How to clean a used tank??

[ccondardo]

so yesterday i picked up my 10g from a guy that i found on craigslist. I got a bunch of stuff with it, and an unexpected neon hood, which made it especially worth it. (10g tank, decor, 10g filter (doesn't impress me), siphin, neon hood, heater, 2 bottles of water conditioner, fish food, net, originial paperwork.)

my question though is how do i clean this to make it safe.

last night i made a baking soda/water paste, wiped it all down, let it sit for a few mins and rinsed it. it looked pretty good. also whats the best way to clean the main piece and plants? Also the parts like the filter and heater?

thanks everyone!
Corey

 

[jo3olous]

this is off topic, not sure how to answer your question except to just rinse and wipe everything down...

your silver tipped catfish sharks are brackish water fish:
They can grow to be up to 14 inches if given the right conditions, they are a kinda difficult fish to keep, as I found out after I got him. The start out there life in freshwater, there fore the pet store sell them as freshwater fish. But they need to be transitioned into a brackish environment through there juvenile years and then by adult life be in a saltwater tank. Now all this is just to try to match the natural environment of these fish, I just add some freshwater aquarium salt to the tank and he dose fine. If not switched over to brackish/saltwater tank, there life expectancy falls to about 10 to 12 inches. I'll post you a few links so you can read up on your fish if you want.

just something to keep in mind, sorry I got off topic

 

[ccondardo]

My buddy whose dad owns a fish store was pretty confident saying that he didn't think that it would matter. He said that the fish just wouldn't get as big since its in a smaller tank and it wasn't something to worry about. They have been in my tank for about a month and one is prob 2 inches, the other (alpha i presume) is 2.5. If they get too big i will just give em away to someone or talk to the pet store to figure something out.

 

[jo3olous]

yeah your buddy doesn't know what he's talking about; what you are saying is you are trying to stunt the growth of your fish which is
1) inhumane
2) a waste of money because you are reducing the life of your fish and reducing its growth potential

a smaller tank doesnt mean a fish wont grow, that is a myth and many newbies fail to understand it. It's a combination of poor water quality, cramped living space, and stress that causes the fish not to grow, in which case its growth is stunted and so is it's life expectancy.

I don't know the exact lifespan of the silver tipped cat, but lets say its 15 years in the proper environment; (brackish water, and proper size tank of 100-150G). By putting this fish in Fresh water and a tank of < 75G you probably cut its life to about 5 years and a potential growth of 7-8 inches, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN IT WONT REACH 14 inches.

Some kids have kept oscars, redtail cats, and ID sharks in 10-20G tanks, and WHOOPS! The fish still grew 1-2-3 feet long and they didn't know what the heck to do with it.


I'm sure you didn't know what your doing is inhumane and irresponsible, but now that you do know you can carry that burden . In the end it's up to you to decide what you want to do with your fish and the fishes life; and now I feel really bad because we are getting way off topic on this thread!

 

[TMony]

You can use "Safe & Easy Aquarium Cleaner" available at your lfs to clean any deposits that may be on the tank or accessories. It is non toxic and has worked well for me in the past. You can also use white vinegar and a razor blade to clean up the tank. In either case, soak the area you are cleaning and let it sit for a few minutes before trying to clean off the deposits. Your plants and other items can be soaked in a bucket of bleach and water overnight. Just make sure to rinse them well. It would be a good idea to rinse them and then place them back into a bucket of freshwater and treated with a de-chlorinating product. After they soak, let them air dry completely and you should be good to go.

 

[kayliwolf76]

Off topic on the stunting issue I went to a pet store in owasso, ok and seen a Pacu that was maybe 2 feet long and a foot to a foot and a half tall. It was purchased for a 20g tank and quickly outgrew it. It was brought back to the pet store and placed in a 200g tank where it has plants and a common pleco with similar story. Don't believe the stunting myth.

 

[bigdaddy]

im not a professor on fish but what i know is freshwater fish will grow no matter what size tank you put them in. and like jo3olous said its inhumane to put fish that will grow to a large size in a small tank.... fish wont stop growing in a small tank. some fish will get stressed out and die from it. fish need room to live. thats why fish live in lakes and pounds and the big blue. so if you do have any fish that will out grow your tank size get a bigger tank our give the fish a better home.