Sanitizing Reef Tank

[NShirke]

2021 was a disastrous year for my fowler tank. Usually I'm good with quarantining a new fish; in 2021 I was a bit reckless. W/o proper medication & quarantine process, I dropped that fish in my main display 90G tank. Boom, a few weeks later all my fish were sick with ick & Uronema. The fish I bought was visibly healthy w/o any signs of stress or disease.

By the time I caught the infection, it was already too late. I lost all my fish. Anyways that was last year, it's a new beginning.

I thought of giving up my 90gal Fowler & focus on my 40G breeder tank for reef. However, a thought ran my mind that I've spent my time/money and effort on my fowler tank. So, I'm thinking to reboot.

Before reboot, I would like to sanitize the tank. I can cure the rock with bleach for two weeks. Can I pour bleach in the tank? I've heard uronema requires only wet surface to stay alive indefinitely. Would bleach cause any issue to the silicon? If I add bleach, I'm assuming I would have to add dechlorinator to make sure bleach is remove from the tank, right?

Any help would be super helpful...

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I will let more knowledgeable members answer your question about how to best sterilize the rock, but will say that if you use bleach, use the regular, unscented, non-concentrated kind (and don't get the "splashless" variety.)

As far as the tank, a 10:1 water:bleach solution will be fine and won't harm the silicone. Afterward, once you've rinsed the tank out with water, there is no need for dechlorinator... chlorine dissipates within 24 hours after being exposed to light and air. (That's why bleach isn't sold in transparent/translucent containers).

Good luck

 

[GobyGuy]

I’d be afraid of the bleach leaching deeper than the dechlorinator reached in the rock
Interested to see rock cleaning methods