# Used tank question



## harpy (Mar 10, 2006)

Someone at work has a tank in which he formerly kept a single bearded dragon. The dragon died recently, and the co-worker speculates the animal choked to death on substrate going after a cricket. The lizard had a mouthful of substrate I guess. I have no opinion on whether this is likely or not.

However, he asked if I could use the tank for anything, and of course thought about another PDF tank.

Is it a good idea to use a tank that was formerly occupied by this species? Obviously, I would clean the tank before I started building the viv.

If you think it would be okay, what is the best way to sanitize it and make it "vivarium-ready"?

Muchas gracias.

Greg L.
SE Michigan


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## Ed Martin (Mar 25, 2004)

Breaded Dragons can get coccidia, although someone else will have to tell you if it is the same as PDF’s can get. But I recycle tanks all the time.... I rinse and scrub them real good without any soap. Then rinse and scrub with 10% bleach (generic brand, not Clorox) solution, rinse good let air dry. Then wipe down the whole thing with rubbing alcohol, let air dry then rinse and scrub with plain water again. 
Takes some time but it is worth it. 
Ed


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

I recycle tanks by using scalding hot water, what ever will get any water spots off, and plenty of rinsing. Usually Kaboom is good to get the spots off but it'll kill your lungs and you've got to rinse the crap out of the tank to remove and residue. 

Everyone has a different method but the foundation of them is sanitize and rinse to remove what you used to sanitize. Use whatever you want, just make sure it's not there when you go to use the tanks.


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## *slddave* (Jun 2, 2006)

Bleach will kill anything. Just fill it up with a strong bleach solution, let it sit for awhile, then RINSE LIKE YOU'VE NEVER RINSED BEFORE!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!


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## Guest (Jun 17, 2006)

I'de use a little Hydrogen Peroxide to kill any coccidia, and then do as Ed says.


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## stchupa (Apr 25, 2006)

The main thing to keep in consideration is be as patient as possible and allow to dry completely (in the sun) for longer than you deem necessary (more than once, before & after). A week. If it were me I'd forget the caustics. Hydrogen would be fine, if you feel you must use something.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Just posting to say that bleach will not kill coccidia (Mader, Reptile Medicine and Surgery)! It will desroy the living organisms, but not the endospores, which will just come "back to life" when favorable conditions return. Cleaners, such as MRs40 (designed to clean up blood spills in hospitals and disinfect vet clinics, destroys viruses too) will take care of it, though. With these disinfectants, you nomally need to let the tank sit after being sprayed for about 15 minutes before wiping it out. You can probly get some at a medical supply store. Btw, such cleaners are safe to use around animals, as long as you wipe the enclosure down with water after disinfecting (Petco has been using it for years).


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## katie30040 (Jan 18, 2006)

*slddave* said:


> Bleach will kill anything. Just fill it up with a strong bleach solution, let it sit for awhile, then RINSE LIKE YOU'VE NEVER RINSED BEFORE!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!


I agree. I use bleach to disinfect all my tanks.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

snip "Just posting to say that bleach will not kill coccidia (Mader, Reptile Medicine and Surgery)! It will desroy the living organisms, but not the endospores, which will just come "back to life" when favorable conditions return. Cleaners, such as MRs40 (designed "endsnip 

As I understand it, it depends on which "coccidia" is being considered as the infectious agent. Mader's statement is correct because cryptosporidia is considered by some to be a coccidia (see htttp://biology.unm.edu/biology/coccidia/home.html for an example) and the oocysts of this are not affected by bleach but I believe other coccidia oocysts are effectively disinfected by bleach. 

Ed


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Any updates on that MRs40 stuff? I think that is the first time its been mentioned regarding disinfecting tanks.

I have taken down a 46 gallon(previously an aquarium used for both fish and amphibians over the years) and would like to disinfect it for my peace of mind if anything else.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

zBrinks said:


> Just posting to say that bleach will not kill coccidia (Mader, Reptile Medicine and Surgery)! It will desroy the living organisms, but not the endospores, which will just come "back to life" when favorable conditions return. Cleaners, such as MRs40 (designed to clean up blood spills in hospitals and disinfect vet clinics, destroys viruses too) will take care of it, though. With these disinfectants, you nomally need to let the tank sit after being sprayed for about 15 minutes before wiping it out. You can probly get some at a medical supply store. Btw, such cleaners are safe to use around animals, as long as you wipe the enclosure down with water after disinfecting (Petco has been using it for years).


So what do you use to disinfect your vivs?


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## Android1313 (Dec 15, 2006)

When I used to work at the pet store, we used this stuff called Novalsan?(not sure on spelling) to disinfect all tanks and also to clean bird cages. Anyone else ever hear of this stuff? I wonder if it would work on coccidia? I think it was mainly marketed for birds tho.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Novalsan, and other disifectants of this type contain surfactants and in general they should not be used when disinfecting enclosures for amphibians (Amphibian Medicine and Captive Husbandry, 2001, Krieger Press). 

The best disinfectants to use for amphibians are bleach or ammonia. 

Here is a link to a broad spectrum break down (and looking at coccidia, it looks like they consider cryptosporidia to be a coccidia) (and Nolvasan doesn't work for cryptosporidia (but full strength household ammonia does). 

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/BRM/resour ... ts0904.pdf

Ed


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## phearamedusa (Mar 9, 2008)

I thought about using a product called Vircon, this stuff is used by hospitals and vets. It kills pretty much everything, but AIDS/HIV virus. It does need to be left to sit for a bit (about 15 minutes)then rinsed. I did use a product called Bio Green Clean, this cleans off built up salts from seawater tank, or in hydroponics(my area of experience) from nutrients used. Haven't even started to set up my tank yet, still trying to decide exactly what and how to do it.


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## KeroKero (Jun 13, 2004)

I use bleach, just like Ed. I don't use any other chemicals other than ammonia or vinegar. Other cleaning chemicals are something I can never be sure of if there is any residue that could seriously harm the animals, and I've never had issues with the bleach. Vinegar is used to get the calcium deposits/water spotting off, along with a flat razor blade. I've gotten 15 year old saltwater tanks to look new (at least the glass) after some vinegar, muscle, and time.


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