Best way to clean an empty used tank
- Thread starter oniel21
- Start date
U
usirchchris
Guest
glass or acrylic?
T
tizzo
Guest
Stand it up verticle on a piece of wood in your driveway, unless your on a hill, then put it in your garage. Get your garden hose out, and IF IT"S GLASS a few magic erasers and vinagar. Hose, soak and scrub away.
Oh and those green scrubby pads work well also, and a razor blade comes in handy.
But if your tank is acrylic, then disregard this whole post!!
Oh and those green scrubby pads work well also, and a razor blade comes in handy.
But if your tank is acrylic, then disregard this whole post!!
reefkprz
Active Member
Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/2686638
Stand it up verticle on a piece of wood in your driveway, unless your on a hill, then put it in your garage. Get your garden hose out, and IF IT"S GLASS a few magic erasers and vinagar. Hose, soak and scrub away.
Oh and those green scrubby pads work well also, and a razor blade comes in handy.
But if your tank is acrylic, then disregard this whole post!!
thats about how I would do it, only I would fill the tank with water and let it soak for a few days prior to cleaning it just to make all the scrubbing easier.
http:///forum/post/2686638
Stand it up verticle on a piece of wood in your driveway, unless your on a hill, then put it in your garage. Get your garden hose out, and IF IT"S GLASS a few magic erasers and vinagar. Hose, soak and scrub away.
Oh and those green scrubby pads work well also, and a razor blade comes in handy.
But if your tank is acrylic, then disregard this whole post!!
thats about how I would do it, only I would fill the tank with water and let it soak for a few days prior to cleaning it just to make all the scrubbing easier.
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by oniel21
http:///forum/post/2686696
Thanks all. It was only used for 3 months - 75 gallon RR glass used as a frag tank. It's in great shape.
Magic erasers work awesome on walls etc... but will it release anything "bad" in the tank?
Yes. Don't use any cleaning materials that are not meant for aquarium use. Sponges and things like that have chemicals in them to kill off mold and bacteria. I have witnessed all of the fish die in a tank after a person used a new sponge in her tank.
http:///forum/post/2686696
Thanks all. It was only used for 3 months - 75 gallon RR glass used as a frag tank. It's in great shape.
Magic erasers work awesome on walls etc... but will it release anything "bad" in the tank?
Yes. Don't use any cleaning materials that are not meant for aquarium use. Sponges and things like that have chemicals in them to kill off mold and bacteria. I have witnessed all of the fish die in a tank after a person used a new sponge in her tank.
ynotme4886
Member
The white distilled vinegar works great. I've had a few tanks that needed scrubbing....with a few days of soaking all you need is a roll of paper towels after draining and usually it just wipes right out. I also use a scrubber bought at one of the local fish stores for that tough stuck on stuff.
T
tizzo
Guest
The magic eraser doesn't have any chemicals, but it is abrasive. If you used it on acrylic you'd see it sorta sands the material. But since it's glass, it will not harm anything.
But those yellow sponges do have some funky chemical in them.
But those yellow sponges do have some funky chemical in them.
anonome
Active Member
Originally Posted by ynotme4886
http:///forum/post/2686972
The white distilled vinegar works great. I've had a few tanks that needed scrubbing....with a few days of soaking all you need is a roll of paper towels after draining and usually it just wipes right out. I also use a scrubber bought at one of the local fish stores for that tough stuck on stuff.
Agree on this one, let the vinegar do the work. Fill with water, add a few bottles of vinegar, and let it sit for a day or so. Most of the stuff will come off very easily with paper towels, and a hose. Fill back up with water to be sure to get out the vinegar.
http:///forum/post/2686972
The white distilled vinegar works great. I've had a few tanks that needed scrubbing....with a few days of soaking all you need is a roll of paper towels after draining and usually it just wipes right out. I also use a scrubber bought at one of the local fish stores for that tough stuck on stuff.
Agree on this one, let the vinegar do the work. Fill with water, add a few bottles of vinegar, and let it sit for a day or so. Most of the stuff will come off very easily with paper towels, and a hose. Fill back up with water to be sure to get out the vinegar.
mantisman51
Active Member
Does anything work in glass tanks that will clean CopperSafe ich treatment? I was told by LFS, the tank is permanently ruined for salt water usage (if I want to use it for a reef tank). The owner said he didn't know anything that would remove the coppr.
privatejoker
Member
They have a chemical treatment for copper. Its something like copper out or copper safe. If you want to clean the tank you can use a mild bleach and water mix, when your done letting that soak over night clean it out with alot of water and you should be fine. That will kill everything that was left in the tank.
mantisman51
Active Member
Thanks. I appreciate it.
oniel21
Member
I filled the tank with warm water and poured a bottle of White Vinegar in and let it soak for 24 hours. While draining it, I used paper towel to while off any crap from the walls. I was amazed at the amount of garbage that came off. This process worked great. After draining it, I filled it back up with water and drained it again. Finally, I took it to the backyard and sprayed it down with a hose. The tank looks new.
nacl freak
Member
Originally Posted by ynotme4886
http:///forum/post/2686972
The white distilled vinegar works great. I've had a few tanks that needed scrubbing....with a few days of soaking all you need is a roll of paper towels after draining and usually it just wipes right out. I also use a scrubber bought at one of the local fish stores for that tough stuck on stuff.
http:///forum/post/2686972
The white distilled vinegar works great. I've had a few tanks that needed scrubbing....with a few days of soaking all you need is a roll of paper towels after draining and usually it just wipes right out. I also use a scrubber bought at one of the local fish stores for that tough stuck on stuff.
mantisman51
Active Member
I was reading the info on Kordon Novaqua+, and on their website, they claim that it breaks down copper in a way that makes the copper harmless to inverts. I've been doing all of my waterchanges using Novaqua+. So, I am thinking copper shouldn't be an issue anymore. Here is the paragraph from their website(they don't sell from their website-it is info only).
One of the most toxic of heavy metals to fishes is copper, a common ingredient in tap water. NovAqua+ is capable per dose of precipitating up to 1.17 ppm free copper ions (Cu++) from solution. When copper is present in the tap water or when copper medications are used, the copper ions can combine with glass, plastic, rock, gravel, and other objects and remain indefinitely in this state. Variations in pH (acidity/alkalinity) may cause the copper to come back into solution and be toxic to fishes and invertebrates. NovAqua+ permanently detoxifies copper and can be used to eliminate copper ion medications after their use as a treatment is completed.
One of the most toxic of heavy metals to fishes is copper, a common ingredient in tap water. NovAqua+ is capable per dose of precipitating up to 1.17 ppm free copper ions (Cu++) from solution. When copper is present in the tap water or when copper medications are used, the copper ions can combine with glass, plastic, rock, gravel, and other objects and remain indefinitely in this state. Variations in pH (acidity/alkalinity) may cause the copper to come back into solution and be toxic to fishes and invertebrates. NovAqua+ permanently detoxifies copper and can be used to eliminate copper ion medications after their use as a treatment is completed.