Best way to get this “for sale” ready?

[BAMatter]

What’s the best way to get this tank breakdown cleaned up? Looking for the easiest way possible without creating any sort of toxic fumes that will murder me in my sleep. Can I just add something and let the pump run for a few days? Vinegar? Use RODI? Any help is great, thanks!

 

[Dbartlett727]

I’ve cleaned tanks by using citric acid solution or sicce pump cleaner and running with fresh water and a heater turned up. Use the hose to blast as much off as possible first.

 

[mfinn]

I would drain it and scrape off as much material as possible without scratching anything.
Move it outside, then add 2-3 gallons of vinegar and let it run with the pumps going for a couple days. Drain and see how it turned out. Maybe a second round of vinegar might be needed.
Citric acid will work as well.

 

[wmb0003]

RODI is not needed can just use tap water. Citric acid is probably better, but vinegar would be fine and also more readily available.

 

[BAMatter]

I would drain it and scrape off as much material as possible without scratching anything.
Move it outside, then add 2-3 gallons of vinegar and let it run with the pumps going for a couple days. Drain and see how it turned out. Maybe a second round of vinegar might be needed.
Citric acid will work as well.

I’m thinking vinegar over citric acid, but have no basis for that really. Any pros and cons to either way?

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

I’m thinking vinegar over citric acid, but have no basis for that really. Any pros and cons to either way?

I prefer citric acid over vinegar personally. Iirc it's bit gentler on plastics. Plus it smells a lot better. Easily available with the canning supplies at the grocery store.

 

[BAMatter]

I prefer citric acid over vinegar personally. Iirc it's bit gentler on plastics. Plus it smells a lot better. Easily available with the canning supplies at the grocery store.

Any toxic fume issues I need to worry about or prepare for? I’d really just like to dump something in this tank without having to move it, and then drain/scrub after to finish it off

 

[mfinn]

I’m thinking vinegar over citric acid, but have no basis for that really. Any pros and cons to either way?

Either way will work. Vinegar seems to be easier to get, unless you can get citric acid at your local supermarket.
Citric acid is easier to store. Small bag of powder that you add water to, vs larger gallon plastic jugs.
I use citric acid in place of vinegar for cleaning now.

The citric acid was made popular because a specific thread here on R2R that detailed what vinegar seemed to do to with Vortech MP10, 40 and 60"s.
The way the magnet was sealed in plastic and how vinegar seemed to be able to penetrate the plastic seams and cause the neodymium magnet to swell.
People seemed to expand that theory to all pumps now. Haven't seen any evidence to support it though.

 

[mfinn]

Any toxic fume issues I need to worry about or prepare for? I’d really just like to dump something in this tank without having to move it, and then drain/scrub after to finish it off

Are there any zoanthids or palys in the tank?
If not maybe just the smell of vinegar in the house.

 

[BAMatter]

Are there any zoanthids or palys in the tank?
If not maybe just the smell of vinegar in the house.

All zoas and palys have been removed. Just sand, lots of GSP, and some red planaria…

 

[mfinn]

All zoas and palys have been removed. Just sand, lots of GSP, and some red planaria…

Then just scrape out carefully what you can and use either vinegar or citric acid to do it's thing.
I like to do this kind of cleaning outside if all possible. Mostly because it can get messy, plus I'm not a big fan of the vinegar smell.
Once the tank has had a a couple days to soak ( I'd use a small powerhead in it too), use a sponge, maybe a plastic scraper to clean it.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponges seem to do great work on cleaning tanks up.

 

[BAMatter]

Then just scrape out carefully what you can and use either vinegar or citric acid to do it's thing.
I like to do this kind of cleaning outside if all possible. Mostly because it can get messy, plus I'm not a big fan of the vinegar smell.
Once the tank has had a a couple days to soak ( I'd use a small powerhead in it too), use a sponge, maybe a plastic scraper to clean it.
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser sponges seem to do great work on cleaning tanks up.

Cool. Thanks for your help !

 

[Mikeltee]

That's small so 5# of citric acid would work. I had 130g so I let it dry and it scraped right off with a new razor blade.

 

[BAMatter]

That's small so 5# of citric acid would work. I had 130g so I let it dry and it scraped right off with a new razor blade.

Thinkin im going to drain, bring outside, refill and add citric acid, let it run for a couple days, drain.

 

[exnisstech]

FWIW I use citric acid and vinegar both. The vinegar seams to clean better than the citric acid.

 

[jda]

You are going to have to scrape it at some point. No acid, not even muriatic will just dissolve green types of algae. If you use enough acid, you can probably dissove most of the coralline, but that can also damage pumps. I use muriatic acid (like citric but stronger) at about the same strength - it will loosen up coralline to where it is soft and easy to scrape. A few rounds of acid makes things even easier.

 

[BAMatter]

You are going to have to scrape it at some point. No acid, not even muriatic will just dissolve green types of algae. If you use enough acid, you can probably dissove most of the coralline, but that can also damage pumps. I use muriatic acid (like citric but stronger) at about the same strength - it will loosen up coralline to where it is soft and easy to scrape. A few rounds of acid makes things even easier.

Scraping is fine, just need to loosen up all that GSP off the back wall and other built up growth throughout the rear chambers