Sterilizing Equipment?

[Kasey Grohowski]

If I were to take a powerhead out of a tank that had disease and let it dry, how long until it would be completely sterile? Thank you.

 

[dbl]

You could also give it a vinegar bath while it's out of the tank. Let is soak for a day, then give it a good cleaning. Let it dry for a day or two and you should be good to go.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

You could also give it a vinegar bath while it's out of the tank. Let is soak for a day, then give it a good cleaning. Let it dry for a day or two and you should be good to go.

Say if equipment was sitting out for a week dry, would everything have died?

 

[bluprntguy]

Say if equipment was sitting out for a week dry, would everything have died?

It just has to dry entirely to kill the things you are worried about. The problem with powerheads is there are lots of little crevices where water can get stuck and it may take some time to dry completely. I usually put equipment like that in the hottest water that I can get out of my tap, let it sit for at least 30 minutes, then let it dry as thoroughly as possible.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I'd second the vinegar bath. The acid will kill the undesirables while also thoroughly cleaning your powerhead back to its brand new shine. I'd recommend 8-24 hours, any more than 24 hours and if there are any rubber seals or gaskets it might affect them.

 

[PatW]

Most of the more infamous fish diseases are caused by protists which are eukaryotes. I would think that a short exposure to fresh water and drying would be enough to destroy them. But putting the equipment into hot fresh water will not hurt anything. You could also soak the equipment in fresh water with a little bleach. Bleach tends to kill microbes. After the bleach treatment, rinse thoroughly in fresh water and dry.