Nuking a Tank

[LadyVictorian]

For anyone who has kept up to date with me you'll know my ADF Bilbo has Chystrid Fungus. Unfortunately he lived with my Betta Aquarius and so now I am told in order to make the tank safe again for any frog if ever I want another one after Bilbo dies I have to nuke my tank. I have already tossed my entire filter which was starting to crap out today anyways and I am going to start pulling out the gravel and throwing it away along with the live plant I have. How would I go about cleaning all the stuff I'm not throwing out? So far I have gotten to clean it with steaming hot water then let it sit out to dry for two days to make sure all the spores are dead and gone then QT my betta three months before getting a new frog. Has anyone ever nuked a tank before and if so what works best?

[Leopardfire]

I read this on http://www.petlifeforms.com/chytrid.htm. Hope it helps. I'm really sorry about your frog.
"The aquarium and most accessories can be sterilized with a 10% bleach solution (use a 5% solution to avoid damaging acrylic tanks). Rinse very well. Dry them out completely and allow them to stay dry for at least 12 hours. Any non-frog tank mates such as fish, invertebrates or live plants need to be housed away from the frogs for 2 to 3 months. The plants could be properly disposed of instead. The gravel can be baked in an oven at 350 to 400°F for about an hour or so. The inner temp must reach near 200°F."

[babystarz]

Originally Posted by Leopardfire

I read this on http://www.petlifeforms.com/chytrid.htm. Hope it helps. I'm really sorry about your frog.
"The aquarium and most accessories can be sterilized with a 10% bleach solution (use a 5% solution to avoid damaging acrylic tanks). Rinse very well. Dry them out completely and allow them to stay dry for at least 12 hours. Any non-frog tank mates such as fish, invertebrates or live plants need to be housed away from the frogs for 2 to 3 months. The plants could be properly disposed of instead. The gravel can be baked in an oven at 350 to 400°F for about an hour or so. The inner temp must reach near 200°F."

This is all exactly what I would suggest, although if you've got natural rocks or sand you can go up to 500°F. Baking on a cookie sheet is a good way to do it, but wet rock can rust metal while baking, so line the cookie sheet with foil before putting anything on it.

The bleached tank and accessories should be left outside in a sunny spot for those 12 hours; the sun will break down any remaining bleach traces and render it harmless.

[LadyVictorian]

Bilbo might actually pull through this, I found a heat treatment that basically kills off the spores and fungus and so far it's working. He's eating again and more active. I'm not sure he's out of the woods yet though since we have to do this for six days straight. I hope Aquaman can last the 3 months qt away from Bilbo with his lovely tail in tact still. Half the reason I got Bilbo was because of Aquarius obsessively eating his tail until I added a tankmate then he stopped and became more interested in what the frog was doing and sleeping near him. Without him he has been bitting his tail again and pacing the tank and checking the caves so I wonder if he thinks his tankmate died or was eaten and is stressed out. I'm going to toss the gravel for sure and nuke both my tanks to be safe. I have a temp tank Aquarius can live in while I nuke his tank, might leave it to dry in the sun for two days as well to make sure ALL the bleach is gone then buy him new gravel and add him back to his tank to nuke Nix's (Since they share a gravel vac.) Then I can qt for three months and hopefully if Bilbo Froggins survives we can have a reunion for the two boys. Till then I have a temp tank for him to live in where I can easily monitor his food intake and make sure he gets nice and strong, and fat.

[Leopardfire]

Yay! I'm happy to hear that Bilbo is getting better. Hopefully he will make it and can rejoin your betta in a few months. In the meantime, your QT plans sound good.