Can someone please point me in the direction of the sterilizing/sanitizing collecting gear thread that I know is around here somewhere? I can't seem to find it. After a trip to my favorite local stream today, I was encouraged to see populations of certain fish on the increase, but was discouraged at a really nasty illness/parasite a few had. Seriously want to clean my dipnet, 4'x4' seine, thermometer, photo tank and collection buckets now. Will post some gross photos of this icthy-nastiness when I can convince my computer it does indeed know how to read my photo disc. Unless my 'puter has gone photodisc illiterate since this morning's post...
Thanks.
Nasty B Gone
Started by
mattknepley
, Sep 26 2013 12:15 PM
14 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 26 September 2013 - 12:27 PM
Can you use bleach? Or boiling water? I use boiling water for all my at-home stuff and bleach for everything when not at home, but I have no idea how other people do it. You can't beat dollar store 6% hypochlorite, though. Dilute it 1/6 and you've got quite a large volume for very little cost.
The near-boiling water at home is mostly because I don't like to open bleach indoors. It'll remove your sense of smell in just a few breaths, so it's best used outdoors.
Oh, and be careful with biofilms because the interior of the slimy mass might not have been sterilized.
The near-boiling water at home is mostly because I don't like to open bleach indoors. It'll remove your sense of smell in just a few breaths, so it's best used outdoors.
Oh, and be careful with biofilms because the interior of the slimy mass might not have been sterilized.
#3
littlen
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Posted 26 September 2013 - 01:19 PM
Aside from a bleach solution, Chlorhexidine is used in the industry to disinfect tools that are used in different systems to reduce cross-contamination. Although a commercial grade, 1 gallon bottle might not be worth the cost. It won't break the bank, but much more expensive than bleach.
Nick L.
#4
mattknepley
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Posted 26 September 2013 - 03:32 PM
Thank you for the ideas. Has anybody heard of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar being used together? How best to apply any of these things; spray bottles on the seine and dipnet, damp cloth on the others?
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#7
Guest_ashtonmj_*
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Posted 27 September 2013 - 08:23 AM
A minimum of 10 minute soaks in bleach, salt, Dawn, etc. are recommended for all porous materials. I don't know the various solution strengths off the top of my head. You can also purchase commercial grade things that are used in hospitals and hatcheries, like Virkon, but probably a little pricey for the weekend warrior. An air dry (complete dry) of a minimum of 48 hours can also be effective, but the aforementioned solutions are better.
#8
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 27 September 2013 - 08:30 AM
Thanks. How long we talkin' here, Erica?
Source: http://www.deh-inc.c...t To Bleach.pdfChlorine Bleach is another accepted liquid sterilizing agent. Household bleach consists of 5.25% sodium hypochlorite. It is usually diluted to 1:10 immediately before use; however to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis it should be diluted only 1:5, and 1:2.5 (1 part bleach and 1.5 parts water) to inactivate prions (it doesn’t kill prions, nuking them doesn’t kill them; they are indestructible like cockroaches). Bleach will kill many organisms immediately, but for full sterilization it should be allowed to react for 20 minutes. Bleach will kill many, but not all spores. It is also highly corrosive. Bleach decomposes over time when exposed to air, so fresh solutions should be made daily or before each use.
The author recommends 1:5 (1% sodium hypochlorite, starting from 5%) instead of 1:10 (0.5% sodium hypochlorite) because of mycobacterium.
There is a bacteria in the mycobacterium genus relevant to fish pathology: mycobacterium marinum. Also we deal with biofilms in our line of work. Slimes, plaques, things like that. They are more resistant to sterilization because the outer coating protects the inner coating from contact with the cleaning solution, so that's why I recommended a strong 1% in my post above. You'll find that dollar store bleaches are usually 6%. What dilution you use to get to 1% depends on your starting concentration.
#9
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 27 September 2013 - 08:40 AM
An air dry (complete dry) of a minimum of 48 hours can also be effective, but the aforementioned solutions are better.
My hydras survived an air dry. My cladophora algae did, too. So can some eggs, most spores, and a whole bunch of nasties. My best guess is that the water level isn't constant in the wild and a lot of the simpler creatures have adapted to become totally fine with drying out completely. I stopped doing 'dry means clean' a while ago because it kept failing me.
#10
Guest_sbtgrfan_*
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Posted 27 September 2013 - 09:50 AM
When I worked for the forest service, when we traveled to different states, we were required to clean/sanatize all of our gear to stop the transport of any living organisms from one area to another. Normally we used some type of crazy strong chemical (forget the name off the top of my head) that kills every living organism in comes in contact with (never wanted it to get on you). However, there was also a "protocol" that said that if we were air drying our gear for at least 5-7 days straight, there was no need to put the chemical on it because no living aquatic organism can live out of water that long.
#11
mattknepley
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Posted 27 September 2013 - 11:13 AM
Thanks again, folks. Most of the stuff is getting a bleach bath now. Erica, you'll be excited to know Dollar Store bleach is now 8.25%! 
The dipnet is going to get a pour over, as they say in the coffee world. That puppy just ain't going into any container I have outside, and no way am I doing a bleach bath in the tub. Wouldn't be able to go back in the house for months!
The dipnet is going to get a pour over, as they say in the coffee world. That puppy just ain't going into any container I have outside, and no way am I doing a bleach bath in the tub. Wouldn't be able to go back in the house for months!
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#12
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 27 September 2013 - 11:23 AM
Bacteria can. Cysts can. Spores can.However, there was also a "protocol" that said that if we were air drying our gear for at least 5-7 days straight, there was no need to put the chemical on it because no living aquatic organism can live out of water that long.
Think about brine shrimp as an example. Can adult brine shrimp survive drying? No. But their egg cysts can. Similarly, pathogenic fungi and bacteria can enter dormant stages where they are able to survive drying. Vernal pools are an example of an environment where being able to survive drying would give a survival advantage, and can select for a dry-surviving strain.
#13
Guest_Rainbowrunner_*
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Posted 27 September 2013 - 10:35 PM
i found potassium permaganate to leave less of an irritant micro-residue than bleach and peroxide do. my experiments have shown fish to be sensitive to micro-residue irritants from bleach and peroxide. i've never had a pathogen survive PP and drying. far as the wild infested fish are concerned i treat with fungus cure and prazi for 24hrs then major water chg and treat with quick cure at 80' degrees for 2 days. so in 3 days i would trust wild fish in my show tanks, never had a pathogen survive this 3 day treatment. it addresses bacteria, worms, flukes,grub, camanellus, and protozoa to name a few. it is my go-to procedure for all new arrivals and significantly cuts down on stressful 2 week quarantines which is moot with heximitas 6 week incubatation period. in theroy heximita could possibly get past, but thats too rare to worry about, and even more rare in wild caught fish than farmed. erica how long do you suspect hydra can survive without water? i too have noticed this phenomenon.
#14
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 28 September 2013 - 09:16 AM
At least a day. Mine had no problem going from complete saltwater to complete fresh, too, so saltwater/freshwater dips wouldn't kill them. http://forum.nanfa.o...worms-id-video/erica how long do you suspect hydra can survive without water? i too have noticed this phenomenon.
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