Best way to clean a tank?

[Mrs.h2012]

For those of you that know about my upgrade tank I will be getting soon, and it's going need some MAJOR cleaning. What would be the best way to go about cleaning it? Would the best be to just pour a bleach/water mix in it and let it sit for a few hours then drain it out and let it dry in the sun for a day or so? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Link119]

I would use vinegar then once its clean rinse with water.

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I would use vinegar then once its clean rinse with water.

any certain kind of vinegar I should use or does it matter?

 

[bud29]

I got a 10 year old 29 gallon off of my local classifieds. It had tons of crap on it. Vinegar didn't work, so I filled it up with water and dumped all the clorox I could find in to it. That worked quite well. If you do that though, make sure you rinse it out REALLY well. I took my tank outside and sprayed the inside of it with a garden sprayer for half an hour. You want every single bit of bleach off the tank! Good Luck!

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I got a 10 year old 29 gallon off of my local classifieds. It had tons of crap on it. Vinegar didn't work, so I filled it up with water and dumped all the clorox I could find in to it. That worked quite well. If you do that though, make sure you rinse it out REALLY well. I took my tank outside and sprayed the inside of it with a garden sprayer for half an hour. You want every single bit of bleach off the tank! Good Luck!

This tank I know has just been sitting in an old house then an old building for atleast 6 months if not longer. This tank is a couple months away from even being set up, so I was planning on giving it a really good cleaning, like letting it soak in bleach for a day or two and letting it dry for a few days out in the sun.

 

[BHead707]

My advice is don't let it dry, try to get as much stuff off as soon as you can. IME once it dries on its way harder to get off.

 

[bud29]

My advice is don't let it dry, try to get as much stuff off as soon as you can. IME once it dries on its way harder to get off.

+1 to that. I put the bleach in late at night, so I emptied the tank of the bleach solution after I was done cleaning, and then filled it back up with water. I let it sit until the next morning when I could rinse it out.

 

[Rivercats]

Also, if you run across something that is hard and caked off that the bleach can't get off, get a single edge razor blade and carefully remove the stuff. It works best if water is in the tank as the razor will slide easily then. I know there are tank wipes that can be used inside the tank (there are also ones that can only be used on the outside of the tank so you have to be sure your getting the correct ones) that are really helpful at removing those really old lime deposits. Used to use them on a turtle tank that also housed mesquito fish so I know they are safe. Problem is I don't remember the name anymore but pretty sure I used to get them at Pet Smart.

 

[BHead707]

and if you use any chemicals on the inside just be sure to rinse out well and youll be fine

 

[eAts]

When I bought mine off craigslist there was gravel in it with some black water, I dumped that and used a little bleach and a lot of water, let it sit then rinsed it outside. Then let it dry. I laid mine down on a towel with a glass side down and soaked each pane of glass in vinegar and took a razor blade to the build up mineral spots. It worked great, then I started cycling a few days after you had I believe. I've followed your other threads, did the platy pop yet? Also gratz on the new tank upgrade!