Did I mess up my tank?

[Treenk]

So my tank was sitting in garage and is ridiculously nasty from instinct I grab a bucket from garage a sponge and start cleaning. The bucket use to store drywall mud... so many chemicals in that crap and likely the sponge I used as well... is there a way to completely disinfect a fish tank to get all toxins out? All I can find are ways to clean one not recover from a bad cleaning.

 

[Snookin]

What is the size of the tank? Is it drilled with an overflow?

 

[Treenk]

It’s a biocube I’m going to drill it but I haven’t yet

 

[Treenk]

29g

 

[JumboShrimp]

Just guessing... chemicals probably won't adhere (or soak-in) long-term to either the glass or the silicone; maybe just some undiluted vinegar all around, and thoroughly rinse and dry? Let's see what others with more experience have to say...

 

[Snookin]

Biocubes have a lot of nooks and crannies. You adding those chemicals via sponge was not good. I’m pretty crazy about what touches my tank. I don’t even let tap water touch any of my equipment. I’ll let others help you since I would just toss it in the trash.

 

[Treenk]

 

[Snookin]

Others may tell you it’s ok or have solutions. Don’t give up yet.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Again, I'm far from a chemist, but isn't water considered to be the "universal solvent"? There's got to be some way to take a glass tank and rinse, rinse, rinse until there's virtually no pollutants left, no? Wishing you the best.

 

[Snookin]

Again, I'm far from a chemist, but isn't water considered to be the "universal solvent"? There's got to be some way to take a glass tank and rinse, rinse, rinse until there's virtually no pollutants left, no? Wishing you the best.

But I think biocubes have acrylic and/or plastics in the rear chamber with hard to reach spots. It’s not just a 10g rectangle tank.

 

[KrisReef]

Drywall is non-toxic to fish and it is water soluble. Rinse and repeat and you should be good to go.

I reuse drywall mud buckets for reef jobs all the time. I like the little 2.5 gallon buckets that low dust mud comes in. They are very handy for fragging, dipping, and other jobs where a shallow bucket is nice.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I see. I guess I was too focused on the 'glass' aspect.

 

[Treenk]

It has plastics in rear chamber which are “removable” with some effort and I’m doing a sump drilled so really wouldn’t need them. But I’m pretty sure front glass is acrylic

 

[Rick.45cal]

I’d wash it out real good with some clean water, wipe it down with some vinegar, rinse again several times and call it good. If your super worried after you rinse it out fill it up with DI water and let it set for a few days, then empty it and refill it with new saltwater

 

[JumboShrimp]

(Just don't use a Gem Tang as you 'canary in the coal mine')

 

[Treenk]

Drywall is non-toxic to fish and it is water soluble. Rinse and repeat and you should be good to go.

Yay! Hope there is no repercussions cleaning this tank that has been sitting is my greatest fear I’m so afraid of spending a month curring and the first thing that goes in does anyways

 

[Treenk]

I’d wash it out real good with some clean water, wipe it down with some vinegar, rinse again several times and call it good. If your super worried after you rinse it out fill it up with DI water and let it set for a few days, then empty it and refill it with new saltwater

<— both newb and bad with acronyms what is DI water

 

[TheGreatWave]

Drywall is reasonably safe and water soluble. The main part of drywall mud is just chalk.
I wouldn't drink drywall mud, there has to be some sort of binder/glue in there, but wouldn't have any real concerns using cleaning equipment exposed to it. A couple of pre-rinse with water, then carry on with the vinegar cleaning as usual.

 

[Rick.45cal]

<— both newb and bad with acronyms what is DI water

Sorry about that. DI= De Ionized Water

 

[Treenk]

Thank you all! I should have just sent a forums hours ago instead of watching video after video of panicking. I love the response of the people on this site and happy to be here!