Cleaning Aquarium

Question
What is a safe way to clean the inside of a large aquarium before adding the substrate, water and fish ? I have recently purchased a 220 gallon tank which will be a fish only tank. I obviously can't just pick it up and take it outside and wash it out. I don't want to use anything that would contaminate the water when it is filled either. Plus it is kinda hard to reach far enough down into the tank to clean the bottom. Any ideas would be helpful.

Thanks,
 Brian


Answer
brain,
You can use a bleach water solution ( 1 cup bleach per 5 gallons of water)to sterilize the aquarium before using it, but please make sure to rise the tank well with straight water and let the tank air dry for a few days before setting it up.  This will prevent any residual clorine from sticking around.

As for the bottom of the tank...  Maybe go a buy a new sponge mop and use that to clean the bottom.  Once you're done with it... never use it again for fish related activities because it will have the cleaning chemicals in it.

Best of luck with your tank.

Regards,
Scott Johnson
Aquarium Crazy Fish
www.aquariumcrazyfish.com