Questions regarding bleach or chlorine

[Dag]

Randy,

First of all, is bleach and chlorine the same thing?

I used regular household bleach to clean my saltwater makeup tank. Because of the configuration of the tank (it's big and fixed in place), I can never empty it completely. There's always about 1/2" left on the bottom (say 18" high in total). So I filled the tank four or five times and then emptied it. I tasted the water after this, and there was no bleach taste.

I believe chlorine evaporates from the water. Is that true for bleach as well?

Do I have to be concerned about this residue?

Here's an interesting experience: after my hands were dipped in the water mixed with bleach, I washed my hands well, and then reached into a tank to remove a rock. Next to the rock was a big carpet anemone. The anemone reacted violently (very unusual) and totally retracted into the sand. It seems it was reacting to the residue on my hands.

If traces of bleach get in the tank, do they degrade naturally into harmless elements, or do they only get removed by water changes?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Chlorine is Cl2. It is a gas.

When it dissolves in water, it forms hypochlorous acid (HClO), or hypochlorite (ClO-), depending on the pH (above or below about 7). Bleach is sodium hypochlorite.

Cl2 + H2O ---> HCl + HClO

Traces of bleach will rapidly react with organic materials, including organisms that it will irritate.

If I would not get all the water out, I'd treat it with a dechlorinator. Repeated dilution may still leave too much to be safe. However, depending on what you are first adding, it may be OK. Curing live rock in it, for example, is less of a risk than delicate invertebrates.

 

[Dag]

Dechlorinator will work with bleach?

This is my saltwater makeup tank to add water to my existing reef.

So it doesn't surprise you that residue on my hands (even after washing) would affect the anemone? By the way, this is a 300 gallon system.

For the future, any advice about what to use to clean other than bleach?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Dechlorinator will work with bleach?

Yes, but it will take a lot unless you rinse most of the bleach away.

So it doesn't surprise you that residue on my hands (even after washing) would affect the anemone? By the way, this is a 300 gallon system.

Does your hand smell? If so, then the anemone may detect it too.

What were you trying to remove with the bleach?

 

[mcox33]

I would use a ton of Dechlorinator. And then empty the tank again. Then repeat once again. Then when you refill the tank use a good heavy dose of dechlorinator.

Also it might help if you could use towels and soak up the rest of the water from the tank.

I usually treat using the above steps even when I can get all the water out of the tank. Better safe than sorry.

Also if you use the towels to get all the water out, you can wet a papertowel or cloth in the dechlorinator and wipe all inside surfaces with the cloth. Pay extra attention in the siliconed areas.

JMO and advise.

 

[Dag]

After a year or more of not cleaning the tank, there's some algae growth on the walls (plastic). That's what I was removing.

Is all dechlorinator the same?

 

[Dag]

would charcoal soak up the bleach residue?

 

[Dag]

Randy,

One more question:

Do you agree that even if you get all the water out, it's prudent to wipe off the sides with dechlorinator?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is all dechlorinator the same?

No, but all should work on bleach residue.

Carbon may help, yes.

Do you agree that even if you get all the water out, it's prudent to wipe off the sides with dechlorinator?

Prudent? Probably. Necessary? Probably not.

 

[Boomer]

I have bleached whole tanks many times. Treated the whole tank with dechlor, then 75-95 % water changes, dechlor again and test for chlorine ( always -) and put the animals right back in, with a fresh batch of GAC. I have never had a probelm