Parasites and Bleach in Waste Drain Water

I am pretty sure it would Wow. It emits UVc which kills almost anything on the planet.

There is one creature know as the "water bear" which could survive it. On the other hand it can also survive in the vacuum of space, temperatures from -250*F/+400*F, 10 rontgens of radiation and live at least 120 years. Not your normal run of the mill microrganism.

It is creatures like this that make me say just try and minimualize the risk. Frequent cleanings are about the best you can do. Extreme measures almost never have a great benifit with out a big negative. Whether the negative is cost, time, effort or other.

While hydrogen peroxide might seem like a good bet at first glance. Keep in mind mushrooms can be grown in nothing more then cork and hydrogen peroxide. Indoor growers of illegal strains (hallucinogenic) of mushrooms use this method with incredible results. (Don't get any ideas. I did leave out other key factors in this.) Other fungus like this as well.

A UV sterilize seems like a good bet. Then again it does destroy even benificial bacteria. Kind of leaving the water open for whatever wants it or that can breed the fastest....etc...

I guess this thread was probably ment for an eye opener/thought provoking. From a statistics stand point well over half the people that read this currently have a parasitic worm dining in their digestive track. Nothing will open your eyes more then having a worm swim across the fluid of your eyeball while you watch or ripping off your own skin because you can feel them moving underneath it. Point being if you can not stop yourself from getting these then you have little if any chance of doing the same for your pet.

I do appologize. Some where in all of this is just became a disorganized rant.
 
While hydrogen peroxide might seem like a good bet at first glance. Keep in mind mushrooms can be grown in nothing more then cork and hydrogen peroxide. Indoor growers of illegal strains (hallucinogenic) of mushrooms use this method with incredible results. (Don't get any ideas. I did leave out other key factors in this.) Other fungus like this as well.

That's pretty cool...Mushrooms in cork...I might need to try that...go figure go a chameleon forums to learn how to grow mushrooms.

LOL:D

I do agree with you Jordan. it was just interesting to hear how effective what the majority has been using to disinfect their habitats with. Just like you said..every thing with an ounce of salt...

OPI
 
great thread

another important idea is that often its volume of infestation or exposure not necessarily the actual expose that allows immune systems to fail.

I learned an important phrase in school "dilution is the solutions to pollution" sounds corny but that is why we wash our hands and wash out wounds.

cleaning the cage might not be perfect but if you get out 99% of infectious agents of each type the rate of disease in you or your cham will be much less.

Peolpe have been trying to sterilize their enviroments for years and always fail. once you remove one bug nature hates a vaccuum and something else possibly worse finds a home. People have even shown that not exercising the immune system may make it weak when you need it most.



Sean
 
what about using pure alchoal?

Not only inhaling the vapor is dangerous for us (we might get dizzy using 100% alcohol while cleaning the cage), but, some of the parasites, I believe, need at least 30 minutes of contact to actually get affected by it...
This is the thing that make it impossible using pure alcohol since it will evaporate in the matter of seconds.
 
How concerned should we be about getting a parasite from our little friends? How realistic is this? :eek:

Last thing I need are little microscopic buggers stealing all my nutrients :mad:

Also, I keep my chameleon in my bedroom where I do spend a good amount of time on the computer, sleeping, etc. etc.
 
bleach as a disinfectant

bleach makes a great surface disinfectant when used full strength, the problem with using bleach as a dilute disinfectant to drain water is this ; bleach is made from salt water and reverts back to salt water shortly after being oxidized (used), so its great for wiping things down, but in a situation such as adding it to drain water, even if it does a good job initially (and it will at high enough concetration) it is diluted easily and in doing so it is oxidized to the point where it reverts back to salt water and is no longer effective , in order for bleach to have any chance of working in a drain water situation(where new waste water is constantly being added, you would need a drip system that constantly adds new bleach). the problem with that is , the more polluted the waste water, the more rapidly the bleach oxidizes and reverts back to salt water, and is no longer effective, you can see the canundrum . bleach being made from salt water, and its ability to revert back to salt water, is why it is one of the few effective disinfectants approved for use on food contact surfaces. it is also why it makes a better wiping disinfectant than long term dilute disinfectant. in situations like waste water or swimming pools where new pollutants are constantly added, bleach would need to be constantly added to remain effective , otherwise you are just disinfecting with saltwater , not very effective jmo
 
Illuminating

Great topic, thanks Dave for your observation and posting.

I think I will start bleaching my waste water anyway. Strogylids may not be affected, but common nasties will suffer. Let us know if you find something that zaps them; maybe some kind of soap or surficant...
 
my guess is insecticidal soap would probably be a good choice, liquid lysol would be a better choice but fumes would be an issue. i had a crazy thought what about electrifying the waste water (i know it sounds wack but it would be easy to do) . another idea would be to simply add something to make the waste water extremely acidic or alkaline as most living things dont do well outside of their ph range. the previous link suggests that window washer fliud ammended with ammonium hydroxide works well in a lab enviroment but doesnt take into account the use around a living fume sensitive creature. washer fluid is (primarily soap and alchohol) so would lose its effectiveness as the alchohol evaporates (more fumes) and ammonia (more fumes)very informative link none the less. im wondering what about a surgical scrub like betadyne?
 
If it is simply waste water you are trying to treat prior to disposal then why not just boil it?

If the purpose is to look through the scope to watch these bugs drink the kool-aid and ask for more; great fun!
 
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