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Question
Hello, how are you? I actually am looking for a cleaner that i can clean a wooden bridge at my work that has a fish pond under it and the bridge has scuff marks all over it and is getting really dirty from not knowing what to use on it because of the fish. What would we be able to use to clean the bridge good but not hurt the fish?
Hi Tiffany,
There are a few things you can try. I would probably suggest you use straight hydrogen peroxide with baking soda for starters. Sprinkle baking soda over the surfaces you want to clean, then spray them with hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. It will fizz, and at that point you can scrub it with your scrubby or soft brush. Depending on what kind of wood and its age, you might be able to use a steel wool, or a stiffer brush.
Another thing that works well is salt water. A bucket of hot tap water with a generous amount of salt added to it (I use grocery store generic brand "Salt" without iodine) makes a cheap and effective cleaner.
If there are tough areas you can't get clean, try rubbing the wood with sand. The grittiness will help separate the dirt - and it also works well on concrete surfaces, while being fish safe.
Hope that helps! Take care.
Nicole
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Answers by Expert:
Nicole Putnam
Expertise
I have kept between 4-8 aquariums at a time for nearly 10 years. I can answer most questions on freshwater tropical fish and goldfish, if I am provided with sufficient data! Pond questions, brackish questions and planted tank questions are not my expertise so I will probably refer you to other websites and/or forums if you ask me these. You can also find me on the Wet Web Media forum - check out the Freshwater Fish section, where I am a moderator.
Experience
I keep a few freshwater tanks: a 55 gallon community tank featuring Kribensis and tetras, a 29 gallon subtropical tank with white cloud mountain minnows, pearl danios and Corydoras, a 29 gallon tank with platies and Endlers livebearers, two 10 gallon tanks with small tetras and dwarf gouramis, and all of my tanks have lots of Malaysian trumpet snails and (unfortunately) ramshorns.
NOTE: All bettas need heated, filtered tanks. Most betta ailments are environmental. A 5 gallon acrylic tank with hood and filter is readily available from pet stores, and with the addition of a heater (coupled with good husbandry) this setup will keep a betta healthy for life.
Publications
WetWebMedia.com and http://bb.wetwebmedia.com
Education/Credentials
I read Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Practical Fishkeeping and Aquarium Fish International. I've read many aquarium books cover to cover, and encourage you to do the same!
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