Tank Question

[Serpentine99]

I was cleaning out a new tank yesterday, and I was using Simple Green, an all purpose cleaner to get some buildup off. Right after I was finished cleaning it my dad told me he heard that if you use cleaner in an tank it becomes unusable for awhile because the chemicals are hard to get out. Is this true? Also how do you guys clean the glass on your Terrariums?
Note: The tank is not in use at the moment.

[Sid]

I use a mild dish detergent. Then rinse with clear water a couple of times and dry it completely.

Sid

[GarterGuy]

Yeh, the problem with that is the residue from some cleaners can be absorbed by the siliconrubber sealant that's used to construct the tank. Best thing is to give it a good flushing with water and sit it out in the sun for a day. The higher temps. will help any leftover cleaners volatilize out of the sealant. I honestly NEVER use any house hold cleaners on my tanks. The only thing I use is something called Quatricide. It's a cleaner disinfectant that sold by BigApple Herp supply that's made for use with animals. Even with that though, I'm very careful to make sure the tank is rinsed out VERY well and dried before reintroducing any critters.

Roy

[Serpentine99]

cool. Thanks Sid and Garter Guy. I didn't even think of that when I started cleaning it. Now I know never to do that again.

[KITKAT]

I use 3 percent bleach.

To make this, put 1 oz of bleach in the bottom of a quart jar. and add 31 oz of water.

Or for those of you who work in liters... 30 ml of bleach in a liter.

3 percent bleach is shown to kill almost every organizm on surfaces after a 20 minute exposure. It is highly water soluble, which means it rinses out well. Finally, it evaporates well, which means any bleach left behind will be gone in a matter of hours.

[CrazyHedgehog]

I use bleach too, but with a little washing up liquid.
.... but not quite as an exact measurement.:o
A bucket of warm water, a splash of bleach and a tiny drip of washing up liquid.
Rinse well and thoroughly dry before setting back up.

[KITKAT]

I use bleach too, but with a little washing up liquid.
.... but not quite as an exact measurement.:o
A bucket of warm water, a splash of bleach and a tiny drip of washing up liquid.
Rinse well and thoroughly dry before setting back up.

Be careful that there is no ammonia in your detergent. If you mix detergent with an ammonia component with bleach, you will instantly make ammonium chloride... a very poisonous gas!:eek:

[CrazyHedgehog]

Be careful that there is no ammonia in your detergent. If you mix detergent with an ammonia component with bleach, you will instantly make ammonium chloride... a very poisonous gas!:eek:

well that should clean the tank!!!:rolleyes:

hmmm. :) not sure but have been cleaning them like that for years the snakes are still here and so am i!!

[KITKAT]

hmmm. :) not sure but have been cleaning them like that for years the snakes are still here and so am i!!

Then your detergent probably does not have ammonia in it.

[CrazyHedgehog]

to be honest, there is such a tiny amount of both in a large bucket of water that its probably too watered down.

[Sputnik]

I use a reptile housing cleaning spray after rinsing the tanks with plenty of water. A damp cloth works fine on the glass. :)

[adamanteus]

I use water and a drop of baby bottle sterilizing fluid. I always have. Never had a problem yet.

[drache]

I use chlorhexedine solution and rinse well
the smell bothers me less that that of bleach

[Stefan-A]

Anybody familiar with a disinfectant called Virkon S?

[drache]

no
what's in it?

[Stefan-A]

I have no idea what's in it. I know it's commonly used on farms and to clean stables. A lot of locals have recommended it for disinfecting terrariums.

DuPont Animal Health Solutions - About Virkon S (http://www.antecint.co.uk/main/vkinfo.htm)

edit: Potassium Peroxymonosulfate

[drache]

that seems like pretty benign stuff

[GarterGuy]

I have no idea what's in it. I know it's commonly used on farms and to clean stables. A lot of locals have recommended it for disinfecting terrariums.

DuPont Animal Health Solutions - About Virkon S (http://www.antecint.co.uk/main/vkinfo.htm)

edit: Potassium Peroxymonosulfate

Yeh, that'd be perfectly safe to be using with animals....nothing really caustic in there.

[Lulu Bennett]

i have just been to the pet store now actually and got some BeaClean for reptile tanks and vivs. it is by Beaphar and once it has dried no need to rince off with water.

[GarterGuy]

i have just been to the pet store now actually and got some BeaClean for reptile tanks and vivs. it is by Beaphar and once it has dried no need to rince off with water.

I'd still probably rinse the stuff though. Quatracide was supposed to be all safe like that as well, but then they found the animals that "lick" stuff were getting sick from licking the walls of the cages. Now your snakes don't really lick anything, but there is the possibility of it getting a wet food item, like a fish or piece of fish, up against the walls and possibley causing some transfer of the cleaning agent. I always figure, better safe then sorry.

Roy

[Kurly1]

I just bought something today called Jurassi Clean. It's a spray that is all natural and lime scented which cleans and deodorizes reptile enclosures. It worked very good and smells good as well.

[GGarter]

Does anyone know if it's safe to use hydrogen peroxide?
I reckon it could be quite safe. Not that I have any experience, but shouldn't it reduce to plain water quite rapidly?

I'll just make sure that it's just a thought so don't take it as facts....

[Stefan-A]

Seems at least like it has been used for similar purposes in the past. I just read the wikipedia article on hydrogen peroxide. It also has a few interesting hazards.

[drache]

I just read the wikipedia article on hydrogen peroxide. It also has a few interesting hazards.

I'll say
I've got some other experiences with hydrogen peroxide
I will not go into detail, but . .
it does kill bugs