cleaning of new/free tank

[leftyblite]

I was just given a 150 gallon tank that had been sitting in my neighbor's garage for over a year. I've always wanted to set up a saltwater tank. I currently have 2 freshwater tanks. I've been researching for a couple of months now and when the offer for the free tank came, I just couldn't pass it up. I've currently have it sitting in my garage full of water to test for leaks. My question is, it is very dirty, what would anyone recommend to clean it, inside and out?

 

[robchuck]

A mixture of diluted white vinegar. Alot of the dirt is likely calcium based, and the white vinegar helps to break that up. Congrats on the tank!

 

[thegrog]

I agree with the vinegar solution. In addition, I would do a good rinse out with a solution of 2 cups of bleach in 2 gallons of water. Rinse it real good with that and then hose it out with fresh water. Fill it up with fresh water and add Amquel+ (to get rid of residual chlorine) and let it sit for 24 hours. Drain and let it air dry for a week. After that, you will have a nearly sterile, clean tank.
Congrats on the new system! Kudos to you on researching before taking action. You will save a lot of time, money, and have a better system if you research before buying/doing.

 

[donahue]

^^^ what he said^^^

 

[leftyblite]

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I found a crack and a separate chip in it this morning.