i have an old 5 gallon starter tank that i took apart about 3 months ago. can i reuse it for a new betta fish? how do i clean it? no fish diseases in it or anything i just upgraded the fish to a larger tank please help
2007-08-21 17:15:36 · 10 answers · asked by stephanie c 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
Rinse very well with water, but never use soap or chemicals! If it is still dirty, pet stores sell cleaning supplies special made for tanks.
Then set it up like a normal tank, and remember to decholrinate the water!
Good luck with your betta!
FishieFin ♥
2007-08-21 17:21:20 · answer #1 · answered by ツ & ♥ 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can keep the same tank and plants but scrub them well with aquarium salt as a cleaner and rinse very well (all you have to do is rinse the gravel well and you can re-use it). As far as I know there isn't a "safe" soap like product for aquariums. Bacteria is good in an aquarium as they break down fish waste and extra fish food.
Bettas don't last long in tanks without a filter. It would be worth your while to buy a 2 or 5 gallon tank and a small "aquaclear" style filter. The betta will be happier and will swim around more than without a filter.
If you choose to keep the 1gal tank, then you should change at least on third of the water once a week. Make sure the water you put in has been treated with chlorine/heavy metal remover first.
Good luck.
2007-08-21 17:22:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I reuse tanks all the time. It doesnt make sense to buy a new one very time. They sometimes get that lime build up but they sell fish-safe products to clean your tank with at most pet stores. Just go tell them what you're looking for. I really wouldnt use any soap or other cleaning products not designed for a fish tank , because one small trace left in your tank could kill all of your fish. What isnt a big deal to you or I could be fatal to fish. After you set it up, let it sit for a few days. They also sell stuff that you add to fresh water, to stabolize it to make it safe for fish right away. I suggest buying some of that too.
2007-08-21 18:44:20 · answer #3 · answered by Dani 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can reuse it. Don't use soap to clean the tank. Just clean out the tank with warm water and white vinegar to clean off any muck on the inside and outside of the tank. It's perfectly safe.
2007-08-21 21:31:29 · answer #4 · answered by NCConfederate13 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's no problem in reusing the tank. All you should need to do is rinse it out well with warm water (NO soap!).
2007-08-21 17:22:36 · answer #5 · answered by copperhead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure, just bleach it - a one part bleach to ten parts water will do and rinse it like crazy. Then set it back up and be sure to test your water before adding any fish. You can get a water test kit at any pet store.
2007-08-21 17:23:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, you can absolutely do that
just with warm water, and if you have any stains on it from water evaporation, just use some white vinegar and wash it off really good
NO SOAP
As for the setup, you can actually use water from your bigger tank, as well as some gravel and a squeeze of your cartridge into the new tank, to jumpstart the cycle as well.
Hope that helps
Good luck
EB
any questions, feel free to email me
2007-08-21 17:37:19 · answer #7 · answered by Kribensis lover 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To clean: give it a GOOD scrub and consider getting an algea sucker to live in it for a while. JUst Scrub Scrub Scrub. A GOOD scrub. Them introduce them to it and watch them CLOSELY. If they act any differant, TAKE THEM OUT QUICK!
2007-08-21 17:24:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
um yeah u can reuse it i would wash it out with a little bit of soap but make shure 2 rinse it out really well
2007-08-21 17:20:59 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
u can re use it sure ,make sure it very clean ,
2007-08-21 17:22:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋