Prep a tank for storage

[droog]

Hi,

I've been running a 130g mixed reef in my home for the ~3 years. We are moving to a new house this month so I'm shutting the tank down. The livestock and rock have been sold/given away. All I have left now is water, sand, a ton of detritus and marine pure media (1x block and 1x plate).

Any tips on good ways to clean and prep the tank for storage? Scoop out sand and run in with plain water and bleach for a while? Or vinegar... not sure how much I would need to use and for how long.

I have sponges, pods and aptasia growing in various parts of the plumbing, would like to make things as squeaky clean as possible for the restart later this year.

Also, any advice on what to do with the marine pure media? Can I rinse in vinegar for a while and re-use later or would it be safer to throw away and buy new media when I restart? I really want to prevent the possibility of allowing pests from the old tank survive and appear in the new build.

(New build will be a species tank with clowns and RBTA, similar to the BRS 160. I might do a build thread if anyone is interested)

-droog

 

[thegrun]

If the old tank had pests I would first clean the tank with vinegar, then fill and flush the entire system with a 1/5 bleach/tap water mix for at least 4 hours, followed by a good tap water rinse, then air dry. For the Marne Pure, soak it in a 1/3 bleach solution for 4 hours, then rinse with tap water, followed by soaking it in RO/DI water with added Prime, Amquel or any of the other chlorine treatment products at triple the recommended dosage for 4 hours followed by a couple of days outside in the sun.

 

[droog]

Will do! Thanks very much for your help.

-droog