Given old,dirty tank & supplies, HELP
- Thread starter OKCKitty
- Start date
That is how I started. A friend gave me a tank and some supplies that had been sitting in his basement for a couple of years. I scrubbed everything with a 10% bleach solution, rinsed several times, then let dry for a week. Id did replace the power filter though. Didn't trust using it after sitting that long. Also used new gravel.
Hope this helps.
Craig
Hope this helps.
Craig
give us some stats on the tank and tell us what you want to do with it, and we can help.
best/safest cleaner for a dirty tank is water and vinegar. Im not sure about bleach, i think it should be ok if you soak the tank in dechlorinator after
best/safest cleaner for a dirty tank is water and vinegar. Im not sure about bleach, i think it should be ok if you soak the tank in dechlorinator after
Thanks Craig. Plan to start tomorrow. Is there a reason behind letting it sit for so long, after bleaching, before putting it together? Next question.. I assume after cleaning everything, the next thing to do is try to figure out the filter system. I guess the best thing is to take it into my local pet store and ask them if it is any good. I'm just afraid they will just try to sell me new stuff. 
OKCKitty
Plan to start tomorrow. Is there a reason behind letting it sit for so long, after bleaching, before putting it together? Next question.. I assume after cleaning everything, the next thing to do is try to figure out the filter system. I guess the best thing is to take it into my local pet store and ask them if it is any good. I'm just afraid they will just try to sell me new stuff. OKCKitty
Chunksofpoo, Great name! 
Love Goonies!!!
Anyway, I'm not even sure how many gallons it is. It's 30wx12dx22h. I want to do whatever is easiest for a beginner. Freshwater, I guess. My daughters just want to have some "cute" fish. So we plan to start very slow and inexpensively.
OKCKitty
Love Goonies!!!Anyway, I'm not even sure how many gallons it is. It's 30wx12dx22h. I want to do whatever is easiest for a beginner. Freshwater, I guess. My daughters just want to have some "cute" fish. So we plan to start very slow and inexpensively.
OKCKitty
A few years ago I read that bleach was best for killing all germs, fungus, etc.... The reason to let it dry so long is because after it dries, all residue from the bleach is gone.
This was an article that I had read online a few years ago when I had started my first tank. I'm sure that there are some out there that would say not to do this, and they may be right. Info changes over the years. Better ways of doing things are always coming up. This is just one of those "This is what I did, and it seemed to work for me" things. I would be interested in hearing other ideas though. :idea2:
Craig
This was an article that I had read online a few years ago when I had started my first tank. I'm sure that there are some out there that would say not to do this, and they may be right. Info changes over the years. Better ways of doing things are always coming up. This is just one of those "This is what I did, and it seemed to work for me" things. I would be interested in hearing other ideas though. :idea2:
Craig
You could also use Oxyclean to clean your tank (the powder kind). It has no soap in it, and works great. Make sure you rinse well, and rinse again, but do that with anything you use. Rinsing is the most important part.
Sounds like you have around a 35gal. Have fun!
Sounds like you have around a 35gal. Have fun!
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OKCKitty said:
Good idea, you're already one up on the vast majority of us as a beginner--you're already showing patience, the greatest asset towards owning fish. Be careful to maintain that patience once you get your tank cleaned and set up though--don't go and buy fish immediately. Read the sticky on this forum titled "Cycle." Tons of great information there, and it'll steer you away from 99% of first-timer mistakes (the ones I learned about BEFORE coming here, the hard way, poor fish).