Killing Zebra Mussles in a BCD

[SueMermaid]

I'm no scientist, but I'm sure if you simply drain your BC there shouldn't be any problems. I do this as a matter of routine anyway.

Well, I am a scientist, and I say it *is* a problem if you don't rinse out your BC very throughly. The larvae are apparently tough little things. If they weren't, they would not be such a scourge.
I live on the Delaware river, which is apparently not infested (yet), so I am extra careful to clean all of my stuff before I take it in the river.
10% bleach should do the trick. And to be honest, I would be surprised if Listerine killed the larvae.

 

[Genesis]

First, 10% bleach is WAY more than you need. That's strong enough to do severe damage to the fabric.

A cup of bleach in a couple of gallons of water is more than enough, in fact.

Listerine ought to do it too; its primarily alcohol, which is a wonderful dessicant (that's how alcohol kills the nasties, generally) and I can't imagine that it won't be satisfactory.

 

[Waterlover]

SueMermaid once bubbled...

Well, I am a scientist, and I say it *is* a problem if you don't rinse out your BC very throughly. The larvae are apparently tough little things. If they weren't, they would not be such a scourge.
I live on the Delaware river, which is apparently not infested (yet), so I am extra careful to clean all of my stuff before I take it in the river.
10% bleach should do the trick. And to be honest, I would be surprised if Listerine killed the larvae.

I was told last weekend that the Delaware River has mussels almost the entire length from the north to Trenton in the south. Any one who dives Dutch Springs and doesn't clean their gear is transporting them all over....Viz should be improving I am just waiting to hear Round Valley has them...

 

[leadweight]

The primary means by which the zebra mussels are spreading across lakes in the US is the larve get picked up by waterfowl who fly from lake to lake. It is right to clean up your gear, but those mussels will be everywhere soon.

 

[SueMermaid]

Crap. Really? There are zebra mussels here? (I live about 5 miles north of Trenton). I have not seen them yet, but I guess I am not surprised. I am always looking.
I am told they get so bad that you have to scrape them off your boat props or you'll break the shear pins.
Just put the boat and dock in last weekend, I'll watch for them.

 

[JCKCSYCMD]

Zebra mussels take flight...

As a Great Lakes diver, boater, and inland lake homeowner when the zebras hit it was a panic. Ban this, ban that, stop launching traveling bass boats...etc. But even secluded waters soon became infested...

Thanks to geese, duck and other traveling water fowl. It appears that the larva for zebra mussels can live for 7-9 days out of water. They will in fact infest every body of habitable water.

Actually now that we have had them for all these years, we are now cohabitating, although water inlets, etc, do need to be maintained. Also once perfect ship wrecks are now being attached to.

 

[pt40fathoms]

Still no response from "official" sources as to how to kill them buggers without destroying your equipment. But if 10% Chlorine will do it, then great. (That would be just marginally more than the pool I take the equipment into.)<--sarcasm

If Listerine works as well, then even better. I know it won't damage the inside of a BCD, and it's safer to transport. If a 10% bleach solution spilled on your gear without you noticing for a few hours, it will cause damage. Whereas Listerine will merely leave behind that cool fresh scent that is said to attract the opposite sex.

When I do here from the ever so eager civil servants who are just now poised to answer my question with all haste. <-- more sarcasm
I'll pass it along.