Hey all,
I built out a water change station using 2 side by side 55 gallon stock tanks located in the 'fish room' behind my display, shown here:
This picture doesn't show my magdrive pump hooked up on the lower left to move water from one area to another. The RO water goes into the first one on the right. By changing the valves, I can them pump RO water into the second tank, which I then add salt to. Thus, I keep a ready made reservoir of salt water and RO water for any needs that may arise! I have a plumbed in 40g breeder which I have drilled a bulkhead near the bottom, so I can just open that, drain the 40g breeder, and then turn the valve on to the system to add the new salt water. It's great, water changes take all of 15 minutes.
Now - for the problem!
When I built out this system, I chose these semi-opaque white tanks so that I can see the water level. Well, it still lets too much light in. Much to my dismay, I went to do water change yesterday and found that dinos had colonized the entirety of the inside of the tank. The wall of the tank which is exposed to ambient light from the main display has a nice furry wall of brown dinos.
Now, I know that step 1 is I am going to wrap the whole mixing station in blackout curtains. It doesn't need light, and this would prevent further outbreaks. However, I am wondering about sterilizing the tank. What would anyone recommend for this to eradicate the current colonization, but also wouldn't introduce harmful chemicals into the system later during water changes? Bleach would be too risky, in my opinion. Muritiatic acid would probably kill it, and with a good rinse out or two, wouldn't have much long lasting harm? Or, would you just do blackout curtains and assume they die off and can't regrow?
Thanks!
I built out a water change station using 2 side by side 55 gallon stock tanks located in the 'fish room' behind my display, shown here:
This picture doesn't show my magdrive pump hooked up on the lower left to move water from one area to another. The RO water goes into the first one on the right. By changing the valves, I can them pump RO water into the second tank, which I then add salt to. Thus, I keep a ready made reservoir of salt water and RO water for any needs that may arise! I have a plumbed in 40g breeder which I have drilled a bulkhead near the bottom, so I can just open that, drain the 40g breeder, and then turn the valve on to the system to add the new salt water. It's great, water changes take all of 15 minutes.
Now - for the problem!
When I built out this system, I chose these semi-opaque white tanks so that I can see the water level. Well, it still lets too much light in. Much to my dismay, I went to do water change yesterday and found that dinos had colonized the entirety of the inside of the tank. The wall of the tank which is exposed to ambient light from the main display has a nice furry wall of brown dinos.
Now, I know that step 1 is I am going to wrap the whole mixing station in blackout curtains. It doesn't need light, and this would prevent further outbreaks. However, I am wondering about sterilizing the tank. What would anyone recommend for this to eradicate the current colonization, but also wouldn't introduce harmful chemicals into the system later during water changes? Bleach would be too risky, in my opinion. Muritiatic acid would probably kill it, and with a good rinse out or two, wouldn't have much long lasting harm? Or, would you just do blackout curtains and assume they die off and can't regrow?
Thanks!
