Aldric

hi I bought my self a second hand tank today that came fully equiped.
there are some big stones in there that are half green with alge so i was wondering on the best way of getting them clean i have them soaking in hot water at the moment as the tank is empty of water and the stones were dry there was also a load of pebbles which im boiling in a pan to make sure they r clean.
also what would be the best way to clean the inside of the tank and would the media in the filter be safe or should i buy new to be on the safe side?
its a 50 gallon tank and the filter is a fluval 4

JennDFK

It sounds like you are doing what you need to do to get the gravel clean. You might think of pouring some boiling water on it after you soak it just to make sure you kill any nasties.
I would clean the tank with a mild bleach solution and a little elbow grease. Just make sure you rinse it really well when you are done and use extra dechlorinator when setting up the tank to take care of any leftovers.
I would replace the media in the filter... I don't know anything about the fluvial 4 filter... so I can't help you there.

jdhef

To elaborate on what Jenn said above, a solution of one part bleach to 20 parts water is what is generally recommended. Also as stated above just rinse until you can longer smell chlorine.

Lucy

To go one step further, after rinsing OD with dechlorinator to make sure any chlorine residue is taken care of.

We make a great tag team.

Aldric

lol yep thats why so many people come here for the great advice you guys give

harpua2002

Important step for sure IMO.

Vinegar also works wonders for those hard-to-clean spots.