Cleaning Methods for Used Tanks

[retiredsailor]

i recently purchased a used Red Sea Max130D and I need to give everything a good cleaning. My plan is cleaning all the parts with hot water and a toothbrush.

Does this seem like a good plan? Because if there's a problem with it I would rather learn from someone else's mistake than make my own to pass on to someone else at some point in the future. Thanks in advance.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Go buy one or two gallons of vinegar.....our local Sam's Club sells it in a two gallon box....and soak / coat everything with vinegar. This weak acid will dissolve the precipitates on the tank and make it look like brand new.

 

[NanaReefer]

White distilled Vinegar for the win!! The hotter you can make it, the better! It's a reefers best friend [emoji2]

 

[143MPCo]

Ok you're a navy vet so you should know this one , what's that stuff the navy uses to clean calcium deposits of ship hulls, it's 100% biodegradable, works super fast and even taste great, did I mention it works FAST?

Spoiler: Spoiler Alert

http://www.cheapcitric.com/

 

[retiredsailor]

I never had to deal with cleaning the hull. But brass, I learned to hate. For brass you soak it in "bug juice," or as it is more commonly called kook aid. The best part though is when you are teaching the new guy and tell them to do it you always have a 20 minute argument because they think you are playing a joke on them. In the end you have to just order them to do it. Their reactions are always hilarious when they find out it works. Then you play a joke on them. Maybe send them to supply to pick up 50 feet of Fallopian tube. Only works on guys though.

 

[diablomaster9045]

+1 to vinegar

 

[143MPCo]

Then you play a joke on them. Maybe send them to supply to pick up 50 feet of Fallopian tube. Only works on guys though.

lol... thats funny as heck! ahh the good old days, man do i miss um!

 

[143MPCo]

Well don't get me wrong, vinegar works, have use it for year (including in my cooking, salads, ribs... mmm ribs!) but, talked to a fellow reefer that told me to try citric acid (not mainstream I know, and probably why folks are taken back by trying it) for all the same reason I noted above. I was impressed with how fast it worked and how little I need to get the J.O.B. done... Love the stuff, if I'm out I will still use vinegar but the small sometimes gets to me, not to mention the wife can't stand it after so many yrs. I know I don't need to say this but, Happy Wife, Happy Life!

 

[Downbeach]

Besides using an acid to clean the calcium carbonate build up, after a good rinsing, I would also give it a good soaking with a bleach solution to sanitize it.