Hi all,
Sorry to hear that, it is a really difficult situation, and I don't know what the best approach is.
Was hoping to get going faster than 3 months but it's one way of saving the plants. Will just completely strip the tank and filter and wash the plants and wood under hot water and leave it running. Is there not a broad spectrum bacterial killer lol thats safe for plants that i could leave running in the tank?
Personally I wouldn't treat the tank with anything, or attempt to sterilize the filter or wood etc, if you are going to keep the plants. If it is a pathogenic bacteria it is unlikely to survive without a host. Unfortunately your surviving Bee shrimps are by the far most likely source of any renewed infection.
Sterilization is really an "
all or nothing" approach, because bacteria are incredibly difficult to get rid off. If you don't mind losing the plants, you could use a biocide (domestic
<"sodium hypochlorite> bleach" is a good one) to clean up all your substrate, filter material, tank, hard-scape etc.
A solution of 20% bleach will kill absolutely everything, and after rinsing you can neutralise any residual chlorine with a
<"sodium thiosulphate based water conditioner">.
If you don't want to use bleach, a "pressure cooker" will get hot enough to steam sterilize your hard-scape (labs. use an <"
autoclave">).
The problem for me is that by the time you've got the new plants established, and the filter functioning etc you will have spent the three months you would have waited anyway, with no guarantee of success.
cheers Darrel