Cleaning a new tank and gravel??

[jhj]

Hello All:

I bought a new 75G and want some advice on cleaning. I plan on transferring the fish and the water from my 29 to the 75G. My question are:

1. How do I clean the tank before I lay in the gravel and plants? When I got the 29G, I simply took it in the shower and cleaned it with some help. The 75G is far to big for that.

2. I also bought new gravel for the tank, how do I clean the gravel before putting it in the tank?

These maybe basic (even borderline stupid) question, but I'd like to do it right and this is the best place for answers.

Thanks in advance.

 

[LarryB]

Since its a new tank I would just rinse with warm water. As far as the gravel I would put alittle in a bucket and put it under the bathtub faucet, turn the water all the way on and stir the gravel with your hand. keep stirring till the water runs clear. Drain the water and put the gravel in your tank. Then repeat over and over and over again. Yes this can take awhile but it works very well.

 

[redstar8]

My trick for draining gravel is this:

Typically you buy aquarium gravel (or any other subsrate for that matter) by the bag. First, poke a hole in each of the top corners and run a little piece of rope or string through both ends, essentially creating a handle for the bag. Second, take a knife and poke lots of smaller holes in the bottom of the bag. Then simply hang the rope or string over your faucet, open the top of the bag so that water may enter, and turn on the faucet. Now the bag of substrate will just hang there with a constant flow of water running throught it.

It may waste more water than some of the other ways to do this, but it saves on how much work you actually have to do.

 

[LesbianChap]

My trick for draining gravel is this:

Typically you buy aquarium gravel (or any other subsrate for that matter) by the bag. First, poke a hole in each of the top corners and run a little piece of rope or string through both ends, essentially creating a handle for the bag. Second, take a knife and poke lots of smaller holes in the bottom of the bag. Then simply hang the rope or string over your faucet, open the top of the bag so that water may enter, and turn on the faucet. Now the bag of substrate will just hang there with a constant flow of water running throught it.

It may waste more water than some of the other ways to do this, but it saves on how much work you actually have to do.

My experience with this was you still had to beat the gravel around a bit...

 

[redstar8]

not really, just be sure to poke the bottom holes in the very corners of the bag and let it hang out for about 30 mins after you turn the faucet off to make sure all of the water is out.

 

[Brody]

To clean gravel/sand, I use a bucket and keep rinsing and pouring until the water is clear.

With the tank, I would rinse it with warm water, and use your gravel vac to suck all the dirty water out before you add the clean gravel.

 

[patoloco]

not really, just be sure to poke the bottom holes in the very corners of the bag and let it hang out for about 30 mins after you turn the faucet off to make sure all of the water is out.

Not sure, there could be sediments trapped among the pebbles. To wash gravel, I use a colander like those used to drain spaghetti. Pour a liitle (2 cups), stir a few times and to the tank. I've found that washing small amounts is fasterthan washing a whole bag.

I recently set up a 50 gallon tank. I filled it with water and emptied it. Then, filled to the half and added bleach. I scrubbed all the interior glass with a sponge and then filled it completely. After an hour, I emptied. Finally, filled again with water and lots of dechlorinator. After a final drain, I filled it with the water I was going to use.

*** Edited bacause I am a moron an didn't read carefully the last post and I was saying dumb things.

 

[jhj]

Thank you very much everyone...great advice!!!