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Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 9:11 pm
by MikiE
I'm setting up a new tank and wanna reuse some old sand. What's the best way to disinfect it without nuking the beneficial bacteria? Got a 20 gallon with some Corydoras planned.
Re: Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 10:01 pm
by cleverkit
Boiling's the classic move, but it'll kill everything, good and bad. If you're trying to keep some bacteria, maybe rinse it with dechlorinated water and let it dry in the sun for a day or two. Worked for my 40 gallon last year.
Re: Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 10:33 pm
by darktank
Sun drying sounds sketchy to me. I'd go with a bleach dip, 10:1 water to bleach ratio, then rinse like crazy and soak in Prime for a few hours. Did that with my 55 gallon's sand, no issues.
Re: Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 11:08 pm
by Lancer
darktank wrote: ↑Tue Jul 29, 2025 10:33 pm
Sun drying sounds sketchy to me. I'd go with a bleach dip, 10:1 water to bleach ratio, then rinse like crazy and soak in Prime for a few hours. Did that with my 55 gallon's sand, no issues.
Bleach is risky if you don't rinse thoroughly. I'd double the soaking time in Prime to be safe, maybe 24 hours. Test for residual chlorine before adding it back.
Re: Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 11:51 pm
by southpaw1
Why not just buy new sand? It's cheap, and you avoid the hassle. I've seen too many tanks crash from leftover bleach or pathogens. Not worth the risk for a 20 gallon.
Re: Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 12:16 am
by tinylux9
Reusing sand can be fine if you're careful. I've had success with hydrogen peroxide, 3% solution, soak for an hour, then rinse well. It breaks down into water and oxygen, so no lingering chemicals. Used it in my shrimp tank with no problems.
Re: Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 12:43 am
by findroute
tinylux9 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 30, 2025 12:16 am
Reusing sand can be fine if you're careful. I've had success with hydrogen peroxide, 3% solution, soak for an hour, then rinse well. It breaks down into water and oxygen, so no lingering chemicals. Used it in my shrimp tank with no problems.
Yep, hydrogen peroxide's my go-to too. Just make sure it's the plain kind, no additives. Works like a charm and doesn't leave residue.
Re: Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 1:06 am
by MikiE
Thanks for the tips, everyone. Gonna try the hydrogen peroxide method and double rinse. Appreciate the help!
Re: Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 1:42 am
by timebeat
If you're gonna reuse sand, maybe toss it in a mesh bag and run it under hot tap water for a while. Not as thorough as chemicals, but it's a quick fix if you're in a hurry.
Re: Disinfecting aquarium sand
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2025 2:26 am
by pallid
I just baked my sand at 200°F for an hour. Killed everything, but it was sterile. Had to cycle the tank from scratch, though.