Contaminated tank-what to do?

[plecoperson]

The 20 gallon our pl*co came in has been in storage in the basement a couple months. I brought it up last week to put some snails in to grow out. They went straight to the waterline; ammonia zero, nitrite zero, nitrate 5 and pH 7.3, as usual. Obviously something evil in there.

Water department says no changes made other than extra chlorine due to the heat-and snails are fine in a different tank with new water.

It occured to me that they spray insecticide in the basement on a monthly basis; they can't get into the space where the tank was, but I am sure it blows around.

If it was the insecticide, can I clean this tank to make it safe again? All I did when I set it up this time was wipe it out with a damp paper towel. Suggestions?

 

[src]

Rinse, rinse, rinse. Then rinse some more. You may want to start with a dilute chlorine (plain bleach) solution or vinegar, but nothing's going to do the job better than lots and lots of water. Personally, I would fill the tank, wait a day, drain it, then repeat a couple of times. I would also make sure to wash every part of it down each time I filled it, including the overhangs on the tank trim.

Good luck - I had to deal with a tank contaminated by soap, and it's no fun. But it has to be done.

 

[greenmaji]

Rinse, rinse, rinse. Then rinse some more.

You'll find with experince that this is one of the most important things you can do to prevent death, it was the first thing I was tought by a fishkeeping oldtimer before diving into my first tank. Rince everything like theres some kinda pleage on every surfase.. filter, heater, airstones, filterpads, tank EVERYTHING.

I would give vinigar a shot before clorox and rince that off real well as well.

the more rinsing you do the more you delute whatever might be on your equipment. Soap being the scariest 8O

being snails.. check for copper if you can.

 

[BrianNY]

The first thing I do when setting up an old tank is scrub it down with kosher salt. Then rinse very well. Glass and silicone will not absorb any chemicals so you're just making sure the surfaces have been properly treated.

 

[plecoperson]

Rinse, rinse, rinse. Then rinse some more.

Laziness just never does pay off, does it? I thought I could get away with a wipedown, as it had just held fish a couple months ago and appeared to have just a bit of dust in it. Forgot about that whole "pesticide" factor. We live in a 3rd-floor condo, so rinsing means fill/refill, put in bathtub and fling water at it. And it's so heavy.

Boo hoo, right? Anyway, husband did the math (now that I have these snails in a different tank) and asked why we needed the 20g set up anyway...DAMN. I wanted to fill it with something fun before he figgered it out...

Well, I'll clean it thoroughly as my penance, let dry, top with plastic wrap, and drag it back to storage....