Dirty Tank - Help

2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Bad link. It's a Coralife skimmer. I was trying to send the link to the user manual pdf file but the kindle isn't cooperating.
Any who, my guess is its a coralife 65 HOB.
Don't use chemicals to clean just use water. Clean the foam filter sponge thingy often. Once every other month or so take it down and rinse out the whole thing. Pump and everything. And I agree it needs to be dialed in a little bit. It's pulling too much water it looks like.
 
skitzo7170

skitzo7170

New Member
Ok I just cleaned it but I now noticed that my tang is down and leaning to one side. What to do? All I want is to have a clean my tank. I have not used any chemicals. Just water.
 
silverado61

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Were any of the tools used to clean it used before? They might have had a chemical residue on them. Anything you use on your tank should be bought new and marked "Fish Only" no matter what it is. Even a tooth brush or rags.

Might even be shock from moving the fish and being too big for the tank.

Or all three. Dirty tools, shock and too big. Take a picture of it and post it in the "fish disease & treatment" forum. Beth will be able to tell you more than anybody else.

Vinegar works awesome for cleaning but you still have to rinse the crap out of it before using whatever you cleaned. Just take it apart, put it in a "fish only" bucket, and let it set with a running power head for a day or two. I even let whatever I cleaned soak in fresh water with a power head for a day or two. Or if it's electric like a scrubber or pump I put it in fresh water and just plug it in and let it run.

I got a "gently used" protein skimmer from a friend and cleaned it using vinegar.

Looks brand spanking new. (Thanks again Flower.)

Don't use vinegar in your tank though. Not good.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397830/dirty-tank-help/20#post_3547630


I got a "gently used" protein skimmer from a friend and cleaned it using vinegar.

Looks brand spanking new. (Thanks again Flower.)




LOL...gently used???? I used the crap out of that skimmer. I even had to replace the pump twice. It's a good skimmer, the best I ever had, and I've gone through plenty of them. May it last you a long, long time without problems. Oh and...Your welcome again.
 
skitzo7170

skitzo7170

New Member
I only used clean rags and water from my house...nothing filtered. Does it matter what kind of vinegar to use when cleaning? All of my cleaning equipment or bottles are labeled "saltwater" since I also have freshwater fish tanks.

Here is the background story about my tank. I have a friend who lost her husband(four months ago). The tank was his and I took the tank since he was the one who maintained it. I just got the tank last Tuesday (not this Tuesday). I have never owned a saltwater tank so I am constantly asking question. Thanks silverado61 jay0705 2Quills!
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
White vinager seems to be the prefered stuff to use. I've used it for cleaning powerheads and pumps without issue.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by jay0705 http:///t/397830/dirty-tank-help/20#post_3547642
I give answers not always rt, but usually somebody corrects me lol

Hi,

Me too... so +1 on that. That's the beauty of this site, it creates a safety net, so if the advice needs to be corrected it does, BEFORE it becomes a disaster. In the process, we learn valuable lessons, that we can pass on later.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by skitzo7170 http:///t/397830/dirty-tank-help/20#post_3547639
I only used clean rags and water from my house...nothing filtered. Does it matter what kind of vinegar to use when cleaning? All of my cleaning equipment or bottles are labeled "saltwater" since I also have freshwater fish tanks.

Here is the background story about my tank. I have a friend who lost her husband(four months ago). The tank was his and I took the tank since he was the one who maintained it. I just got the tank last Tuesday (not this Tuesday). I have never owned a saltwater tank so I am constantly asking question. Thanks silverado61 jay0705 2Quills!

Hi,

You found the prefect place to get answers. I wish I had such a place to turn to when I first started out. It would also help to get a good beginners book. The Dummies book for saltwater aquariums explain in simple to understand lingo, about the equipment, what it does and why you need or not need it
 
silverado61

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/397830/dirty-tank-help/20#post_3547782
The Dummies book for saltwater aquariums explain in simple to understand lingo, about the equipment, what it does and why you need or not need it
That's the second book I ever bought. It's an awesome sounding board to get started in this hobby.

Another great book is: "Marine Aquarium Handbook, Beginner to Breeder" by Martin A Moe. A little more technical but it gets the job done in my opinion. I got mine at a major pet store that promotes "PETS" being "SMART".

Always Learning.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Silly...


Another really great beginners book is the "Conscientious Marine Aquarist" By Robert Fenner

Keeping freshwater tanks are nothing like saltwater tanks. The only real helpful experience you can glean from those tanks is the knowledge of the nitrate cycle, everything else is a whole new world. The good thing about reading the books is that it helps to stimulate questions you wouldn't even know to ask. I kept freshwater fish for over 30 years, and I really thought I knew a thing or two...but once I went to saltwater, I realized all that knowledge really didn't help much at all.
 
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