tank with water, add 1 teaspoon of salt per liter of water and let sit for a couple of hours. Then drain the water and rinse the aquarium thoroughly - salt is harmful to many species of fish, and for some it is fatal.
Step 5
Another disinfection method that can even be applied to aquarium plants without the risk of killing them is potassium permanganate. Make a medium pink solution and rinse the aquarium by rubbing the inside with a soft sponge. Then wash the aquarium with water. Plants for disinfection should be put in a potassium permanganate solution for 10-15 minutes. Do not overdo it with concentration - there is a risk of burning plants and staining the glass with a brown bloom.
Step 6
There is a drug that can disinfect an aquarium even with fish - methylene blue. It has bactericidal and fungicidal properties, but is practically harmless to living organisms. The drug is available in the form of drops; for disinfection, you need to dilute it in a ratio of 2 ml per 10 liters of water. The only drawback is that it paints everything blue.
Step 7
There is another gentle disinfection method that does not harm plants and fish - an ultraviolet lamp. This option can be used both independently and in combination with the above. The lamp is simple to use: use it for a few days instead of a regular lamp.
Step 8
When it becomes necessary to disinfect the aquarium, the question arises: what to do with the soil. The most effective way is to boil it. In this case, all microbes die with one hundred percent probability.
