How do you clean your salt water vat?

[eyesinthedrk]

I was going to make up some saltwater for a water change. It's a brute 44. I didn't realize I had left a little water in there from the last time and when I took the lid off I was blasted with the smell of ammonia

So I figure it's time for a good cleaning. How would you go about it?

[slief]

I cleaned 100G my saltwater holding tank a month or two ago. This was it's first cleaning in a couple years. I filled it with fresh water and dumped 4 gallons of vinegar into it. I left a couple power heards in the tank and let the water circulate for several hours. I then drained and scrubbed the tank. Next I refilled it and added some bleach and left it circulating for a while. Then drained, scrubbed and rinsied it really well. I then let it air dry in the sun to elimintae any bleach residue after which it was clean and like new.

Some may says the bleach wasn't needed and was overkill following the vinegar rinse but I have always used bleach as part of my deep cleaning/sanitizing process for things tank related and wasn't about to stop now.

So in a nut shell, that is how I clean my holding tanks.

[shifty51008]

I just use the vinegar and water method, but only clean it every couple years or so

[eyesinthedrk]

I thought about using bleach and water to give it a good scrub down. But when I asked my wife how much she uses to do counter tops and stuff she told me she uses a 2:1 water bleach mix. That amount made me nervous so figured I'd ask first

[slief]

I thought about using bleach and water to give it a good scrub down. But when I asked my wife how much she uses to do counter tops and stuff she told me she uses a 2:1 water bleach mix. That amount made me nervous so figured I'd ask first
For a 50 gallon brute, 1/2 gallon is more than enough. I'd think 1/4 gallon would suffice but I tend to over do things so personally, I'd go with 1/2.

I like the vinegar first because it removes or at least softens any calcium build up before I scrub. I like the bleach just because it give me peace of mind as far as sterilizing the container. I'm sure the vinegar does that as well but I've always used bleach for deep cleaning my fish stuff and I'm not about to change that after 25 plus years. Funny but I treat my fish better than I treat myself. I'll drink tap water all day long but if my RODI reads 1 TDS, it's time for a filter change.


When you rinse and allow the container to air dry completely any remaining chlorine will evaporate leaving your container safe and clean.

[dkeller_nc]

I was going to make up some saltwater for a water change. It's a brute 44. I didn't realize I had left a little water in there from the last time and when I took the lid off I was blasted with the smell of ammonia

So I figure it's time for a good cleaning. How would you go about it?


In my case, I clean my salt mixing vat every month or so. If it has calcium/magnesium carbonate precipitate on the walls, I spray it down with muriatic acid (outdoors, and with an acid respirator on), let it soak for 10 minutes, then fill it with hose water an about a 1/2 cup of baking soda to neutralize the acid. Vinegar would do the same thing, but it's considerably slower - the vat would need to soak for at least 24 hours. But cleaning this way is not very frequent - it takes 6 months or more of salt mixing to get a significant amount of precipitated material on the vat walls.

In most cases, I use dawn hand dishwashing detergent and a scotchbrite pad to hit every interior surface. Then it gets very thoroughly rinsed with tap water, inverted to drain, then lightly rinsed with RODI water. The detergent absolutely ensures that the biofilm of bacteria is killed and removed, it's not dangerous to my skin and doesn't generate dangerous fumes, and doesn't need to be neutralized.

[HumbleFish]

You can wipe it down with a water/vinegar solution or even a water/bleach solution. Just make sure you rinse it thoroughly and let it air dry for a few days if you choose the latter.

[Fishlab]

Rinse with water, maybe rub it down with a cloth, and let it air dry or dry with a towel. I could care less of any precipitate still on the walls. For those that use bleach and are concerned, add a little extra aeration next mix, it is not very stable which is why most municipalities have switched to chloramine. For years, people that can collect natural seawater sterilize it with bleach first and just aerate it....or keep a small amount of a de-chlorinator on hand.

[Ranger Daryl]

I cleaned mine with with Vinegar and water not long ago. I took the opportunity to soak a bunch of my pumps at the same time. It always amazing how much better they work after a good soak. I use salinity and it seems to leave a lot of residue in the mixing tub after a while.

[ryeguyy84]

I get a brownish red film almost like cyano in my mixing tub. Does anyone else get that?

[HumbleFish]

I get a brownish red film almost like cyano in my mixing tub. Does anyone else get that?

Yup!

[ryeguyy84]

Ok good glad I'm not the only one... Still does that make it okay?