Steralizing/Cleaning Tank

[Fly258]

I have just got home after picking up my new (2nd hand really) 93 UK gallon tank
It had previously been used as a marine set up and now needs a thorough clean and steralization.
My question is what is the best way to do it? The chap I bought it from suggested using Milton steralization tablets but I'd need hundreds of them!
Ive thought abought using a steam cleaner which would steralize the tank and hopefully loosen the crud, salt and alge, but I'm worried it might also crack the glass.
Anyone got any suggestions?
Many thanks in advance
Jim

 

[Eelzor]

Some things on the tank that you find are impossible to remove, i wouldn't remove, because if you try to get rid of it it may damage the tank in some way. A fish wouldn't die from a mild soap (Not a lot) and water all around the middle, while delivering a good scrubbing. But make sure at the end that there is no soap/detergent whatsoever, and not to put much of it in the first place. Good Luck. It's probably the cheapest way to go. But if you can afford a special aquarium cleaning kit then I suppose thats the best.

 

[lizard]

A fish wouldn't die from a mild soap (Not a lot)

Make sure the soap you use has no phosphates in it. My vet told me to watch out for that.

Pamela
aka Lizard
aka GoatGirl

 

[guppymonkey]

I used bleach and vinegar to clean my tanks when I got them used. If you use bleach you need to rinse it a lot (obviously). If you rinse the tank a million times and use a lot of dechlorinator bleach is ok but it might be too much work since you got a really big tank.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi, Fly258


Are you sure you really need to sterilize your tank? Unless its previous occupants died of something contageous (even after being dried out), you probably do not.

Most of my tanks were bought used and all I really do to clean them is use uniodized table salt. Poured on a damp sponge, the salt also acts as a mild abrasive for removing any caked on matter.

With a very large tank, which will be difficult to rinse out completely, it also has the advantage that any residue that remains in the tank will be safe for most fish.

 

[Fly258]

Well I'm now 3/4 the way through cleaning the tank, and thanks for all the suggestions on ways to do it. I tried all different methods but what Iv'e found to be the best, is to use the steam cleaner to soften the crud/alge and then scrape it off with a Stanley blade scraper. It works a treat
As I'm using steam as well, I'm assuming it will sterilize the tank as I go. The other advantage is I'm not introducing anything to the tank that I will later have to get rid of i.e. salt or vineger (sounds more like a crisp (potato chip) factory )
As to whether the tank needs sterilizing or not, I'm only going by what the bloke I bought it from suggested. I suppose its better to be safe than sorry.
The tank comes with a huge mother of a filter, a Rena Filstar XP3 and also a Red Sea protine skimmer. Is the skimmer sutiable to use on a freshwater community tank or is it only for a marine setup?
Oh well......back to the scraping
Regards
Jim

 

[mrV]

And if there is mycobacteria (fish tuberculous) it stands very well chemical changes.

3% H2O2 kills bacteria but what about spores? Are they destroyed too?

(Also something about myco and sterilizing it: http/members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/Myco.htm )

 

[Eelzor]

Skimmers are only neccesary for marine reef setups as far as I know.