How to Remove Bleach From Aquarium Filters

Bleach can be useful for cleaning your aquarium and its components, especially if you are having trouble with diseases or algae, but you have to be careful to remove all traces of it before you put fish back in the aquarium or it may kill them. Filters can be particularly tricky since they often have small spaces that are hard to rinse well. Take the time to make sure you do the job right so your fish don̵7;t suffer.

Things You'll Need

  • Bucket
  • Dechlorination chemicals
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Instructions

    • 1

      Discard any filtration material such as filter floss or activated charcoal, since it is generally undesirable to try to restore such things to a usable condition. Filtration media is normally changed periodically, is typically inexpensive, and is easily removed for cleaning and replaced when the filter is put back into service.

    • 2

      Rinse the filter under running water for several minutes. Let the water flow over it both inside and out. Also run water through any air or water tubes that are part of the filter.

    • 3

      Submerge the entire filter in a bucket of clean water and keep it there for at least two hours. Run water into the bucket the entire time and let the water flow over the sides and run off, either in the tub or outside. This helps to wash away any bleach that remains in or on the filter.

    • 4

      Place the filter in a fresh bucket of water and add a dechlorinating agent at double the label strength. Such chemicals are readily available at a fish supply store and will neutralize any residual bleach. Allow the filter to sit in this solution overnight.

    • 5

      Remove the filter from the dechlorinating solution and rinse well. If you can still smell bleach on it, repeat the process of dechlorinating in a fresh bucket of solution and then rinsing again until the chlorine odor is gone. At this point it is safe to return to your aquarium.