Using bleach on filter???

[yimmy]

I've been lied to by my LFS a few times and I"m curious if they're trying to kill my tank. For my canister filter I take out the media power wash it with the hose, take an orange juice glass and fill it half full with bleach. Poor the bleach into the 5g bucket put the filter into the bucket, fill it up with hose water and let it sit till the filters white again. I then let the filter sit in the sun and dry out. My LFS said all the chemicals in the bleach would evaportae. I'm TERRIFIED of this crashing my tank which I have coughed up mula and work for. Thanks for all the help
Jimmy

 

[birdy]

They are correct that the chlorine in bleach evaporates, but I still don't use it on my equipment, I use vinegar, it does a much better job and is perfectly safe. Bleach is really harsh on plastic also.

 

[dragonzim]

If he is talking about the actual media and not the filter pads, you shouldnt even take them out of the filter, much less power wash them. That is where all your beneficial bacteria live and you dont want to wash them away.
I'd be VERY leery about using bleach on ANYTHING that touched my tank.

 

[ruaround]

This is absurd!!! you should never use soap, bleach, amonia or any other harsh chemical to clean a tank or anything that goes into a tank!!! you are killing off bacteria that is important for the stabiliztion of your tank!!! your LFS is FOS!!!

 

[yimmy]

I'll use vinegar in that case, I thought something about bleach would be a bit off. What I'm talking about is the actual thing that catches all theuneaten food and stuff. I have to change it.

 

[lepete]

if your goal is to get it white... clean it many times with water. If it still a problem, use bleach (~2oz per 5 gallon). Wash it until you can't smell the beach. Then, wash it that many more times.
If you goal is to kill the bateria, vinegar will work... but why kill the good bateria?
It is best to wash filters with tank water... this way, you preserve the bateria.

 

[hagfish]

Just say no (to bleach)!
Actually, I would just say no to the cannister filter itself.

 

[pumper7]

I was told the same thing by 2 LFS.
Both told me to wash the filtration bags in the washing machine with bleach but no soap.
Only one told me to rinse the bags afterwards and use chlorine removing chemicals

 

[lepete]

I would never us soap. Soap sticks... Bleach washes off easily... BTW: I am not a 'LFS'.

 

[yimmy]

I was really conscious about bleach...I washed it for so long to the point where you couldn't smell it. My BDAY is soon so my parents are going to help chip in for a sump and skimmer for my 95gal DT. From now on though I"m not going to bleach and just hose the crap out of it.

 

[creative]

The local fish store's were right cleaning things such as a pleated polishing filter is best acomplished with a solution of bleach. Clorine is basicly a gas so as it evaporates it is gone. So if you let it dry completly after using bleach it it is completly safe.
Todd

 

[birdy]

yes, filter bags and things like that are best washed in a mild bleach solution, then let dry completely, hard plastic parts of filtration I prefer to clean with vinegar if you need to get the calcium build up off of them.
As long as you rinse the bleach out completely and let it dry completely it is just fine to use.

 

[lepete]

Oh no... bleach is not clorine gas... Clorine gas is what killed during WWI. Beach is a solid NaClO dissolved in water. It is no more gas then table salt (NaCl). I would WASH it instead of just letting it dry (Maybe UV from sunlight converts it into some kind of gas...).

 

[yimmy]

Yeah in arizona the sun is a tiny bit strong...not to mention on the concrete by a pool. Kind of off topic, but when I do my laundry my clothes dry faster outside than in the dryer.

 

[chipmaker]

I often wash things in bleach solutions, rinse well, shake as much off as possible and if time permits i allow to air dry in the sun......most times I take the freshly bleach cleaned item after a rinse and shake and dip it in a bucket to which dechlor has been added, and reinstall it. Never had a problem in many many years of using bleach.

 

[creative]

Originally Posted by lepete
Oh no... bleach is not clorine gas... Clorine gas is what killed during WWI. Beach is a solid NaClO dissolved in water. It is no more gas then table salt (NaCl). I would WASH it instead of just letting it dry (Maybe UV from sunlight converts it into some kind of gas...).

I'm sorry to disagree but I think you need to do a little research on bleach to find out about the makeup of it.

 

[lepete]

Originally Posted by creative
I'm sorry to disagree but I think you need to do a little research on bleach to find out about the makeup of it.
I did... wikipedia on 'beach' and 'Sodium hypochlorite'....
Matter of fact, I also did research on Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) - the chemical they put in your tap water before chloramine. Now, ClO2 will exit the water if left sitting for 24 hrs.
If you have more info, please post. I'll love to hear it.

 

[rara12]

for the vinager, if it gets in the tank is it harmful, i really skeptical because my mom knocked some bleach into my tank once and killed everything :*(

 

[chipmaker]

Originally Posted by rara12
for the vinager, if it gets in the tank is it harmful, i really skeptical because my mom knocked some bleach into my tank once and killed everything :*(

Dumping in bleach in a thriving tank is one thing, using it to wash the tank and clean it up inside and out and allowing to dry is another....Same for vinegar....too much will play havoc with your ph pretty darn quick, but you should not use anything to clean the inside of a tank with except a paper towel or sponge or scraper etc when its up and running, and keep any junk away from the tank that can possibly fall into it. Vinager is safe to use as long as its rinsed well before use...I do kow lots of folks that use a vinegar solution andpaper towels to wipe the outsides of their tanks....as long as its outside and not inside its fine.

 

[ophiura]

Bleach is commonly used as a cleaner in tanks...very dilute...but commonly used to bleach taht fake coral decor and plants. How do you think they stay clean? I've used it, but being paranoid, only in dilute concentrations with lots of rinsing and then a dose of dechlorinator in the final rinse. But don't have an issue.
But I wouldn't go through the hassle for filter pads