How to STERILIZE a SICK Aquarium | CHEAP and EASY

Hey everyone. Some bad news out of the fish room this week. But it does give us an opportunity to share some more fishkeeping tips. Today we're going to discuss how to sterilize a diseased fish tank, so that you can be sure the illness will never come back for your fish.

[@andikarasyids]

I followed your guide. It worked. Thanks! The fish is fine!

[@fishrfriends]

Great advice!

[@reneesnugent3358]

Do you run your hob or sponge filter while you're doing this treatment? Or just throw them in also ? Do you know if you can keep your aeration tubing ?

[@Riffwaters]

Hi. Yes I did keep the HOB and airlines running during, to reset everything back to square one.

[@sheilaedmonds5306]

What to do with plants?

[@aghosh5285]

Wouldn't you achieve the same results with pottasium permanganate? Plus changing of colour would indicate the death of germs.

[@Riffwaters]

Yes you could! But I find salt to be easier/safer to use, more accessible to purchase, and cheaper. You are correct that either could accomplish the same task, though, and the PP has it's own unique benefits.

[@guadaguppy4798]

You did not mention what parasite was present in the tank. yes your way would work. But if it were me . . id remove the fish. then bump up the temps to 84 to 86 and let the parasite speed up its life cycles. any adults moving about will starve to death without any hosts present. i will let the tank stay like this for 2 to 3 weeks so any eggs/cysts that hatch will also have no host to feed on and eventually they will die. the Higher temps will speed up metabolism so it will speed up the process. This way i keep the tank cycled so i can reuse it again. to be super sure just extend longer to a month

[@Riffwaters]

This way also ensure viruses, bacteria, and long-lived parasites/cysts are destroyed. Leaving the tank empty for a few weeks, even if warmer, doesnt achieve the same level of certainty. This method is used in situations where others haven't worked, or when you want to be absolutely certain it's gone.

[@sophiaschneider4680]

I didn’t want to do this because of my plants but I would rather just sterilize the plants somewhere else and then when the water is diluted enough I’ll add the plants back

[@vasili1207]

honestly if there is no fish.... safest and cheapest is to use boiling water.