We bought a nice Jebo tank off trade me, all working but it needs a bit of a clean up and I was wondering if anyone can suggest what to use to give it that really good clean as obviously cleaning products are a big no no.

Elbow grease.

I use salt and a plastic scrubbing pad (not soap or disinfectant impregnated). An old credit card is good for removing solid dried algae.

White vinegar

White vinegar

I did wonder about vinegar as it is natural although a good rinse out would still be needed obviously :lol:

Personally I don't really bother, but then I am lazy. I just give it a normal scrub, rinse etc

I like Caryl's salt idea. I can't imagine anything that likes being dried out, covered in fresh water, then covered in salt water. You can also buy stereliser at the pet store for $5-ish.

White vinegar is really good!

we even use it for the rabbit Hutch It kills, disinfects and gets rid of bad smells !

:roll:

we even use it for the rabbit Hutch It kills, disinfects and gets rid of bad smells !

Hmm...off topic but...I suppose that would be good for cleaning the cats' litter boxes too?

Caryl, is the reason for the salt just to add a "safe" grit?

Caper

Caryl, is the reason for the salt just to add a "safe" grit?

You mix it in with the water your washing the tank with (in high dosage), so its dissolved. To keep my answer simple, the basic reason is organisms that live in freshwater usually die in saltwater.

Salt offers a rough surface (yes, mix it with some water) to work off well stuck on muck and kills off freshwater bugs. Rinse well afterwards.

SpidersWeb wrote:

the basic reason is organisms that live in freshwater usually die in saltwater

Caryl wrote:

kills off freshwater bugs

Learn something new everyday. So is that also one of the reasons that a salt bath is sometimes beneficial for an ailing freshwater fish???

Caper

I understand a salt bath just irritates the fish causing it to increase production of its slime coat. I suppose the bugs drop off with the slime? :-?

Its more to do with osmosis.

Basically 'flushes' the fish. Causes fluid to be sucked out, then sucked back in when its in clean freshwater again.

Sorry I'm at work and don't have time to find you a good article on the subject. :(

Is the tank glass? Dont' use a scrubbing pad on acrylic

(Are you tigger on the lsb forum too? If you don't know what lsb is then I guess it's not you!!)

re: the salt - in addition to some bugs dropping off with production of a new slime coat.. yes I do think that there are some freshwater parasites that cannot handle the salt and it kills them.. SOME .. not all!! I believe I've read somewhere that saltwater fish can sometimes be dipped in freshwater to the same reasons...but then wheter you can believe everything you read is a different story!

You mix the salt with a little water until it is still a paste and it acts as a soft abrasive that can be easily washed out when you have finished. As stated earlier it also acts by osmosis to kill bugs etc. Nature likes things to balance so a strong salt solution on one side of a semipermeable membrane (the cell wall of a bug) causes water to pass through the membrane to dilute it and this dehydrates the bug so it desperately needs a DB and doesn't feel well.

Vinegar is acid and disolves the calcium deposits which are mainly carbonates (like what builds up in your jug).

:lol: ( now have the image in my head of the crusty old bugger in the DB ad who's severely dehydrated!) :lol:

"We'll make a human chain!" (sorry.. off topic I know!!)

Vinegar is acid and disolves the calcium deposits which are mainly carbonates

Seriously?!

You just answered my question without me having to answer it

If it works: