Tag Archives: clean up

U.V. Light Cleaners for Koi and Other Ponds

One of the most contemporary products for a Koi pond is the ultra-violet (U.V.) sterilizer. A U/V light easily kills planktonic algae (or pea soup as most pond keepers usually call it). U.V. light bulbs look like fluorescent light bulbs. Ultra-violet disinfecting has been used for many years in hospitals and in water purification and it also cleans up ponds and aquariums.

 

As effective as U.V. lights are for killing algae they will not clean up everything. However an ultraviolet light will not kill disease pathogens or parasites such as the Aeromonas bacteria. Essentially, the parasites can grow faster than the U/V light can kill them. Many fish owners use a combination of chemical and U/V light therapy to keep their ponds clean.

 

Pea soup algae on the other hand are light sensitive and are controlled with ultraviolet light treatment. However, the U/V will have a minimal impact on the growth of stringy algae attached to the pond walls.

 

A U.V. unit is not meant to replace a bio-filter. You still need a bio-filter for removing the ammonia wastes. You should not expect the U.V. unit to sterilize your pond. There will be bacteria on and in your fish, in the biological filter bed, and on the walls and bottom of the pond. What you can expect is to control harmful bacteria, algae, and other waterborne microorganisms by reducing their numbers.

 

Before selecting a U.V. light sterilizer for your fish pond you need to keep some factors in mind. First off make sure that the U.V. lamps can be immersed in water as they are much more efficient than the model of U.Vl lamp that is suspended over the water.  The unit must also be surrounded in a quartz glass sleeve and the bulb should operate in colder water without shattering.  A high quality bulb will have a life of 7,000 waters.  To be sure of the water quality the bulb should be changed at least one a year.

 

One drawback is that U.V. sterilizers can be expensive. Usually a normal sterilizer unit looks like a 3 inch white PVC pipe with inlet/outlet connections on the side at each end and a U.V. tube running through the center. The ends of the tube (U.V. bulb) will be sealed with o-rings and the wiring connections covered with rubber boots.  If the unit is cheap it might be poorly designed or meant for an aquarium and not a koi pond!

How to Clean Up Blood Spills on Carpets

One of most daunting cleaning challenges of all is blood spills on carpeted floors. One key issue is sanitizing the carpet as quickly as possible.  A blood stain that is allowed to set may never be removed. Blood can harden on carpeting and become crusty which makes it very difficult to clean.  Whenever possible respond as fast as you can to clean up blood on a product.

 

It is also important tot use the right commercial solution to clean a carpet. Bleach can damage or destroy a carpet. It is best to clean these areas using cleaners approved by the carpet manufacture. Be sure to choose a product that has antimicrobial properties to help clean it as thoroughly as possible. It is also recommended that you wash the carpet thoroughly three to four times to a day.

 

Using the right products can make all of the difference when it comes to removing blood. Make sure that you are using a cleaner that is intended for use on carpet. If you use a cleaner meant for floors or fabrics instead of carpet then you may not get the results that you want.

 

Yet another way to get the stain out is to rent a steam cleaners. These machines, which can be rented at most grocery and carpet stores can sanitize the carpet fibres and remove any remaining blood.  This is especially recommend if you suspect that the blood that was spilled was infected with pathogens in any way.

 

Make sure that you put on disposable gloves and create a barrier around the spill so that it cannot be tracked around the home. Once the area is isolated spray it with a manufacturer approved cleaner and then let it sit for about fifteen minutes. This gives the disinfectant the time it needs to sanitize the carpet.  This is important because if the proteins are left in the carpet then they can carry disease as well as be a fertile ground for mold.

 

You should then take paper towels or an absorbent powder like resolve and blot up as much as fluid as possible. You should then use a wet-dry vacuum to help extract any reaming water, cleaning fluid and blood.

 

After you have done all this you need to repeat it all again at least three times. Let the disinfectant sit on the stain and do it’s job for it at least twenty minutes.  After you are done repeatedly cleaning the blood stain at least three times then place portable fans near the stain to help the moisture dry.

 

Finally be sure to dispose all gloves and rags and thoroughly sanitize any equipment used to clean the blood of your carpet.