Using Bleach (NaClO) in a reef tank

[edosan]

So your basically using Clorox or something similar. I've got a 560 gallon reef that's full of tangs that are going through a bad outbreak. There's no way I can tear it down I'm just looking for a way to let them build immunity. I picked up a bottle of Clorox bleach but it doesn't have a percent on if. What kind are you guys using. I'd like to give this a try. I know it's risky but I know my reef and I'll go easy.

Yup, traditional Clorox 5%
I had velvet before, and in 2 weeks after I found it in fishes, of about 30 fishes, 1 survive after 2 weeks.

One of my tanks have ich, but ich do nothing in good health fishes. Like 2 months ago I add a small about 1 inch Red Ruby Scooter without Q (Yeah very stupid). 3 days after I found it dead in a wavemaker, and 2 month later, a velvet atack (that was 3 weeks ago I started to notice it was no ich). 2 weeks ago I found my copperband death (It was easy to identify the breathing problems).

So one week ago, and after finish a Fluconazole treatment for Bryopsis, make a large water change and heavy AC for 3 days, I started dosing Bleach to my main display (Heavy stocked with Corals: SPS 70%, LPS 20% soft 10%, ricordeas and bounce mushroom mainly, Fishes like 13 tangs, 1 Snowflake eel, triggers, clowns, Bangaiis, etc. Shrims Cleaners and Fire, snails, and so on).

I decided to start again in that tank since my favorite tang (Leuco) was heavy afected, and not eating, so I took him out (Is like he put himselft in the net!), and put it in an Hospital tank and treat him with Cupramine. I was almost sure that in 1 or 2 days I was going to loose it, and after 4 days it looks like is recovering.

Back to the main display: So I am dosing bleach again, corals are good, and fishes too. To my surprice now is like freeze, no more dies, and all is looking better. Is too soon to tell but I notice all things are good. And velvet is not progressing as I know it does if you leave it alone.

 

[Cabinetman]

So do you think it is worth a try to slow down the ich in my system? So if my math is right I could dose around 30mil twice a day?

 

[edosan]

So do you think it is worth a try to slow down the ich in my system? So if my math is right I could dose around 30mil twice a day?

I do, but start half and go up from there...and keep watching the tank for at least half hour (remember that 1ml per 100lt is max dosage)
If is ich only, no swet, is velvet the big problem.
Good Luck!

 

[Cabinetman]

Thanks! Ick is a problem with 2 powder blues and an Achilles lol. But nothing like velvet

 

[Cabinetman]

So would this be anything like dosing h2o2?

 

[edosan]

Thanks! Ick is a problem with 2 powder blues and an Achilles lol. But nothing like velvet

Visual usually, if you feed them good, is rare that afect them in a bad way, heavy breathing and when the tangs stay close to the wavemaker is a good indicator that there is a problem. Of course scratching, but ich in the gills cause more damage.

Or even less than half dose, and not all at once (I did loose a coral for dosing to fast in the past)
In your case I will start 10ml in the morning and 10 ml in the evening, and go up from there.

 

[edosan]

So would this be anything like dosing h2o2?

Much more agressive than H2O2 I belive, Bleach it has more oxidant power. (and more toxic too)

 

[Cabinetman]

Ok. I'll keep you guys posted. My tank is infested bad right now. And no time or place to qt so I hope this helps

 

[edosan]

Remember that specially ich have a cycle (something like 3 to 5 days visible in fishes, and then like 2 weeks invisible) so when the white dots dissapear it means nothing, keep bleaching !

 

[Cabinetman]

I know them all to well. i think I've read everything there is to read about these little suckers. I thought I had them beat when I set up the 560. Fish all qtd and 3 weeks in they showed up and now they are rampant. I know they usually don't kill but Achilles and powder blues are hit hard. They might actually die if I don't do something. And when they are in full bloom they infect the stronger fish. If I could catch the problem fish I'd be golden. But that's a tough one...

 

[edosan]

Yeah I know, My Leuco = Powder Blue is the one I tookit out, good thing he was fat and healthy before velvet attach him. He was so affected, that I tookit easy with the net (imposible mission if not affected) Today in the morning I saw improvement, instead of staying in the buttom he was swimming arround the hospital tank (60lt). As soon as he recover (at least 2 weeks with cupramine) is going to a 150g tank. (I also try CF, but cupramine works better and easier IME)

If you ask me QT shoud be at least 1 month, and Ideal 2 months. With heavy feeding. Sometimes everything looks normal and BAM. I did do no fishes (Fallow) for almost 3 months! a few years ago. I have try everything! (I Have 6 tanks! and if you add QT and HT are 8!) Take out the fishes on my DT is not an option, corals will suffer too much. But with Bleach...well I have to try, and so far so good.

 

[Cabinetman]

So I added right around 15ml. My system is quite large. 560 gallon tank. 125 sump 40g frag tank 40 gallon cheato. I dosed it slow around a ml a min or so. Then watched for 15 or so mins. Nothing out of the ordinary other than my sohal who's infected pretty bad seamed to darken up a bit. Coral all stayed open and other fish kept eating and grazing away. I'll do my next dose at around 11 when my main lights go out. If the ich goes away doing this it will be because of the bleach cause from experience I know powder blues and Achilles don't clear up on there own. I'll know in a week but I'll keep updating this thread as it goes.

 

[edosan]

Keep us posted!

 

[Cabinetman]

Just thinking about all this. I'm guessing that the Chrorox dissipates after initial dosing. I wonder if the levels were maintained throughout the day with smaller more frequent doses if it would be more effective against ich. Anyway. If I see improvements I'll have to cautiously
Test...on a day that I can pretty much watch the tank all day

 

[edosan]

Not quite sure, but it will depend on several factors. My guess (I have not test it) is that the Chlorine will be there just a few minutes, due the organics in the tank. Probably no more than 5 to 10 minutes. Longer exposure might (or not) be dangerous probably.

But is easy to check with a Chlorine test. Also this will affect the swimming stage only, to affect the eggs you need a concentration that will kill everything probably. (Bleach is used to decap brine shrimp eggs, among other things)

 

[Cabinetman]

Well first things first. I'll know after 4-7 days if this is helping. If it is i will go from there.

 

[Cabinetman]

Got home from work and I can't believe how good the coral looks. My euphillia is huge! It seams to be having positive effect on coral. Go figure

 

[edosan]

Yup, that is mentioned several time in "Bleachers" (me too)
If you have bubble coral, checkit...sometimes it grows huge!
Acros slime and then amazing polyp extention.

I believe Bleach also neutralice some coral toxins (palytoxin for example) from some soft corals

 

[Cabinetman]

Update. So I dosed 30ml this morning and no ill effects that I can see but I do see the start of some cyano. To early to tell if it's having any effects on the ich. The powder blue looks better because a bunch of the spots fell off but now to see if there's a new batch to replace them. The next few days are going to be interesting. I know from what I've seen even if it doesn't help with the ich I think I'll still dose this some as it seams to have a positive effect on the coral.

 

[Cabinetman]

So here's an update. So last night I dosed 30 ml no problems that I can see. This morning I increased the dose to 35ml as my actual water quantity is likeky 600 gallons. So far the only noticeable difference is some of the green algae I have on rocks is starting to die and the ich seams to be clearing up. My small powder blue was near death and just coated. Now it only has a few spots left. There's been enough hatchs now that there should be new hatches every day now too so this is promising. Risky stuff but could save my fish so it's worth it. More updates to come as the days go on. I plan on holding my dose at 35 ml