How To Clean Used Aquariums With Vinegar - THE ULTIMATE AQUARIUM CLEANER!

#aquarium #diy #fishtank
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Clean hard water build up and mineral deposits with ease! Plain white vinegar is one of the cheapest and strongest cleaners we can safely use for our aquariums, WITHOUT LIVESTOCK OF COURSE!
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[@alpoter]

I used white/distilled vinegar to clean the mineral buildup on the second hand aquarium I bought. It was already setup with plants and substrate. And some water at the bottom. It works like a miracle. The difference is that I only used cotton balls and a tiny amount of vinegar. So that it won't spill on the water. After cleaning I rinsed it with water. And used filtered water to prevent future buildups. Plants and the aquarium is very healthy, and vinegar odor disappeared very quick.

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

That's awesome! I'm going to pin this comment for now so people can see how to clean an established tank!

[@wendymcdowell2341]

Yes, I’ve already subscribed. Love your content and entertainment value (love the last few moments of your blooper reel. 😊) Beautiful shrimp there, too! ❤❤❤

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Thank you so much for watching and subscribing! Happy to hear you enjoy the content

[@wellnesswarrior7433]

So helpful thank you so much! Great video and easy to follow 🐠🐠

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Thanks for watching! Happy to have helped!

[@ladykarenparker484]

Great video, very helpful. Thank you 😊

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Thanks for watching and for the comment!

[@chipz861]

Great video Thanks bro

[@dogsareawomansbestfriend]

Thanks for letting me know it's ok to use vinegar!!

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

my pleasure! thank you for watching!

[@smartmouthpro]

This was just what I was looking for! I scored a free 20-gallon for my hermit crab but wasn't sure how to tackle the lime scale. Thanks for this great video!

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

hope it helps! check out my other videos if you have some free time :)

[@KickingitwithLynn]

Thank you so much i had a 30 gallon tank i had stored in the garage because i bought bigger one for my piranhas i decided i wanted to use it for angel fish so i started cleaning the rocks that was still in it but was unsure about how to clean the tank itself without harming the fish cause my husband a couple times cleaned it and killed my fish causd he cleaned it too good so i gave up on having angel fish but i really love them and would like to try again. I had some for 4 years and had bonded with them until he cleaned it and they died😢 so im starting over❤ subscribed and thanks again..

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Aw that sucks about the deaths. When you have the tank setup, only clean the front viewing panel and if you end up with some algae growth, just get a couple snails and they'll clean it for you.

[@jarenbreault7440]

Thank you!

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

My pleasure!

[@RyanStonedonCanadianGaming]

Nice shirt 🙃 I needed this video as I've been delaying/procrastinating on disinfecting an empty tank I have a project ready for. Gonna do this is my shower so I can just flush the heck out of the vinegar and have a fan blowing so I don't have over powering fumes.

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Just be careful with the bottom of the tank. Most tubs / showers aren't level so the bottom glass could have issues, just something to look out for.

[@RyanStonedonCanadianGaming]

@@BobMossNanoTanks Thanks for the heads up! I'll place down sponge mat.

[@po.po.poquito]

Hey do I need to rinse extremely well? I won’t be setting up my tank for months and have had it soaking for a few days. I’m about to scrape and drain.

[@mariatavares3018]

I now need to clean the same fish tank and I came in here to see how I can clean it this time! It is a big tank and hard to move around

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Empty or full? Because those are two different strategies

[@Tioniker01]

Very helpful. Thanks Buddy!

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Thanks for watching! My pleasure, happy to help!

[@baronandbaronessvonwolf4618]

Thanks for making this 🎥 Keep you shrimp hand strong 😂

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

My pleasure!

[@erickborling1302]

I love the smell of vinegar. Bleach will irritate your nose, throat, and lungs and you may even get a cold from the vulnerability of the irritation. You don't have to use all that elbow grease! Just let it soak! The minerals will dissolve rather soon if you let it sit. I bet you can even set the aquarium on it's side with a thin pool of vinegar and that takes all the real effort out of it. Anyone concur? You do this with your shower head in a baggie, too.

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Depends how bad the buildup is. I just cleaned a tank and I couldn't remove the buildup no matter how long I let it sit or how hard I scraped. Sometimes you just can't win lol

[@reneesnugent3358]

I used vinegar to hopefully sterilize my 2 tanks. U didn't mention how much vinegar to use? I had already sit the tanks in the sun for 2 days. I had a really bad outbreak of something.

[@cobaltblue5523]

Can you do this when changing thr water . But not that crazy amount

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

You can, yes. It may effect pH so I wouldn't do it with a shrimp tank or any sensitive fish.

[@fishtropiccanada4747]

When your done eat some pie 🥧 with moss !!! Bro these vids killing me … hello there haha 😂

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Glad you're enjoying them and thanks for binging haha

[@imzu]

Do you have tips for a much bigger tank (100 gallon), not sure how I would rinse the tank after cleaning!

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

does it fit in your bath tub? if not, i would use a garden hose tbh.

[@bcsshrimp-des7007]

Good to know, never knew could use vinegar. Thanks

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

You can even use it with things in the tank to clean hardwater buildup.

[@ZaiyaFineArt]

mine has white stuff everywhere on the walls it keeps coming back idk what else to do

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

probably calcium buildup. If the tank is empty, you can try a product called Barkeepers Friend. It works miracles.

[@wendymcdowell2341]

I’m in the process of cleaning my own tanks. I used bleach on the first tank, but i found other videos here suggesting vinegar is safer. 1) Do you agree with that assessment, and 2) does it matter if I use apple cider vinegar if I do decide to switch? TIA.

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

If it's empty, it doesn't matter. You'll rinse the tank out regardless and most people use dechlorinator so any residual bleach will be taken care of once water is added.

[@jamiegarrett9303]

What do I do if my plecos 50 gal tank keeps getting milky looking? I added clear water to my tank about 6 days ago cause it was looking dirty and my tank turned red then I woke up today and it's super milky looking??? Am I feeding him to much maybe or is he possibly sick? This is my first pleco I got him when he was already 14yrs old, he is a common pleco im told and he is big, had a gourami as a friend (it was 8) but for some reason last water change in our tank he died, I don't want to kill the pleco too he managed to survive the last water change idk what I did wrong

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

It sounds like a bacterial bloom. The cloudy water is a sign that your filtration cannot currently handle the bioload in the tank. Either it is not fully cycled or it is being under filtered. I would suggest getting a beneficial bacterial supplement like Seachem Stability and possibly dosing something like Prime (to keep the fish safe) every other day until the issue clears up. As for the fish death, are you letting the water sit for a day before adding it to the tank? Water straight from the tap can have a high pH and wacky temperatures that can shock our livestock.

[@jamiegarrett9303]

@@BobMossNanoTanks no I didn't know any of this I sadly came into this thinking fish we're fairly simple to take care of, now I want to do things properly

[@jamiegarrett9303]

@@BobMossNanoTanks I want to do a complete clean and start it like a new tank cause it's super super dirty I can't even see my pleco most of the time and I'm afraid he's getting sick I have a 20 pr 30 gal to use as a temporary tank while I clean the big one, oh I tried to measure him through the glass he is a little over a foot long

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

@@jamiegarrett9303 excessive cleaning will actually constantly reset your cycle. I would suggest dosing Prime and Stability everyday until it clears up. You're basically doing what's called a fish-in cycle and you're already part of the way through it.

[@jamiegarrett9303]

@@BobMossNanoTanks ok but besides the cloudy water it has been about three weeks since it was cleaned and this pleco poops more than any fish I've ever had its completely got the rocks in the bottom covered there is long poopys hanging from the log and fake plants do I just use a gravel siphon? I bought a small on the other day. And right now the only things I have for the tank are like , clear water (jungle brand), stress coat fish and water conditioner ,stress zyme(aside brand) , quick cure (api brand?) , and start right (jungle brand) idk if the brand mattera

[@fireballfireball7573]

Yes i did Very new for me this hobby

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Thanks so much for watching! I have tons of tips videos to check out!

[@jackstrathman4135]

Bro I love how vinegar smells

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Well, that's a unique trait haha

[@deluxivehomes8719]

You’re the only one in the world lol😂

[@dofiechannel8348]

How much should you wait until you put your fish back in the tank?

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

To be honest, vinegar is safe to use while there are fish in the tank haha. It will lower the pH a little but it's not something to worry about like bleach or other chemicals. If you want to play it safe, let it air dry for a day.

[@erickborling1302]

It's totally safe. The acid is almost certainly buffed to insignificant by volume and ...unless you're in Florida or the NW you got hard water. It's at insignificant levels as it's a simple organic acid, no synthetic stuff. It's great in salad. And it breaks down to sugar and fertilizes plants. But bleach? You want that out completely.

[@GTA-uc1yf]

I have a good ? 1 does vinegar kill fish lice????

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

It could but I wouldn't count on it. I'd guess they have to be in nearly pure vinegar to be killed by it.

[@mattiehorne2383]

hi, does the vinegar help get off dried algae too? or should i use something else for that?

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

it should, yes. bleach can work as well. if you let the bleach sit for ~20 minutes the algae will just die and fall off.

[@mattiehorne2383]

@@BobMossNanoTanks will this damage any life when i set it back up? or will it be okay if i rinse it out? thankyou for replying:)

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

@@mattiehorne2383 as long as you use plain bleach, not scented or the thick stuff, it will be safe. It evaporates and any residue would be removed by dechlorination.

[@theswan5500]

Someone said to make a vinegar and water 1:1 solution and fill it up fully. Is that OK?

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

O ya, give er. I prefer to use the full concentration but it's also really stinky lol

[@mariatavares3018]

I previously used vinegar to clean my fish tank , I washed it well …..to make a long story short all the fish that I bought I woke up with them floating, I felt horrible and I thought maybe it had something to do with the vinegar!

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Did you clean it with the fish in it?

[@gandarafromda951]

Lmao 😂

[@mariatavares3018]

@@BobMossNanoTanks obviously NO

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

@@mariatavares3018 not sure why no is the obvious answer but then it was something else that killed them.

[@Timbofowl]

Will this kill ich

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

I don't think so, for that you need some real medication. I think what you're looking for is methylene blue.

[@Boss-zo4lw]

How to clean calcium off a tank that is stocked though?

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Dilute the vinegar 50/50 with tank water and it should be fine. What livestock do you have? Vinegar CAN lower the pH temporarily but it isn't toxic to most things.

[@Boss-zo4lw]

@@BobMossNanoTanks MAinly Guppies, some Corys and a few Otos.

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

@@Boss-zo4lw You should be fine if you dilute it.

[@Boss-zo4lw]

@@BobMossNanoTanks Thankyou, sorry for the questions lol, what causes it in the first place with a stocked tank?

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Just evaporation, your water might be a little hard to be honest.

[@meimeiamore394]

Can I use apple cider, as that's all I have available?

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

That's a good question. I don't see it being an issue too be honest. I believe Apple Cider Vinegar is less acidic than white vinegar so you may have to scrub a little harder.

[@hanspeter9636]

I hope you know that vinegar destroys silicone.

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Destroy is a bit of an exaggeration lol. You'd also have to let it soak for a loooong time to even notice any damage.

[@joranwilloughby298]

Great Vid, although fuck the Blue Jays... Took George Springer away from my Astros :(

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Thank you! Hahaha, it was a free shirt with a case of beer I got, to be honest.

[@m0bob]

Use rubber gloves!

[@BobMossNanoTanks]

Make sure they're nitrile and not latex if you're gonna do that!

[@m0bob]

@@BobMossNanoTanks I think latex has been banned in the UK due to allergic reaction etc.

[@sko1beer]

@@m0bob really I never knew that maybe it got banned cause it stopped the politicians getting any real work done 😉