Cleaning up a hand-me-down

[x-yankee]

I have been wanting to get my own aquarium for awhile now, so when my brother-in-law offered me his old set-up I jumped at the chance. It is a large aquarium with all the hardware required. The only problem is that it is filthy. There is a greenish white film covering everything. I guess it was never cleaned before he stored it last. I haven't tried cleaning it yet as I wanted to get some advice first. What clean solutions/chemicals will remove this film from the tank and hardware safely? I know that whatever I use I will have to rinse well after. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks..
newbie

 

[TankGirl]

Welcome to the forum, x-yankee! You have come to the right place.

Count yourself lucky to have an old tank handed to you, since I speak for many of us here when I say we are jealous!

I think a very weak bleach solution is in order here, since you mention "green." The whitish deposits that I can only imagine are all over it are probably hard water stains, and if they don't come off with elbow grease (this is a glass aquarium, is it not?) then you can use vinegar and a razor blade to scrape that off. Then, I get the feeling you know how much rinsing will be required - well, twice what you were thinking, LOL!

What are the dimensions of the tank? You can calculate the gallons with height, width and depth in inches. If it is acrylic, then we need to take a different tack.

 

[couplescaddy]

what i did with a hand me down a couple years ago that had all that crap on it was i tossed it into my pool and let it sit there for a day or 2, let the chlorine work on the crap. then you take it out, whipe it with your hand under a hose, and voila, no more crap. just make sure your rince the %@#$ out of it.

 

[chasgood]

vinegar is great for hard water deposits. Might have to soak a bit. Rinse very well. Not sure if it will harm silicone.

 

[Menagerie]

[center:78039ed555] Welcome to AA, x-yankee! [/center:78039ed555]

I am jealous! I wish someone would hand me a tank with all the trimmings! Good luck with the cleaning.

 

[x-yankee]

Thanks for all the advice! The tank is approx. 45 gallons by my calculations. It is glass so that is good. Well, I say it came with everything, but remember i am a "newbie" so I really don't know what I need. I used to have a small tank when I was younger, but that was a long time ago. It came with the following..... Tank, lighted tank lid, large Aqua-Tech 30-60 filter which hangs on back of tank, air pump and bubble bar. I am sure I am missing something. Should I have a tank heater as well? What else will I need to get set up? Any help with this would be GREAT!

Thanks AGAIN!
newbie

 

[TankGirl]

Yes, you will need a heater - and a thermometer, I like the stick-on kind.

You will need some kind of substrate (gravel) and decorations like rocks, or driftwood, or whatever, depending upon your taste and also what kind of fish you would like to keep. The fish will really determine how you set up the tank, so scope that out and post back with your fishy selections and we can help you choose compatible species.

Also, you will need a gravel vac syphon, or a Python, which hooks up to your faucet for water changes. Then you will need dechlorinator so you can use your tap water in the tank.

 

[cginflorida]

Welcome to AA, x-yankee. That's a great name. 8)

Being in Mississippi, you probably won't need the heater until maybe winter. You should still get one, though, to have ready for cold spells. Definitely get a thermometer so you can check your room temp water, to make sure it's the right temp for the fish you get.

Get your gravel and decorations from the fish store so you know they're clean. I know some people use rocks or driftwood they've found, but you've got to make sure you clean the heck out of it before you put it in the tank.

Have fun.

 

[x-yankee]

What type of fish would go good in a freshwater tank?

 

[liquidelusion]

check out liveaquaria.com they have lots of profiles on the more common fish. salt water and fresh. see which ones strikes your fancy

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?siteid=21&pcatid=830

 

[chasgood]

45gal is a tall tank. perfect for angels. But before you pick out your fish water needs to be tested. PH, GH and KH. Then you can pick fish that like your water.