Cleaning inside empty tank (1 Viewer)

[adahm]

I recently got a used 120 gal tank from a member here.

Wanted to clean the inside of the glass and could use some help from those who've done this before.

Been trying to clean the glass with RO water and cloth towels as well as paper towels and I can't get the streaks out. There seems dried sw film on the glass that I can smear with my fingers.

Have not cleaned with vinegar since tank is pretty much in place and hosing to rinse it it's out of the question (well... not completely, but would like to avoid if possible)

 

[inigomontoya]

Vinegar does wonders cleaning an empty tank, especially with coralline. Use the vinegar, rinse and drain with a pump/hose as best you can then you can use a shop vac to get everything out and you are good to go.

 

[Oceanlife Aquariums]

Vinegar does wonders cleaning an empty tank, especially with coralline. Use the vinegar, rinse and drain with a pump/hose as best you can then you can use a shop vac to get everything out and you are good to go.

what Jeff said and I like to use a new razor to scrap off anything the vinegar does not get off. Just becareful around the silicone areas.

 

[adahm]

Thanks.

Went ahead with vinegar...

Cleaned up nice. I can now feel the glass squeak.

Now to rinse...

 

[Reefahholic]

I use vinager and bleach. Bleach intensifies the cleaning power, but also lets off toxic vapors. Works really well on tough algae though. You can do it indoors, just don't add too much bleach.

 

[tektite]

I use vinager and bleach. Bleach intensifies the cleaning power, but also lets off toxic vapors. Works really well on tough algae though. You can do it indoors, just don't add too much bleach.

TOGETHER???? Very very very bad idea, especially indoors! The toxic vapor released by that combination is chlorine gas.

 

[Reefahholic]

TOGETHER???? Very very very bad idea, especially indoors! The toxic vapor released by that combination is chlorine gas.

tektite, i just said that!! lol

if you do it inside, (which i've done many times) you can't use that much bleach. only a little. im talking like a few cap fulls only.

if you wanna really do damage, you'll have to do it outside. it does indeed release a toxic vapor.

ive used 50/50 inside with 3M painters mask. not good idea. I have to open the windows and leave for 3-4 hrs. lol

when i took the mask off it was like i had jalepeno's boiling on the stove. lol.... i know i know....this was before i did research. lol

 

[tektite]

No, you didn't just say that. You gave both the recipe to create and the advice to use a combination of chemicals that creates a gas that can do very serious damage to eyes and lung tissue. You gave no warnings other than it creates "toxic vapors" which doesn't really say anything and not to use too much bleach, which can be interpreted as any amount (certainly most people would assume more than a few capfuls) and with no way to gauge how much to use someone using your advice could very easily add far too much and do serious harm to themselves.

If you need more cleaning power, its much safer to simply buy a stronger solution of vinegar than is usually sold in grocery stores, or use diluted muriatic acid. The muriatic acid must be handled with a lot of care as it's a strong acid, opened and diluted outside, but both will clean better than the weak grocery vinegar without the creation of chlorine gas.

 

[Diesel]

IMO, this needs to be in a sticky thread.
The right way to clean a used tank as many mistakes are made easily.