[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: NFC: Boiling Gravel - Quick consensus



I wouldnt do anything except a good vacume of the bottom...there is no
need to sterilize the tank ..the fish were poached not killed by disease.
Fish do not live in a sterile enviroment so why try and give em one ?

JMO 


Robert Rice
It's official all Native Fish are now Y2K compliant check it out at
 http://www.nativefish.org


On Mon, 01 Nov 1999 17:56:01 -0500 Stephen DiCerbo <mykiss at albany_net>
writes:
> 
>    Hello Folks
> 
>    I have been lurking on this list for a few months now, and find 
> it
> great...
> 
>    I have a question to which I need an answer.... quickly
> 
> 
>    It for the Aquarists...    I started a ninety gal tank about a 
> year
> ago in which I keep mostly Centrarchids  and some assorted shiners,
> crawfish, etc., and have experienced much...  
> 
>  this August,  upon leaving the house for a couple days, (not 
> accustomed
> to leaving Air conditioning units running),  I was surprised to come
> home to a tank of very poached bass and sunfish....   room air temp 
> was
> above 90* F
> 
>    I disposed of the victims , and repeatedly filled and emptied  
> the
> tank  to  remove the water....
> 
>   With an upcoming 3 1/2 week  trip, I decided not to re-establish
> anything until after.
> 
>    With the cold weather coming in, I have been in a rush with the
> season to "pick up " something  most substantial beside golden 
> shiners
> for the winter...
> 
>    Today's warmer temps have afforded me an opportunity to get the
> flyrod out, and have procured a small bass, which is waiting  in the
> wings for a new home...
> 
>    here's  the question: The gravel, along with some residual 
> detritus
> and enough water to keep the bottom half of the gravel wet has sat 
> in my
> tank for 2 months....   a couple surviving crawfish are burrowed in 
> the
> back......  
> 
>    I was told yesterday  that I should boil all the gravel before
> starting the tank up again,  so to kill any bacteria.   
> 
>  I was wondering if, by not 'sterilizing"  the gravel, I might avoid 
> the
> normal  nitrogen spike  that occurs when starting a tank and waiting 
> for
> the proper nitrogen processing bacteria  to establish colonies in 
> the
> under gravel grids.  Last year saw a good share of parasite and the
> likes, mostly anchor worms and ich.... so perhaps some of theses 
> gems
> are lurking in there, too...
> 
>    Do I boil?   what would I risk if I didn't?  Is it at this point 
> ,
> with a basically empty tank, that I should clean completely?  the
> resident bass in waiting can't wait long...
> 
>    any suggestions for proceeding to re-establish at this stage 
> would be
> welcome..
> 
>  TIA
> 
> Stephen
> -- 
>                          Stephen  Di Cerbo
>                         mykiss at albany_net
>         http://www.albany.net/~mykiss/stormtree.htm
> 
>          "A society that will trade a little liberty for 
>        a little order will lose both, and deserve neither"


Robert Rice
It's official all Native Fish are now Y2K compliant check it out at
 http://www.nativefish.org