Habitat - Indoor :: 150 gallon acrylic tank and cleaning...

[CReeder14]

Ok, so I got ahold of my tank here a few days ago, and right at this moment it is defiantley not fit for anything to live in it... (smells like a fish market, got it off of craigslist, so at least it was cheap)

Anyway, I'm wondering what sort of products i need to use to clean this thing... the prior owner had it sitting unihabitited for awhile, so the lack of maintinance has left some yellow spots on the inside of the tank, and the built in filter housing reaks something aweful...

I have some materials that I know would get the job done, but I'm not sure what damage they might do to the tank or if they might leave some lasting effects that might later harm my turtles...

Anyway, thanks

[megcornell]

I would first take a damp cloth and wipe out any excess debris or dust.
Then you can use a vinegar (white vinegar only) solution or a very diluted bleach solution to scrub out and disinfect the tank. Rinse it very well- there shouldn't be any odor left or residue, it's better to over-rinse than under-rinse. Let it dry overnight or for a few hours and then it should be good to go.

[industrial_girl_2000]

Go to a petstore and look for a white plastic "loofah"-style sponge that is made for scrubbing acrylic tanks. I just got one the other day for my plastic betta tank since he always gets a ton of algae in there & it is hard to scrub off. Acrylic tanks scratch easily, which is why you need to get a special scrubbing sponge (It's cheap....only a buck or two & washable/reusable). I used mine for the first time this past week & I can tell you that my tank sparkled like brand new! Definitely worth every penny.

[untsmurf]

I've had one of those for years, they are wonderful. There's one for glass and one for plexiglass, I have both and they are both wonderful.

[CReeder14]

what would teh ratio of a vinegar solution be? I'm assuming that I wouldn't use straight vinegar (because you said "solution") =]

Anyway, I'm planning to head out after school today and get some stuff to start cleaning it...

Thanks

[megcornell]

There are a few options with the vinegar, you can put it directly on a cloth to get out more concentrated stains or add some to a few gallons of water to rinse out the tank. The vinegar isn't really toxic, but it's just the stronger solution you use, the more you have to rinse, and the harder it is to get the residual vinegar smell out.
If you use bleach, make a 1.5% bleach solution by adding about 2oz bleach to a gallon of water.

[CReeder14]

Ok, Thanks...