Questions about reusing things

[Akari_32]

In light of not wanting to buy more stuff I don't really need, I have a few questions about using what I've already got.

First question would be some sand from my Uro's tank. I am going to buy tile to line my tanks with instead of paper towels (so many paper towels @.@). The sand, i figured, would be good for distributing the heat better. I pulled some sand out of Rex's tank a few months ago because he had too much. It's been in a sealed zipper bag (a cheap one, so it's not air tight). Does it need to be cleaned in some way before using it in the gecko tank? How would go about that? I know in the fish world we dump it into a bucket, fill with water, swishy swish, dump off the top bit of water, and go again and again till it rinses clear, but that's more for dust and particles, not sanitation....

Also, I have a terra cotta pot, the decorative kind, not the planter kind, that I used in one of my fish tanks. It was in the tank durring a round of medication, so I want to be sure that, with cleaning (bleach rinse? Warm water soak?), it will be safe to use.

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Brush everything with water and bleach then rinse with cold running water. Let it dry thoroughly then microwave (not applicable for wooden structures)

 

[Akari_32]

I don't think it works like that with sand

 

[Olympus]

You can bake sand if you really want to. I don't think it would be an issue if it's been locked away for a long time and wasn't in the tank very long, as even something like coccidia isn't going to live on a surface more than a few weeks. But you can bake it, and that would certainly kill off anything.

And the pots I would just wash well and that should be fine as well.

 

[Akari_32]

The sand was in the tank for several months, then I was offered the same size tank, but the Zilla kit with a sliding top, and decided to use the tank he was in for fish (as reptile tanks and aquariums have different glass thicknesses). So I took all the sand out, moved it to the "new" reptile tank, and opted to leave two one gallon bags out. I later re-added one of the bags, and the other is stilled stored away. It's been untouched for months. Rex, the Uromastyx, has always been healthy, being from PetNotSoSmart (long story lol). If you don't think I need to, I'd rather not bake it. Should I, however, clean it for dust? The geckos aren't going to come into contact with it, it's just going to be under the tiles, and the times will be butted together.