Cleaning bait tank?

[lund1]

Guys,
I've never actually cleaned my tank except to rinse it with the hose. I think it's getting a little skanky.
How often do you clean the tank and components and what do you use? Are household cleansers a bad idea?
Is it important to clean out the pump hose and internal pipes?
Thanks for any advice

[Live Bait JunkEE]

as told to me by a little birdie who has been storing bait in bait tanks for 25 years -- a box of baking soda is good to do a nice scrub job on it -- and if you put a 1/2 box in your tank when you are using it, when it seems to be smelling strong the baking soda seems to do the trick - at least that is my experience with it so far. That little bit of baking soda with your salt and better bait have NO effect on holding bait. So you can kind of use it as a preventative ODOR crusher!!!!

This is what has been taught to me and it works ---

[striperjohn]

I have always run a cup of bleach in a 1/2 tank of water before putting it away. Run it a while then drain and dry. Keeps mold etc from starting. Flush out good before you use it again. The aforementioned baking soda is great between trips.

Sent from my SCH-R760 using proboards

[mwardncsu]

More it less the same as StriperJohn - when it's time for a cleaning I run some bleach and scrub it good and then let it circulate a little while - then flush the tank out and add a inch or two of water and a box of baking powder and hand scrub all the surfaces with a baking powder paste and then fill the tank and let it run an hour or so and then flush the tank a couple of times.

[lund1]

Thank you! I skipped the bleach and went for a good baking soda scrub.,...man was that tank over due. Appreciate the info as always!

[Gator]

Just put it in the washing machine with vinegar and gasoline. On the delicate cycle. Should be fine.