General Care Discussion :: How Do I Sterilize A Used Tank?

[Pam]

I Bought a used 60 gallon Tru Vu acrylic aquarium today for $30 at a yard sale. It is much needed upgrade for two 1 1/2 year old res. What is the best way to sterilize it that won't harm the turtles? They previously had a snake in there (yuck!). Any help is appreciated.
Thanks!

[missibsu]

Most people use vinegar...just be sure to rinse good. Sounds like you got a good deal!

[Pam]

Yes I did! Does vinegar sterilize it as well as general cleaning? Thanks so much!
Pam

[cam722]

You can use bleach and hot water to clean it out also.. just make sure to rinse it throughly.

[zuse]

I keep reading on articles about cleaning tanks from yard sales to never use vinegar on glass? Why is that? (Because I just used it on one that two mice someone gave me to care for and they want their tank back eventually).

[steve]

Vinegar is acidic but not toxic like bleach. I'm not sure why it's not supposed to be used on glass, could it seep into certain types of glass? It does leave more streaks than a cleaner but is safer to use.

[Pam]

Is vinegar OK to use on acrylic?

[cam722]

I've never heard not to use vinegar on glass.. as a matter of fact some window cleaners add vinegar to their products. One of the best ways to clean glass is with vinegar and newspaper.. you'll never see a cleaner and streak free window than that

[marisa]

Vinegar contains acetic acid, and so does the silicone that holds aquariums together. Perhaps that's why it was not recommended to use vinegar in tanks...

I've used diluted bleach to clean used tanks (2 oz to a gallon of water) after first cleaning out any dirt, etc. I give the tank a good cleaning with it, then I rinse numerous times and then fill the tank with plain water and let it stand over night. Letting the tank air dry for a day after cleaning would also be good.

(typo edit)

[hannah.26]

I've heard that the vinegar can sometimes cause the glass to cloud. It can also be absorbed by the silicon that holds it together. I don't know how toxic it is though....just dilute maybe? ask an aquarium store they should know.

Be careful when cleaning acrylic - it scratches really easily.

[marisa]

I'm thinking the acetic acid in the vinegar could possibly loosen the silicone holding the glass together (because it also contains acetic acid). I've used white vinegar diluted with water on the inside of one tank for a while now and have had no problems. I've never had vinegar cloud glass--it makes it sparkle. Acrylic I don't know about.