If you plan to clean and reuse these items, set them aside to be sanitized separately. If the gravel is too difficult to remove by hand or fish net, you may need to use a gravel siphon vacuum to get it all out.
Make sure that you use a bucket that is large enough to hold all the old water in your tank. You want to drain it completely. For example, if your fish tank holds 4 gallons of water, you will likely want to use at least a 5-gallon bucket to avoid spillover. If the fish tank is very large, you may need to use a siphon hose to drain the water into a bucket or sink. [1] X Expert Source Craig MortonAquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc. Expert Interview. 21 July 2020.
Wiping away the more easily removed dirt and residue will make it easier to sanitize the tank and identify any white residue due to lime or calcium build up, or hard water spots that will need to be scrubbed or scrapped clean.
Equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. A vinegar and water cleaning solution is excellent for breaking down white residue or hard water stains, neutralizing fishy odors, and safely sanitizing your old fish tank. Add vinegar and water to a clean spray bottle, alternating each to ensure that you have equal parts. [3] X Research source Shake vigorously for 10 seconds to combine. 1 part non-detergent bleach to every 9 parts water in a spray bottle. When used in proper concentrations, bleach is perfectly safe to use to clean an old fish tank. For fish safety, it is important that your solution does not exceed 10% bleach. For example, mix 2 ounces (57 g) of bleach with 18 ounces (510 g) of water in a spray bottle. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds to combine.
When spraying the outside of the tank, make sure that the tank sits on a bleach-safe or vinegar-safe surface, depending on which solution you choose to use.
If you are using a vinegar solution, it is safe to leave the solution on for longer. You can leave a vinegar and water solution on for up to 48 hours without causing harm to your fish tank. [5] X Research source
Be sure to use caution when scrapping with a razor blade. Always point the blade away from you with light to medium pressure to avoid scratching the glass. If safety is a concern, you can use an acrylic or plastic razor blade instead of a metal blade. An acrylic or plastic razor blade is less sharp than a metal blade, but should still be effective in removing lime, algae, and calcium build up or hard water stains. [7] X Research source If you scrapped a lot of debris into the fish tank, you may need to re-rinse the tank with water to ensure the tank is completely clean for your fish.
Place all the removable tank items on a vinegar or bleach-safe surface. Spray all the items generously with the cleaning solution and let them soak for 10 to 15 minutes. After the soak, rinse the items under running water to remove all the vinegar or bleach. Let them air dry for 24 hours. You can also mix your vinegar or bleach solution in a large bleach-safe bucket or sink and let the removable tank items soak submerged for 10 to 15 minutes.
Rinse the scrubbed items under running water. Pat dry with a clean paper towel or let air dry completely.
