# How do you clean a used tank ?



## PhonicsBus (Feb 7, 2010)

I know not to use soap. 
But how do you clean a tank that is coming to you used ?

I haven't seen it yet, so I don't know if there's going to be hard-water build-up, algea 'stains', etc.

Can I use vinegar ? Or just water ?


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

Vinegar is always good... you may also want to use a diluted bleach mixture.... HOWEVER DO NOT mix the bleach and vinegar... use the bleach solution to kill germs and the like... give it a GOOD rinsing and then use the vinegar to help remove any lime buildup


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

bleach solution of 20:1 (water: bleach), soak for a while.....then rinse until no more bleach smell.


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## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

ditto on the vinegar...

bleach if you want to try to disinfect it.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

What I've read and what I did with my 10gal tank I got a while ago was the following.

Assuming you have a glass tank here.

1. Wipe and scrub with vinegar. I used the defacto yellow/green kitchen scrubbers.

2. Rinse

3. Wiped complete inside and outside with a sponge and 1-1.5 cups of unscented non diluted bleach. 

4. Left to do something else while tank set idle for 5-10mins with bleach

5. Wiped tank around with remaining bleach inside tank

6. Rinse 

7. Wipe outside of tank dry as with rubber gloves I was wearing then carried the tank to my setup location.

8. Filled with water with 4x water declorinator (Prime was what I used)


Did that with another small tank I had around. Have not had any issues. I recommend doing it in the bathtub to make it easy on the rinses. Also recommend rubber dishwasher gloves (99cent jobbies) to get a GOOD grip because 'slippery when wet'.  Also incase you get a SHTF situation as I've read some people had the rubber gloves will give you some protection from the shattered glass.


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## PhonicsBus (Feb 7, 2010)

Thanks !

I go to pick up the tank tonight after hubby gets home from work. 
I hope it's in decent condition.


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

good luck... and enjoy your new tank


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

If the tank has any sand, gravel or other grit in it be careful not to get it onto whatever you are scrubbing it with, since it can easily scratch the glass.


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

*Mr. Clean magic eraser?*

heh everyone, What about using Mr. Clean magic erasers with a spray of water.. and then a good rinse.. I'm thinking about doing that with a tank i just picked up. A 110 that was used for saltwater.......
Thanks
Sheldon


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

fish_luva said:


> heh everyone, What about using Mr. Clean magic erasers with a spray of water.. and then a good rinse.. I'm thinking about doing that with a tank i just picked up. A 110 that was used for saltwater.......
> Thanks
> Sheldon


No... there is stuff added to the Mr. Clean sponge that will most likely leave a residue and probably harm your fish. If you are using a sponge make sure it is rated for aquarium use, they will usually say something on the packaging about not for use in aquariums.


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## PhonicsBus (Feb 7, 2010)

Tank pick-up fell through, I'm trying again today.

FWIW - the regular Mr. Clean don't have anything added, they're essentially just a super-fine-grit sandpaper. But it's hard to get the remaining sponge stuff off of anything, because it is so fine.


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

I'm not familiar with these Mr.Clean sponges, but I not only second the warning about possibly fish-toxic antifungals incorporated into sponges, but would be dubious about using anything abrasive. The glass used in aquaria is fairly soft and can be easily scratched, even by some of the stiffer fibrous plastic pads, which often have abrasives in them. 

Soaking and vinegar (or muriatic acid if you know how to use it safely) will soften or remove any residue. You don't have to fill the tank with vinegar -- just soak a paper towel and stick it to the glass over the part with thick hard water deposits. Light deposits can just be wiped off with vinegar.

If you want to use bleach to disinfect the tank, use it last, after all the crud is removed.


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

Magic Erasers are a melamine based foam made by BASF called Basotec. There is no soap or cleaning product in the plain white ones, they are just a block of foam (not sure about others). As long as you rinse the broken down particles away there is nothing left behind.

The material is softer than glass so it should not scratch the tank (but particles it picks up could) which is not true for Scotch brite pads at the like.

They deteriorate quickly as they're used, so there is no need for anti-fungals and the like. They're gone before anything gets a good chance to grow.

I was kind of scared of them at first but a few searches and some reading only leaves me wondering how I can get a big supply of the stuff and not in the hyper expensive little blocks P&G wants to sell me!


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