Ive always just used some old fashioned bleach water...rinse tank very very well and add a good dose of chlorine remover when I set the tank up...never a problem for me 
Cleaning old tank
- Thread starter jonniebgoode
- Start date
Obviously you are knew here and are unaware that I do not jest nor give out erroneous information when it comes to the health and wellbeing of a caretakers fish or equipment.
I'll thank you to prove your statement or retract it.
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Pufferpunk;1170893; said:
You would do well to follow your present practice.
Dr Joe
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MCHRKiller;1171161; said:Ive always just used some old fashioned bleach water...rinse tank very very well and add a good dose of chlorine remover when I set the tank up...never a problem for me
Sadly, bleach doesn't cut all mineral deposits. Normally you need an acid (bleach being a corrosive) as DRUU pointed out.
Dr Joe
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On my puffer forum (until he retired from healt issues) we had Robert T Ricketts for about 10 years. He is a research scientist. He has stated that Oxyclean breaks down into 02 after mixed. Totally non-toxic, totally harmless, kills bacteria & easily rinsed, instead of using bleach that leaves a slimy coating that needs many rinses & then dechlor.
"One thing is that calcium is not easy to remove because it is protected by layers of other stuff too, mostly organics. If some of the calcium doesn't come off, you can strip off organics with hydrogen peroxide or plain chlorine bleach. Be sure everything else cleanerwise is removed before using either H2O2 or bleach. Rinse completely before going back to the calcium remover. Calcium builds up in layers and sometimes it has to be removed the same way it formed, one layer at a time."
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/startover/startover.shtml
"Avoid using soaps to clean aquarium components, since such chemicals are toxic to fish. If you must use a glass cleaner, use an ammonia-free cleaner on the exterior walls only. "
"
"Never use soap or detergent to clean your tank or gravel - if you don't get rid of all traces of soap, you will have to buy new fish. "
"Do not use soap or detergents--they are highly toxic to fish."
"do not wash your hands with soap before inserting them into the aquarium"
"Do not use soap of any kind because it will kill the fish."
"The first rule of cleaning an aquarium is to never use soaps or detergents."
"NEVER USE HOUSEHOLD SOAP when washing aquariums and related equipment."
I could go on & on...
In addition to the 30 years experience I've had in this hobby, it just makes sense!
"One thing is that calcium is not easy to remove because it is protected by layers of other stuff too, mostly organics. If some of the calcium doesn't come off, you can strip off organics with hydrogen peroxide or plain chlorine bleach. Be sure everything else cleanerwise is removed before using either H2O2 or bleach. Rinse completely before going back to the calcium remover. Calcium builds up in layers and sometimes it has to be removed the same way it formed, one layer at a time."
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/startover/startover.shtml
"Avoid using soaps to clean aquarium components, since such chemicals are toxic to fish. If you must use a glass cleaner, use an ammonia-free cleaner on the exterior walls only. "
"
"Never use soap or detergent to clean your tank or gravel - if you don't get rid of all traces of soap, you will have to buy new fish. "
"Do not use soap or detergents--they are highly toxic to fish."
"do not wash your hands with soap before inserting them into the aquarium"
"Do not use soap of any kind because it will kill the fish."
"The first rule of cleaning an aquarium is to never use soaps or detergents."
"NEVER USE HOUSEHOLD SOAP when washing aquariums and related equipment."
I could go on & on...
In addition to the 30 years experience I've had in this hobby, it just makes sense!
Yes, I see I have just posted quotes from many, many different sites on using soap. Maybe it's just another myth--like using salt in your aquarium but using a substance that is toxic to your fish for cleaning out your tank when it's totally unecessary, doesn't make any sense to me.
If you rinse out the aquarium VERY well you can clean out just about anything. Empty, used, aquariums are exposed to a LOT of nasty chemicals. I once baught an 80 gallon that was used in a garage to hold grungy rags for working on cars. I took extra care and after cleaning it well rinsed it out several times and then ran it for years.
I have recently come up with a solution which works better than vinegar alone. Combine vinegar and baking soda, allow it to fuzz on the glass and let it sit. Then sprinkle more baking soda on and gently scrub the glass. I had more success with this method when i dipped the cleaning cloth/toothbrush in vinegar and re-scrubbed the glass.
the co2 from the fizzing seems to really help lift the particles.
this method also helps to remove rust stains around the house.
the co2 from the fizzing seems to really help lift the particles.
this method also helps to remove rust stains around the house.
Thanks for all the input guys, I bought some vinegar last night and am soaking as we speak. I rinsed the tank out really well, filled it with water and rinsed again until there was no more bubbles from the CLR. I let the vinegar soak for about ten minutes and the white film seemed untouched. I didn't get a chance to get back on the computer til today so I will be leaving the vinegar soaked cloths on it for a couple hours this time. Thanks again for all the help.
