Cleaning a used tank.

[Anonymous]

I haven't done this in so long I forgot what to use. I'm picking up a used tank, currently set up as fresh water. What's a good way to clean /prepare it for salt. To my knowledge it has never been medicated. It's a 30 gallon and I plan to set up a small reef.
Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I would dose it with bleach, dechlorinate, check the seams and test it in the driveway for leaks.

 

[Anonymous]

I would dose it with bleach, dechlorinate, check the seams and test it in the driveway for leaks.

Bleach? Really? I'd be reluctant to use bleach. Anyone else do this? :?

 

[Ben1]

Yes Bleach if fine, as long as your sure to dechloranate it as mentioned. I would do the same as mentioned by sea.

ASk the original owner if he ever used copper at all in the tank, just to be safe.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep Bleach

And +1 on the 'test it in the driveway'

B

 

[Anonymous]

Bleach is just fine by me as well. But if there is scale that needs to come off you can use straight white vinegar. Sponge it on, let it sit for a few and then scrub.

 

[camaroracer214]

you can also use vinegar to clean it up to some extent. it will help remove calcium deposits on the glass, but bleach would clean it better.

 

[Anonymous]

I forgot about the utility of vinegar when dealing with hardwater spots and stuck on salt creep. It all comes out in the wash, so to speak. If you want to save big $$ on dechlorination, Google sodium thiosulfate, should get you to The Chemistry Store (or some place like that). Last time I looked it was something like $10/5lb. tub of dry concentrate. Stuff lasts forever when used this way, and dechlorinates instantly.

 

[ChrisRD]

Personally, all I bother doing is rinsing with fresh water and/or wiping with a clean rag. Ditto on what was said above about vinegar for tough spots. I've never had a problem yet...

If you want to disinfect with bleach, rinsing with freshwater until you can't smell the bleach anymore should be adequate dechlorination IMO.

JME

 

[Anonymous]

I've had to repurpose several hundred tanks, on several occasions for commercial use. We were always absolutely certain to use the bleach. I went ahead and did it for home/hobbyist use for two reasons--bleach is cheap and safe, sodium thiosulfate is cheap and safe, and better safe than sorry.


Wait... that was three reasons, wasn't it?

 

[jandree22]

Two key words have been mentioned here, bleach and vinegar, and it needs to be mentioned that they SHOULD NOT be mixed. The acidity in the vinegar will release chlorine gas from the bleach. Kind of not ideal for human lung health.

But used separately, they're both great :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the good info. Appreciate it!