NeilB.

Hey everyone! I just got a 55gal tank! I'm so excited! But, I've got alot of cleaning to do. The tank was once setup as a saltwater Aquarium. How should I even start to clean it? I removed all the old saltwater gravel that was in it. This is a BIG STEP I'm taking. I really need alot of advice on how to clean and set this tank up right. THANKS GUYS!

Barbrella

Wow! You don't fool around when it comes to upgrading!

You can clean the tank really well using 1 part bleach to 19 parts water.

NeilB.

I went to Petsmarts and bought some API Safe&Easy Tank cleaner. Will this Product be ok?

Cody

lol thats and UPGRADE. you will have almost that much water just sitting in the filter system

COBettaCouple

Barbrella's suggestion is what I'd recommend. Rinse it out several times with warm water, then dry it out. Set it up and really overdose on dechlorinator. Like 4 capfuls of Prime maybe. Then you're ready to cycle it.

ricktavious

Vinegar is also good for cleaning out tanks, or so I hear Congrats on your new tank!

COBettaCouple

That's true. Less harsh, as well.

Barbrella

When cleaning my own tanks, I just use vinegar or salt and warm water.

But when getting a used tank and not knowing what kind of bugs, parasites or disease inhabited it, I like to "nuke" it, just to be sure!

COBettaCouple

Now, why would you put a tank in the microwave?

HatchetHaven

chickadee

The bleach method is probably the cheapest and also the most likely to really sterilize the equipment but the book that I have on fish diseases also lists the following as ways to disinfect tanks and equipment and some of them were even good for the BIGGIE diseases:

From Handbook of Fish Diseases by Dieter Untergasser

Potassium permanganate

This method is used to disinfect aquariums and equipment that cannot be boiled. It says to fill the container with water and add enough of the Potassium permanganate to the water so that the purple color is so dark you cannot see through it and let the filter run so the solution rinses all the internal parts of it (remove all the filter media or bio-wheels, if it is a bio-wheel you will need a new wheel) Run it this way for 3 days and then dump the water carefully as the purple will discolor anything it touches (walls, floors, clothing, skin, etc.) and fill with clear water and rinse until all color is gone. You can disinfect tubing, gravel, thermometers, or any other item that cannot have heat applied and it is a good net cleaning agent as it does not make your nets stiff.

Table Salt

This method is expensive as a heavy solution is needed but is ideal for small items or nets as the salt solution never spoils or needs to be replenished. The only thing that it needs is for the water that evaporates from the solution to be replaced to keep it from evaporating away. It makes a good soak but takes 24 hours to actually disinfect and needs to be totally rinsed away before the items can be used on the fish.

30% Hydrogen Peroxide

CAUTION: This solution is corrosive at this concentration. Do not get on skin, clothing or anything that is not to be disinfected.

To disinfect an empty aquarium with this use 1 teaspoon (5ml) per 2 liters of water used to fill an empty tank. IMPORTANT: you will need to measure the water as the amounts need to be pretty exact. Put all decorations and utensils in the tank and put filter on the tank (no fiter media) and run tank WITH lights ON for 3 days. Then empty and rinse tank. The advantage of this method is that it does not leave a residual cleaning mess to clean up as the peroxide turns into plain water with the addition of light and just needs to be rinsed away and fresh water added.

Alum

Alum is used to disinfect plants that have been planted in a tank that contains sick fish when you want to keep the plants and replant them. Remove the plants from the tank and place in a solution of 1 heaping teaspoon of alum to 1 liter of water and let soak for 5 minutes. Rinse the plants well and replant in a disinfected aquarium.

70% Isopropyl alcohol

This solution can be used in a spray bottle (outside) after cleaning the empty aquarium the best you can get it. Spray the surfaces well and especially in the corners and areas that are hard to reach to clean. Allow it to dry completely for a few hours. Repeat the process two more times. When the alcohol dries it does not leave a residue so it can be rinsed and refilled and used again. It is also a good agent to clean tubing and other items like thermometers that cannot be boiled. Allow to dry and soak 3 times before using.

Formalin

CAUTION: Formalin should not be used in an enclosed area and should not be allowed to contact skin or clothing. It is a known carcinogenic and should be used with extreme caution.

One ounce of Formalin to 10 liters of water can be placed in a bucket that can be enclosed and any small objects can be soaked for two hours for an absolute disinfection. While this method leaves no doubt that the items are indeed disease free, it should be a method of last resort as the dangers of the material itself is not without serious risk. The fumes of this solution are horrible and it should never be used indoors.

I hope some of this is helpful. It gives some alternatives to the standard Bleach and the Vinegar methods that I have heard spoken of here. I was very interested to see that nowhere did I see either of these methods spoken of in this book although I know that they are used widely. I think this book is dealing mainly with disinfections after severe loss of fish life in an aquarium rather than just cleaning of equipment to reuse over again.

Thank you for taking the time to get through the above.

Rose