Oh Dear...

[AyalaCookiejar]

I have tried my best to contact the previous owner of the tanks to no avail. But the tanks haven't been used in quite some time. They were sitting around my brothers house. Did you use bleach or vinegar to clean the tank out?

I feel like I should do a test run on something to see if anything can live inside the tank, but I'd feel horrible putting any living thing into a tank as a guinea pig, especially if I didn't plan on keeping it.

[ChoclateBetta]

Either works.

[Kithy]

I used vinegar. I suppose using both to make double sure anything in there is dead. I'd think if it were not being used in awhile it would be okay. When I got this one out of the shed it had like... dead lizards in it ._. Freaked me out.

I know how you feel :< It's rough and I don't know of any other way to test the tank.

[ChoclateBetta]

Bleach works too.

[AyalaCookiejar]

Well, the fish that I am going to put in it I am ordering from a breeder... I'd hate to lose any of them due to the fact that I didn't know of any sickness the fish in it before had. Sitting around for awhile would in fact kill any parasites... But I cannot say the same for bacteria.

I feel like bleach would work better but I can't set it outside to dry in the sun because it's snowing a freezing out there. Not only is there no sun, but the freezing temperatures would ruin my glass tank, lol.

[Kithy]

Originally Posted by AyalaCookiejar

Well, the fish that I am going to put in it I am ordering from a breeder... I'd hate to lose any of them due to the fact that I didn't know of any sickness the fish in it before had. Sitting around for awhile would in fact kill any parasites... But I cannot say the same for bacteria.

I feel like bleach would work better but I can't set it outside to dry in the sun because it's snowing a freezing out there. Not only is there no sun, but the freezing temperatures would ruin my glass tank, lol.

If you can get a cheap brand new tank that might be best. I know my Petco is doing their 1$ a gallon sale right now.

[Solaris]

Originally Posted by Kithy

If you can get a cheap brand new tank that might be best. I know my Petco is doing their 1$ a gallon sale right now.

$1 a gallon?! Wow! I kinda wish there was a Petco around here. They seem to have great prices. My 5 gallon was $50 and it was already half off!

Also, side question... There is, apparently, a really good aquarium store downtown. I would like to get a Betta from there in the future, but I would have to take the metro. If I did it in the summer, would the Betta survive the trip? It would take me about an hour with one bus and one transfer on the metro. (Obviously, I wouldn't be able to do this in the winter.)

[AyalaCookiejar]

I would get one of those really small coolers and put him in there wrapped it towels so he doesn't slide around.

This would keep his temp more steady and would likely work even in the winter. If you want, put a hot water bottle in one of them, wrap it in a towel and leave it out in the cold for an hour and see how long it takes to cool down.