A little while ago, we put Oliver's Rubbermaid stock tank on the back porch to clean it. We put him in his travel tank for the meantime. Then we got really busy and had to put the cleaning on hold. Then it got unseasonably warm and sunny (low 60s) and I worried about whether or not any algae or mold spores or bacteria would start multiplying and be harder to disinfect out of the tank. Then, a few days later, the temperatures plummeted to below 20F and we had some freezing rain. Now I'm afraid of tiny cracks that could have happened due to the cold.
Are either of these valid concerns? Or is the plastic strong enough to resist weather damage? How about doing a safe, very effective disinfect to make sure nothing new or grosser found a home in Oliver's tank while it was outside? Normally we clean with vinegar and water, but I wonder if something stronger is in order. Vinegar makes pathogens uncomfortable, but it doesn't technically disinfect.
