Cleaning The Tank Before Adding Water And Fish

[ewooten78]

I just got a 55 gallon tank and it needs some serious cleaning. What can I use to clean it besides just water to make sure its really clean without using something that will harm my fishes?

 

[Truck]

Ammonia, just dilute it and rinse with a damp cloth.

 

[OldMan47]

If you are trying to clean the hard white deposits from the glass, you want to use a weak acid like vinegar. The vinegar will dissolve the white deposits chemically if left in place long enough and vinegar is easy to rinse from the glass. The citric acid of a citrus fruit will also work but fruit juice also contains sugars which will not rinse off as easily. If you have an easy source of citric acid that is not combined in fruit juice, it will work a bit faster than vinegar.
Ammonia is a "glass cleaner" that is mainly good for removing greasy substances like fingerprints, not hard water deposits. It is not an acid but is a base that changes greases into soaps.