Ancient Tanks - How to Clean?

[Gryph]

Out in the Storage Hovel, covered in that thing that packrats do best, I found four aquariums. I'd like to use them, after a good cleaning, but I'm not clear on the best way to clean them.

Shall I just use water and an aquarium-safe algae scrubber thing? Is there a chemical I'd do well to use? It's two ten gallons and two twenty gallons, and it'd sure be nice to get them back in service.

Thanks in advance for the help!

- Gryph

 

[Hara]

I use white vinegar and a plastic mesh pot scrubber to clean all my tanks. If you have stubborn spots, wet a papertowel with vinegar and lay it over the spot for awhile.

 

[patagonia]

i always disinfect my tanks with a solution of 10% bleach...i fill up the tank with it and let it sit for 15 minutes and then rinse rinse rinse and rinse...for the final rinse i overdose dechlor and then rinse a couple of times...always worked well for me...

 

[Guest]

Bleach and vinegar work good... Don't use them together of course.. LOL! I would do a good general cleaning with the bleach and then rinse it well and use the vinegar to get the spots off. Then rinse rinse rinse in Dechlor and water until you can't smell anything anymore. Also If it's glass you can safetly use one of those metal scrubbers.. .i did on mine and it worked like a charm. If your not comfortable with that, a clean sponge or plastic scrubber works great too.

 

[greenmaji]

amonia and bleach is the deadly mix..
If you use bleach alot of people like to follow up with rinsing and then a vinigar dillution..
If I use bleach I just rinse well and wait a week or so before using the tank..
white vinigar almost always works.. I always try it first.. HTH

 

[Guest]

ammonia and bleach is the worst... but i still don't like mixing bleach with anything.