Bleach "gassing off" after sterilizing equipment?

[DoctaReef]

Hi chemist friends-
In the Tank Transfer Method, it often states to use bleach to sterilize the equipment, rinse well, then let dry to let the residual bleach gas off.

I've taken a decent amount of chemistry, but I don't remember how this occurs, or how long it takes to do so.

My question is, once a piece of equipment is washed in bleach rinsed and dried, how long does it need to sit for before the equipment is safe to use again?

Thanks!

 

[lapin]

There is really a not a set time. When you can not smell it, it is done gassing off in my ipinion. If you have rinsed as much bleach off as you can and let it dry,whats left should gas off in an hour.
I use the TTM. I do not use bleach. A good sponge cleaning the tank and letting it dry for 24 hrs in the sun is good enough. I only use PVC pieces + airline/stone in my QT tanks. I toss the stone and short piece of airline each transfer. Clean the rest in tap water and let dry 24hrs.

Bleach; sodium hypochlorate decomposes at 101C into oxygen and sodium chloride

 

[Dkeller_nc]

Personally, my opinion is that if you can smell bleach, then you haven't rinsed the piece of equipment well enough.

To be more specific about this, you'll want to consider what you're bleaching. If it's just a glass tank, thorough rinsing with tap water should be more than sufficient to completely remove all bleach, since the surfaces aren't absorbent. OTOH, you will want to simply throw away an airstone - while you can in theory soak the airstone after bleach long enough to get any residual bleach to diffuse out of the small pores, it's just not worth risk when a 6-pack of airstones is $2 at a local Petco.

 

[DoctaReef]

There is really a not a set time. When you can not smell it, it is done gassing off in my ipinion. If you have rinsed as much bleach off as you can and let it dry,whats left should gas off in an hour.
I use the TTM. I do not use bleach. A good sponge cleaning the tank and letting it dry for 24 hrs in the sun is good enough. I only use PVC pieces + airline/stone in my QT tanks. I toss the stone and short piece of airline each transfer. Clean the rest in tap water and let dry 24hrs.

Bleach; sodium hypochlorate decomposes at 101C into oxygen and sodium chloride

I was thinking the same about using bleach for TTM. H2O2 was suggested as an alternative, but I was wondering if a good soak of the equipment in RODI water would kill the organisms due to the osmolarity difference.

Agree with you on tossing the airstone and airline.

 

[DoctaReef]

Personally, my opinion is that if you can smell bleach, then you haven't rinsed the piece of equipment well enough.

To be more specific about this, you'll want to consider what you're bleaching. If it's just a glass tank, thorough rinsing with tap water should be more than sufficient to completely remove all bleach, since the surfaces aren't absorbent. OTOH, you will want to simply throw away an airstone - while you can in theory soak the airstone after bleach long enough to get any residual bleach to diffuse out of the small pores, it's just not worth risk when a 6-pack of airstones is $2 at a local Petco.

Completely agree with you on tossing the airstone and tubing! All the surfaces are glass and plastic...

 

[shred5]

It does not take long. If it is dry I use it..

Just make sure it is not thickened or scented bleach.

I used to used to soak my breeding supplies in dechlorinator first but now I just rinse well and once they are dry I just use them.

With rock when I bleach it, I rinse really well and soak in dechlorinator and then rinse again and let dry a long time.

 

[PatW]

The critters that the reef transfer method works on are all protists, single called eukaryotes, and marine ones at that. I think just rinsing things out in fresh water will kill them and drying is even better. The pathogens that bleach will get will be bacteria and fungi. So if you are a bit OCD, which is a good thing in a reefer, you could use bleach. After bleach, I rinse with water until I can no longer smell it and then I let it air dry.

 

[DoctaReef]

The critters that the reef transfer method works on are all protists, single called eukaryotes, and marine ones at that. I think just rinsing things out in fresh water will kill them and drying is even better. The pathogens that bleach will get will be bacteria and fungi. So if you are a bit OCD, which is a good thing in a reefer, you could use bleach. After bleach, I rinse with water until I can no longer smell it and then I let it air dry.

That was my thought too I cant imagine they could tolerate even a few minutes in fresh water, let alone RODI.

 

[Dkeller_nc]

The critters that the reef transfer method works on are all protists, single called eukaryotes, and marine ones at that. I think just rinsing things out in fresh water will kill them and drying is even better. The pathogens that bleach will get will be bacteria and fungi. So if you are a bit OCD, which is a good thing in a reefer, you could use bleach. After bleach, I rinse with water until I can no longer smell it and then I let it air dry.

Actually, guys, this likely isn't true for the tomonts of cryptocaryon irritans (i.e., the encysted stage). Low salinity will kill the theronts and trophonts (the free swimming stages), which is why hyposalinity treatment works. It does appear to be the case that the tomonts cannot tolerate dessication (or sanitation with bleach or hydrogen peroxide), however, which is why you can re-use equipment with the TTM method as long as it's dried and/or sanitized between uses.