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Medication residues can be removed from the aquarium water by filtering with activated carbon. After a week, so many active ingredients are bound that the remaining amount of free active ingredients in the water is no longer therapeutically effective.
A full water change, or several liberal water changes, will also remove most medicinal residues in the water.
All active ingredients are only removed from the aquarium after lengthy degradation processes by the filter bacteria.
A basic disinfection of the aquarium only makes sense in a few cases. Some pathogens are present in every aquarium. The fish usually only become acutely ill when they are weakened by other circumstances. Even in disinfected aquariums, pathogens are brought back by fish, plants, etc. after a short time.
Gravel as substrate, most filter material and most decorative items can be boiled out.
Plants can be disinfected in potassium permanganate or methylene blue.
Disinfectants for the aquarium:
Special care is required when handling acids.
The aquarium must be rinsed thoroughly after disinfection. This not only removes the remains of the disinfectant, but also the residues of dead algae, bacteria, etc. These will otherwise be broken down by bacteria after the aquarium is refilled and can lead to greatly increased nitrite values.
sagrotan
Sagrotan is diluted with water and then used, or later rinsed off with water.
vinegar essence and silicone
Acetic acid-binding silicone is not attacked by vinegar essence or acetic acid.
Silicone does not contain any solvents such as B. Colors. A previously added solvent does not therefore evaporate during curing, but a chemical reaction takes place.
In the process, acetic acid is split off. The process is called polymerisation. The acetic acid is only formed when the silicone is tough, highly crosslinked and therefore solid. Hence the unpleasant odor when aquarium silicone hardens. The polymerization is not easily reversible. Other plastics such as PVC, PE, Perlon, polyurethane, etc. are created in a similar way.
Vinegar essence should only be used with the window open. Because vinegar essence burns even the smallest injury to the skin, rubber gloves should be used. at z. B. 25% vinegar essence, blisters will form on the skin over time. Some vinegar essence is put on a cloth and the aquarium is wiped with it.
Vinegar essence stinks and is highly volatile, ie. it attacks the eyes and respiratory tract. The acid effect is relatively weak and as a weak acid it forms strongly alkaline salts. Evaporation takes a relatively long time, and the aquarium often stinks for days.
With other types of silicone, acetic acid can destroy the filler. Silicone is porous and therefore has a filler that seals the pores.
denatured alcohol
Denatured alcohol is inexpensive and evaporates without residue.
hydrogen peroxide H2O2
Hydrogen peroxide splits spontaneously and under the action of light into water and an oxygen radical. The oxygen radical oxidizes organic compounds. Living beings are thus killed in a short time.
The residue is mostly water, carbon dioxide and oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is relatively expensive.