Best Way To Clean A Tank?

[Jpat82]

Now that my Molly has died, I need to clean the tank. This is what I think has been in tank problem wise, ich velvet and fungus. I'm going to empty it and wash everything in hot salt water, and then rinse it with hot water. Wash gravel, plants ect, put a new filter in and start it up and running. Is this how I go about this? Any suggestions would be awesome. Thanks!

 

[MBOU]

I wouldn't go too mad!

If you want to give the tank a thorough clean out, I would do this (assuming you have no fish left!?):

1) Empty all the water out into buckets or plastic storage boxes etc
2) Put filter/filter media, plants, any fish etc in the water as well (dont let filter dry out!!)
3) Net out gravel into a different bucket (wash gravel thoroughly)
4) Scrub fish tank with warm water (no chemicals!)
5) Clean gravel back in
6) 50-60% of old water back in + plants/decorations back in.
7) Filter back in and turn on
8) Top rest of tank up with clean dechlorinated water
9) If any fish.. put them in last.

 

[Chad]

Well...first off, sorry to hear about the death...

I agree, don't go too crazy with the clean up.

Not to sound harsh but a dead fish is really just a food source in a tank. In terms of clean up it's the same as if you had overfed the tank. Remove the dead fish and do a water change to remove any extra ammonia that has built up. Pretty much the same thing you would do if you accidentally dumped in too much food...you would remove as much as you could then do a water change.

 

[MBOU]

Chad, I think the point was more after repeated infections, they want to do a deep clean on the tank

 

[Chad]

I see now... they want to go all out!
Honestly there does come a time when starting over is a good idea...new gravel and a new cycle can sometimes do wonders.