What is the best way to clean the contents of a aquarium that has been running for 12 years? I am dismantling.

Answer 1

If the contents aren't going to be reused in the near future, and there are no problems in the tank (no disease or algae) all you should need to do is rinse them under hot water, then allow them to dry. You can store them in plastic bags, then put them in boxes or whatever is convenient.

If there have been disease or algae problems, you can surface sterilize any "hard" items (gravel, rocks, driftwood, plastic plants, or resin decor) by letting them soak in a mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water for 15 minutes, then rinsing well, and allowing to dry as before.

If you need to clean the tank itself, you can use the bleach mixture mentioned above if there have been any problems, or if there are calcium deposits from hard water or salt, you can dissolve these with vinegar, then add a little salt to make a scrub for stubborn spots (or scrape carefully with a razor). If the tank has been used for a high pH environment (saltwater, or African cichlids), there maybe a cloudy look to the glass from permanent etching from the high pH - this you won't be able to clean.

Answer 2

a gentle soap and warm water.. get a x-large rubbermaid container.. make sure to rinse and let the contents air dry completely.. you'll prolly need a good scrub pad and a sifter to rinse the gravel..