IBC tank cleaning

[Luell]

I have purchased an IBC tank and am about ready to put all the plumbing together connecting it to the 9 grow beds. My system is in a green house and modeled after Wolfracers. My questions are:
1. Do I need to clean the tank? It looks clean, but smells like it was steam cleaned. Should I clean it with something else to make it safer for catfish?
2. Do I need to filter the water when filling the tank for the first time? or just let it sit for a couple of days to let the chlorine evaporate, before adding a few fish?
3. How long do I need to let the system cycle before adding plants?

Any suggestions and comments will be appreciated.

Luell, from Tehachapi, CA

[badflash]

What was in the IBC before it was steam cleaned?

If you have chloramines rather than chlorine, it must be neutralized. No amount of aeration will remove chloramine.

Cycling is for fish, not plants.

There is a chicken or the egg thing with aquaponics. Fish need a cycled system, plants need nutrients, not just water. I prefer to start with fish, and I do an instant cycle by adding bacteria from an established system. Then I wait for the nitrates to come up before adding plants.