Habitat - Indoor :: A Thorough Cleaning

[tmnt1138]

So now that my turtles are recovering from tapeworms I need a bit of help on how to going about thoroughly cleaning my tank and filters to prevent this from happening again and to kill any eggs and worms there might be. People suggested bleach but I have a large tank and think it might be a little hard to rinse out properly. Would boiling water work? Also, am i going to need to cycle the tank again? Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


the tank is L48" W15" H30"

i have 2 filstar XP3 filter

once again, i'd really appreciate some help

thanx

[megcornell]

I'd use bleach. You really don't want to risk those tape worms coming back. Use a very dilute solution, about 2oz. bleach diluted in a gallon of water. And bleach everything that's in the tank. Then rinse it very well and let it air dry for a few hours, preferably overnight.

You could also check with your vet about the best way to kill the worms. He or she would know more about the specifics that the worms can't survive. Maybe just boiling water will do the trick.

[TheComputerGremlin]

I'd use bleach, whether my vet said to or not. And I'd probably get rid of all of my filter media, bleach the filter and tubing, and replace all of the media, just in case. After all, the cost and time/effort of replacing and cleaning everything would outweigh another trip to the vet.

Once you have completely soaked everything in bleach, let it air dry (pat dry any bottom corners) overnight and carefully inspect the tank the next morning for any remaining puddles. Everything has to be completely dry. Then add your water, maybe a little extra dechlorinator, and it should be fine.

[mikee]

I would be carefull with boiling water and your tank. It is a very good way to crack the glass. Bleach and a good drying "should" do. The idea of checking with the vet would be a good idea.

[octpusgirl8]

Unfortunately you will have to cyle the tank again, you don't want to keep the old bio media and risk re-introducing tapeworms. Mikee's right about boiling water cracking the glass, don't risk it. Make sure to wash everything with a dilute bleach solution, rinse it all really well, and let it all air dry completely. Make sure you don't smell any bleach when you set everything up again. You can get various additives in powder or liquid form to help jump start you bio filter once you get things up and running again. It's going to be a big hassle, but it's better than a turtle with worms!