How to Sanitize an Aquarium

Sanitizing an aquarium kills germs, organisms and fungi that regular aquarium cleaning fails to eradicate. Most often the need to sanitize results from poor aquarium management practices, such as overfeeding or introducing fish that have not been properly quarantined beforehand.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Use the Salt Treatment

1. Remove all live animals from the aquarium and place them in a quarantine or hospital tank to determine their health status. They should remain in quarantine for at least 2 weeks. Add another 2 weeks to the quarantine if any fish becomes sick during quarantine.

2. Drain the water from the aquarium.

3. Remove the sand or gravel and rinse it until the water running off is clear. Don't forget to stir the gravel as you rinse it. A large bucket or tub makes a good container.

4. Make a solution of at least ¼ cup of salt per gallon of water.

5. Cover the gravel with the saltwater and stir the sand, making sure that all the sand gets stirred.

Use the Bleach Treatment

6. Make a solution of ¼ cup bleach for each gallon of water.

7. Pour the bleach solution over the gravel and agitate the solution, letting it then stand for about 5 minutes.

8. Rinse the sand with running water for about 5 minutes.

9. Repeat this process for the aquarium as well as the filter items, plastic plants and any other items that were in the aquarium.

10. Fill the aquarium with water and place all the items in the aquarium.

11. Treat the aquarium with a chlorine-remover at twice the recommended rate and let the aquarium stand overnight.

Tips & Warnings

• Tips when sanitizing the aquarium, use a sponge to clean the inside of the tank, being sure to clean up under the top lip of the tank.
• Do not use detergents or household cleaners to sanitize an aquarium. Sanitize the gravel and everything else that was in the aquarium, such as filters, air tubing and plastic plants. Live plants must be discarded.