starting over with a 55 gallon tank..... after 6 years

[garydm]

Ok so with your help I built a 55 gallon tank 6 years ago (thank you). Well through my life and divorce and such I moved it to my dads house. Well he maintained it great and so I left it and let him have his fun. Well he started traveling and with that the tank suffered. Well last night the last fish we had passed and it was sad because it was the first I bought 6 years ago. So I am going to take the tank to my house and rebuild it and get it back going. My question is how is the best way?

It has flat worms and it has some hitch hikers and some alge and some other stuff that I don’t want to start a tank with. With the tank having 60lb of rock I don’t really want to throw it away and buy new. So how do I kill everything on the rocks so I can start over?

Also the power heads are 6 years old and so is the skimmer and all components. There is some stray voltage when I tested the water. So do I start over with new components or can I reuse most or the stuff in he tank.

The sand is trashed as well so I will be getting new live sand. Probably a new heater just for peace of mind as well. New lights as those were pretty old

Just need advice on starting over

 

[Rcpilot]

Keep the tank.
Keep the rock.
Keep the lights. Replace bulbs.

Test one pump at a time in a bucket of water. Test for voltage. Replace as necessary.

Replace heater.
Replace sand.

Rocks:
Option 1 - Set outside and let them dry out for a couple months. Hot sunlight helps. Scrub and remove all gunk. A water hose and heavy plastic brush helps. Takes months, but minimal effort.

Option 2 - Boil rocks in a large kettle. May have to do a few rocks at a time, depending on volume of kettle. Scrub and remove all gunk. Quicker than sunlight method, but house will smell like death and it's a lot of work. Possibly do this outside or in the garage?

Option 3 - Buy 30-40 pounds of new rocks. Start tank with new rocks. I prefer dry rocks, as there is minimal chance of unwanted hitchhikers.
Let your old rocks dry out. Clean them as described above. Introduce back into tank after your new rocks are cycled and tank is stable.

 

[salt_for_brains]

Welcome back to both you!

 

[Becky]

I'll second that! :)

 

[garydm]

well I hate to replace the rock as its good looking rock. may fire up the propane burner and boil them out in the back yard. I just dont want flat worms or any unwanted bad things. the pumps are they prone to have stray voltage

 

[garydm]

ok got everything home. going to have to get new lights as the ones he had the ballast went out. so anyone recommend a cheap good light for my 55 gal. i realize cheap in this hobbie is not a things so who has the cheapest prices

 

[ReefDudes]

haha, this is certainly not a cheap hobby! ..unless your handy with the DIY! i try to make alot of my own stuff like reactors and what not.. helps :)