What is the best and safest way to clean an aquarium?

Question

A friend gave me an aquarium that she hadn't used in a couple of years and had not cleaned it. So, now it has dried algae all over the inside and calcium deposits around the top inside and all over the hood/light. I am wondering how to clean this off without scratching the glass. Will it even come off??? (I definitely won't be using soaps of any kind or those sponges with chemicals in them)Thank you...

Answer 1

you don't have to use any chemicals at all, only natural things

For the tank itself, you can buy the scrapping pad at a petstore just for tanks
Fill it up with hot water and put white vinegar in there, and let it sit for about an hour, then start scrubbing it
it should go of easily, or you can also try just to put pure vinegar on at first, let it sit for 20 min and fill it up with hot water afterwards, and then scrub it clean
Wash as often, as you have to, not to smell the vinegar anymore

For the hood, use pure lemon juice and let it soak, it lets itself clean off with a wet papertowel


hope that helps
Good luck


EB

Answer 2

Yes, it will come off. Most of my tanks are used, and some were in a horrid state, but real cheap. Been there, it looks like a real chore, but it actually isn't.

Fill the tank with room temperature water, and let it sit for a day. During this day pick up a single edge razor blade scraper, and a cheap pot scrubber. The cheap scrubbers don't contain any soap or fungicides.

The next day, leaving the water in the tank, use the razor scraper to remove the algae. Be careful of the silicone seams, you don't want to damage these. Once you have the glass cleaned use the pot scrubber on the areas near & on the seams. Once you are done you can siphon out the now filthy water, give it a quick rinse, and algae is gone. I've done this with tanks that have fish in them, it doesn't bother them at all.

For the calcium, use plain white vinegar to remove it, and rinse with water. These buildups are caused by hard water, and are unsightly but harmless.

Answer 3

Well, if you want to sterilize it, I'd use one gallon of bleach to every 10-20 gallons of water that the aquarium is. Put the bleach and water in and let the aquarium and all of the equipment that comes into contact with the water run. Then empty it out and rinse twice. Then let it dry in the sun. (Even if there is some bleach left after you rinse it twice, the sun should make it evaporate.) If you still smell bleach after this or just want to be extra careful, fill up the aquarium again and fill it with twice the dosage of water conditioner and run it for 30 minutes. Then empty it and you're done. As for the calcium deposits, I've found that vinegar works especially well on them. (I'd clean the calcium deposits before putting bleach.) Just put some vinegar on a cloth or rag and wipe the glass hard then rinse. If your tank is acrylic, you might want to check if you can use the rag or cloth on it without scratching it. Good luck.

Answer 4

For the tank itself, fill it up with water, and let it soak for a bit, then work on scrubbing it out.

For the top/hood/lights, and parts of the tank that don't clean up, I've found nothing more effective than a razor and a lot of careful, but strenuous work. Good luck.

Answer 5

I've found out that a mixture of water and vinegar does a wonderful mob of cleaning the aquarium.

Answer 6

There is a plastic scraper called Lil' Chizler. Get them for about $1 at most kitchen stores.

Answer 7

take fishes out, take tank out...wash wit water and scrub...then put bacc in..capesh