# How do a clean a tank after velvet wipeout?



## fatfatfish

I recently had all my fish die..sucky....but I just found out it was velvet. I thought it was ich, but found out it was velvet. I was not familar with velvet when it happened, and didn't know that the gold metallic dust on them was that. 
My question now is what do I do with the tank to clean it?
I will be getting more fish, at some point...but can I just let the tank run on its own for 2 or 3 weeks and I will be safe because the velvet won't have a host and will die?
Or do I need to do a massive cleaning with bleach (or something less harsh???)
I also have a biowheel, do I need to do anything with that?
Should I do any water changes? Or possibly let it run with some medication in it like coppersafe or malachite green to help extra to kill that velvet?
Thank you ahead of time!


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## hvc801

Medication would probably be your best bet. Do Not use any house-hold chemicals, such as bleach in a fish tank. You should probably never use that, if you are planning to clean out the water maybe some medication, or just try a little aquarium salt and raise up the tempurature a bit to about 80 degrees.


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## emc7

Pure chlorine bleach actually is fairly safe. Because you can remove it completely with dechorinater and you can detect residue with a pH or chlorine test kit. It may damage plastic plants and decor, but it will kill most everything on glass, gravel, stone and still disappear completely. Its an aggressive solution, but worth it to defeat a disease that has killed all the fish in a tank.

80 and a little salt is kind of mild. Maybe 100 and seawater salinity might do it. This tank has *no fish* so its okay to nuke it.


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## jones57742

emc7 said:


> Pure chlorine bleach actually is fairly safe. Because you can remove it completely with dechorinater and you can detect residue with a pH or chlorine test kit.
> 
> ... and a little salt is kind of mild. Maybe 100 and seawater salinity might do it. This tank has *no fish* so its okay to nuke it.


Ditto: emc but with minor revisions.

0) Discard your filtration media but keep your filter running during the following;
1) One warm water mild chlorine solution with a 48 hour contact time;
2) Scrub walls and rinse other features with a maximum warm water dissolved saline concentration to which additional salt has been added;
3) Another warm water mild chlorine solution with a 48 hour contact time;
4) Rinse several times; and
5) Fill the tank with water and add Seachem prime until no chlorine is observed.

Your tank should look like brand spanking new.

Add new filtration media and start the cycle.

TR


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## emc7

Wow salt and chlorine twice. I would have used 1 cup of bleach per gallon once (24 hrs on) and then let totally dry before refilling w/dechlor. 

But you get the idea. Kill everything and start like a brand new tank.


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## hvc801

Yes, that makes better sense. No fish.. No worry, just nuke everything. lol


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## fatfatfish

yes, the more ive researched velvet the more fearful I am about just doing that 'let it sit for three weeks and it _should_ kill everything"
Thank you for the additional details about how to actual clean it with chloriine. I have been looking over the internet all morning for specific directions and hadn't found any. Glad I finally checked back here!

My only questions I have left are with my biowheel. I know you said to take out the filtration media, I can do that..but what about the bio wheel? Should I let that run in the tank while I do the bleach nuking?

Also, you said 'with a maximum warm water saline solution" for decorations or things like that...what is a maximum warm water saline solution? Is that just like, a whole boatload of salt ?


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## emc7

I would leave the biowheel in when you bleach it. It will be like new, and you have to recycle. But its safer that way. Maybe 1 cup is more than you need a 1/4 cup per gallon might do it.


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## jones57742

emc7 said:


> Wow salt and chlorine twice. I would have used 1 cup of bleach per gallon once (24 hrs on) and then let totally dry before refilling w/dechlor.
> 
> But you get the idea. Kill everything and start like a brand new tank.


emc: I know that I am very conservative in my thinking but what is the cost of one very nice GN pleco juvie?

I have only been there once but what I described was my algorithm.

My concern with your algorithm was the effect of the concentration.





fatfatfish said:


> Also, you said 'with a maximum warm water saline solution" for decorations or things like that...what is a maximum warm water saline solution? Is that just like, a whole boatload of salt ?


fff: I said something wrong.

The "decorations or things like that" must be soaked in a mild chlorine solution also.

The salt performs two functions:
Chlorine, in spite of the literature, will not remove all pathogens but the salt will remove most of the remainder.
The supersaturation will provide free salt granules which are mild abrasives.

Do not just dump a ton of salt into your tank which is filled with warm water. The large jugs of salt are very inexpensive (if nothing else get a 5G bag of ice cream salt). Dump a few pounds into the tank and stir. Probably some salt will not be in solution. These free salt granules form the mild abrasive which clean the walls and decorations with scrubbing.

TR


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## emc7

I don't doubt that salt works well. I was afraid you'd have trouble washing it all out. But I guess thats what the second bleaching is for. I did bleach a tank once. I poured in bleach until I couldn't stand the smell and had to leave the room. I let in run all day and then did what i described (drain, let it dry out until all the gravel was dry). The disease didn't recur. I still don't know what is was, but i was sure I didn't want it back.


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## fatfatfish

well I did everything...bleach/salt...bleach/salt....
i rinsed everything very well, repeatedly. Well I refilled it with water and tested it for chlorine and it said there wasn't any..but I added dechlorinator anyway. And my problem is it still smells like bleach. Not a very strong smell..but you can very much still smell it if you stick your head in and sniff near the water. I added a double dose of dechlorinator and it still smells. Is this normal? I am letting it run with the tank lid open so it can air itself out as well. If it still smells should I clean it again.?..although I don't know how much more I could clean it...


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## emc7

Let it run. The bleach should evaporate. Check the pH if you can. residue bleach should make in alkaline.


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## Obsidian

Ditto emc. I would not worry about the smell, even if you just let it sit out chlorine will eventually evap out. Just let the tank run as is and it will be fine. After several days of it running as is you can start to cycle it. The smell should go away over the next day or so.


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## jones57742

fff:

Please excuse me but I have been out of pocket for several days.

Are you using Seachem Prime as the dechlorinate?

TR


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## COM

I would recommend that you replace the BioWheel. They are made out of a paper-like fiber (possibly even paper) and the bleach may cause it to break down significantly causing it to disintegrate in your tank. Plus, the only reason that you are not supposed to replace BioWheels is to maintain the bacterial cultures. The chlorine in the bleach will wipe those out anyway. Might as well go for a clean start and culture some bacteria from another tank or a store-bought source.


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