Using Bleach (NaClO) in a reef tank

FFJB · Oct 15, 2018

Dj City said:
I know this thread is kind of old but I'm looking for help.

I have a 15gallon column display tank with a hob refugium.
I probably have 15 gallons total water volume or close to it.

How much bleach should I use in a tank so small?

Use regular old fashioned chlorox. Formula is .003/.06* tank volume. So you say it's a 15 gallon nano but water volume might not be that much.

Dj City · Oct 15, 2018

Tank plus hob fuge minus displacement from rock and sand = about 15 gallons total water volume.
When it comes to dosing and figuring out hope much, math sucks!
That's why I asked what the dosage would be for my tank.
I would start at half dose and go from there as long as I know what the max dose is.

FFJB · Oct 15, 2018

Dj City said:
Tank plus hob fuge minus displacement from rock and sand = about 15 gallons total water volume.
When it comes to dosing and figuring out hope much, math sucks!
That's why I asked what the dosage would be for my tank.
I would start at half dose and go from there as long as I know what the max dose is.

Dose would be .75 ml. Once in the am. Second one 12 hours or so later. I dose in my sump in the return section. I wouldn't do half does as it won't work correctly. Just my cents.

rossco · Oct 15, 2018

Nevermind

Dj City · Oct 15, 2018

How much would I dose for 110gallons?

I appreciate the help.

I have two tanks with dinos.
Nano has that stringy long dino and the larger tank has the matt dinos on the sand.

If this bleach thing works, I'm willing to give it a try but will have large amounts of fresh made saltwater available in case it goes bad.

FFJB · Oct 15, 2018

Dj City said:
How much would I dose for 110gallons?

I appreciate the help.

5.5 ml. Again. Once in am. Again about 12 hours later.

Dj City · Oct 15, 2018

I can't say I'm not terrified to try this.
I killed my sailfin tang by adding hydrogen peroxide.
It was weird. Everyone else was fine but it really did a number on my sailfin. He went to the bottom of the tank breathing really hard.
I moved him into another tank but he did not recover.

FFJB · Oct 15, 2018

Dj City said:
I can't say I'm not terrified to try this.
I killed my sailfin tang by adding hydrogen peroxide.
It was weird. Everyone else was fine but it really did a number on my sailfin. He went to the bottom of the tank breathing really hard.
I moved him into another tank but he did not recover.

I've had no fish ever pass from doing this. Had corals that died from dino. It was my last attempt to fix. Hopefully it works for you. Takes about 5 days to see great results.

Dj City · Oct 17, 2018

FFJB said:
5.5 ml. Again. Once in am. Again about 12 hours later.

I want to be certain I understand.

Is that 5.5ml once in the am and another 5.5ml again in the evening for a total of 11ml for the day...
Or is it 2.75 once in the am and another 2.75 again in the evening for a total of 5.5ml for the day?

I want to be sure before I start this.

Dj City · Oct 17, 2018

Also,
I have a b.t.a. and a large carpet anemone plus a few hermit crabs and a giant turbo snail.
Any effects to these guys?

FFJB · Oct 17, 2018

Dj City said:
I want to be certain I understand.

Is that 5.5ml once in the am and another 5.5ml again in the evening for a total of 11ml for the day...
Or is it 2.75 once in the am and another 2.75 again in the evening for a total of 5.5ml for the day?

I want to be sure before I start this.

5.5 each time. Bleach dissipates quickly. If you've ever dosed hydrogen peroxide your softies will react the same way with bleach. SPS love it

Dj City · Oct 17, 2018

Thank you!

Did hydrogen peroxide before with no success against the dinos.
I did manage to kill my sailfin tang with peroxide.
No idea how it happened. Everything else in the tank was fine but it hit him HARD.
Maybe he swam up as I was spraying it in the tank and he got a direct dose. I don't know but whatever happened, he died within 45 minutes of the hydrogen peroxide dose.
I moved him into another tank but he could not recover.

FFJB · Oct 17, 2018

Dj City said:
Thank you!

Did hydrogen peroxide before with no success against the dinos.
I did manage to kill my sailfin tang with peroxide.
No idea how it happened. Everything else in the tank was fine but it hit him HARD.
Maybe he swam up as I was spraying it in the tank and he got a direct dose. I don't know but whatever happened, he died within 45 minutes of the hydrogen peroxide dose.
I moved him into another tank but he could not recover.

Sorry to hear that. I dose in my sump do I've never had any issues

Dj City · Oct 18, 2018

I just added 5.5ml bleach to the 110 gallon and my lionfish looks ready to kick the bucket.
Breathing HARD and drifting. Other fish breathing hard too.

Dj City · Oct 18, 2018

I just dumped prime in the tank to try to counter the bleach.

Is the breathing hard thing normal?

FFJB · Oct 18, 2018

Dj City said:
I just dumped prime in the tank to try to counter the bleach.

Is the breathing hard thing normal?

I've never experienced any issues with bleach and fish . It's why I always ask water volume . Can't base it off tank size. Have to take out for rock etc. My tank is a 125 plus a 40 gallon sump. I estimate water volume at 125. Probably should estimate it at 100 if I'm being real. I dose 14 ml daily. No issues.