Necessary to sanitize old aquarium for red eared slider?

[margaretpoor]

Hi All,

I just bought a 78 gallon tank from someone who used it for fresh water fish for 10 years, then left it in storage for a couple of years. Here is what I would love to know:
1) How thoroughly do I need to clean the tank (glass) itself?
2) How thoroughly do I need to clean the pump, and anything else in the the tank?

Won't any bacteria be dead by now?

We are very fond of our turtle, so want to have a safe environment, but I don't want to do all kinds of unnecessary work. He is currently in a 29 gallon tank. We hope to make the big one into a nice place for him and maybe some fish.

Thank you for your insights and advice!
Margaret

 

[The Tank Guy]

It's probably fine, but there's probably dust bunnies. I would recommend at minimal using good distilled white vinegar and a soft sponge to scrub the glass. If the pump is a hanging power filter then let some vinegar sit in it for a little bit to loosen any dirt and dried gunk. Even take the impeller out, scrub and let it soak in some. After that just rinse...simple an easy..cheap too compare to other aquarium cleaners. I clean everything with vinegar. lol

BTW...considering the tank is over 10 years old check the silicone if it's never been resealed because that's when it starts shrinking and separating away from the glass. If it's seen better days then it should be resealed. Don't wanna wake up with a wet floor. I suggest GE silicone 1...100% silicone and nothing else added.