What Do I Use To Clean Tank?

CAMDIDDY

well I have lost all of my livestock. My display tank has been cycling fishless for 3 weeks now.
I want to clean my 20 gal. qt tank. It has had different medications in it, such as copper sulfate and fomalin and malachite green. I just want to make sure all that stuff is out.
What should I use to scrubb the walls and corners? bleach?
also I have a crushed coral/sand substrate bed, can I remove it and rinse it off? or should I lose it and buy new. thanks

bandr1002

you can rinse the substrate under warm water, and as for the tank, i would just use a damp towel with warm water, no need for bleach (i would not use it). by the time you let it cycle it should be fine

las4444

A tank treated with copper should never but used for anything but a FOWLR. An empty tank can be cleaned with vinegar and rinsed out very well.

AS for bleach it is not as taboo as one thinks. I have a filter pad that requires a bleaching when it's cleaned. A 50/50 mix at that. I would limit the amount you use to as little as possible. Fill up the tank with water and condition the water. I would do this twice just to be on the safe side.

Believe me, the first time I treated the filter I was afraid to put it back in my tank.

Note: If using bleach, test the ph of your tap water. If bleach is still present in high concentration, retesting of the water will have an elevated ph.



All and all bleach should not be necessary to clean the tank.