how to neutralize cleaning solution

[farrenator]

I just picked up a used 55 gallon aquarium. The previous owner thought she was doing me a favor by cleaning the inside of the tank with one of those commercial 'orange' cleaners (I assume it contains citrus oils along with some nasty chemicals). I obviously want to neutralize this. My initial thoughts were to use:
1) bleach solution OR
2) food grade alcohol OR
3) vinegar

AND

rinse, rinse rinse, pray.

Any other tips?

BTW, I am just getting back into this hobby after a 17 year absence. I have a 29 gallon tank cycling now but it will soon go back into storage once I get the 55 set up. I just found this forum and it looks like a great resource.

[cocoa_pleco]

I would just rinse it extremely extremely extremely well with hot water, just to hopefully work out any orange cleaner that could have got stuck in the silicone

[bushwhacker]

scrub the heck out of the tank with salt and rinse it very well you'll be fine

[gm72]

I'd add vinegar to the mix, scrub and rinse rinse rinse rinse and then rinse again.

[Alfcea]

What are the 'nasty chemicals' in the orage solution? I am a chemist. If you tell me what they are, I might be able to think of something.... but in general, I am assuming the stuff is water soluble, so, as everyone else before me said, rising with hot water for many, many, many times will probably suffice...

[gm72]

It is probably something like this 409 product. I have linked to the MSDS.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Northernguy]

After you are done rinsing the tank put a lid on it and wait an hour.If you can smell the orange or any other cleaners you will have to rinse again.
As for your 29gal. keep it up and running.It will make a great Quarantine/hospital tank!

[Lady Hobbs]

No wonder she decided to sell her tank! But consider yourself lucky that she told you about it so you could take care of it. I agree with above posters. Lots and lots of cleaning, rinsing and hoping.

[MrDrums]

Some of those "citrus" cleaners don't contain the harsh chemicals of the 409s and others like it. Rinse a lot with hot water, maybe a vinegar mix.......rinse until you can't smell the citrus and you'll probably be O.K. Have fun!

[C-Dub]

I always used Vinegar, seems to work well...I also add salt where scrubbing is necessary... I recommend cleaning it untill you think it's perfect, then clean it some more.

[Alfcea]

It is probably something like this 409 product. I have linked to the MSDS.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]


Thanks, GM! If it something similar to this product, it doesn't look very toxic. It does not seem to have either chlorine or hipochlorides and it basically has derivatives of fatty acids. Fish should be fairly resistant towards these substances. I'm sure just rinsing with water (probably hot will be better) will suffice...

... but I still wonder what the "orange" thing is...

[farrenator]

Thanks for the replies. It makes sense.

As far as what brand orange cleaner was used, I don't know. There are a variety of products sold in my area, State of Maryland, USA, that have some orange (fruit) oil extract that is used as a cleaning/perfume agent. I wish I could say what the product was but I can't right now. I may have to call the person back to find out.

[cocoa_pleco]

maybe orange pine-sol?

[korith]

I just picked up a used 55 gallon aquarium. The previous owner thought she was doing me a favor by cleaning the inside of the tank with one of those commercial 'orange' cleaners (I assume it contains citrus oils along with some nasty chemicals). I obviously want to neutralize this. My initial thoughts were to use:
1) bleach solution OR
2) food grade alcohol OR
3) vinegar

AND

rinse, rinse rinse, pray.

Any other tips?



That sounds like a good plan. I'd probably rinse it several times, and then in the end maybe fill it up and then add some dechlorinator, and rinse it again. Maybe let it air out till any smell of the cleaning is gone.