tank cleaning

[alexjdavis19]

I have a pretty old tank that is pretty dirty. I haven't put anything in it yet. Is there anything specific I should clean it with, or is traditional soap and water ok?


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[threnjen]

I would go with vinegar and water rather than soap.

 

[biondoa]

I second that.

 

[ThangaMean]

I would agree, using soap might leave some residue. Better go with vinegar as others say.

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[AJ_117]

Just rinse the crap out of it with water and vinegar until it's clean. Avoid using soap/windex because the residue is harmful to your inhabitants

 

[alexjdavis19]

Thanks guys! Very helpful.


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[hexxus]

Hi. I just made an account so I could chime in. I just bought a used 75 gallon that was crusty beyond belief and per the king of diy on youtube I tried bar keepers friend. Let me tell you this stuff is amazing. It uses Oxalic Acid which is a whole lot stronger than vinegar and will not soak into the silicone or glass. I'd say give it a try if your up for it. It will still take some elbow grease for any thick deposits but it cut my time in half. Make sure to use the powder and not the liquid if you try this.

 

[Jerky]

I would say you need to REALLY rinse it out before you put fish in it. Like a solid 10-15 minute rinsing with a hose or something.

 

[hexxus]

I did a leak test after I cleaned it so I soaked it and scrubbed the inside, then drained and hand wiped again just to make sure.

 

[DazF]

I cleaned my old tank with vinegar and an algae pad/sponge, worked wonders! Just rinse out properly with a hose afterwards


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[biondoa]

I would be nervous about using the Barkeepers Friend. It is a strong scouring powder like Comet or Ajax. If any residue is left, it could be deadly to fish. Rinse, rinse and rinse some more.

 

[BillD]

First thing, I always use is bleach; lots of it with water. It helps burn off organic materials attached to the glass. After a good rinse, vinegar for mineral deposits. Any hard materials going into the tank, such as filter parts, rocks grave/sand, even wood, gets the bleach treatment.

 

[AJ_117]

Oh and another tip, try not to blast the silicone to kingdom come with high water pressure, if you have awuaroum safe silicone I would keep it close throughout this whole ordeal if you find yourself having to scrub the edges.

Another thing about scrubbing, make sure you use a brush you've never used on anything else before.