Converting salt to fresh

[MattyV55]

So I just bought a 180g from someone who had used it as a reef tank. I've been soaking it in vinegar and using a razor blade and the tank itself is getting clean. The problem is the plastic overflows still have white and pink stuff caked on there and just won't come off. I was wondering if there is any aquarium safe paint that I could paint over it with? Or any other ideas? Also worried if that debris on the overflow would erode into my tank and raise the Ph. Lot of concerns and questions. Also the tank is going on a load bearing wall on my main floor and I am putting a jack post in the basement underneath it. Good idea or no? Need all the input I can get. Please help!

 

[BIG-G]

Extra support is always good better safe than sorry.
The crust your trying to remove is the remnants of coralline algae. It is a calcium carbonate based algae so it could possibly dissolve later in your freshwater system, weather it would be enough to effect your water chemistry depends on how much there is.
Painting over probably wouldn't work unless you could use some sort of epoxy paint or fiberglass resins. Even then I'm not so sure it would last.
The best thing would be to remove it.

You could take a sander to it and sand it off then paint the overflow with some krylon fusion.

Is the tank itself glass or acrylic?

 

[MattyV55]

Thanks for your reply, I appreciate it. The tank is glass.

 

[714car11]

Try one of the magic erasers from Mr clean. The do a good job on cleaning the inside of tanks.

 

[BIG-G]

Okay good so if you wanted to try something stronger than vinegar you could without fear of damaging the tank. I have read of people using diluted muriatic acid or CLR to clean equipment.

I have not used either and cannot say for sure if it's safe or not. So I would do a little more research on that idea. Just to be sure.

I don't want to give you bad advice

 

[Alexxxxsv14]

I cleaned my 135 tank with just water and the actual tank got cleaned up. The over flow had the same as yours and I used the green scrub pads some stayed on it but after a while the freshwater just cleans it up

 

[MattyV55]

I cleaned my 135 tank with just water and the actual tank got cleaned up. The over flow had the same as yours and I used the green scrub pads some stayed on it but after a while the freshwater just cleans it up

You didn't notice any problems in the water due to the build up coming off?

 

[tlindsey]

You didn't notice any problems in the water due to the build up coming off?

Get as much of the Coralline algae off you can and move on from there the rest will eventually fall off as aquarium matures. That is what left should not really effect the ph.

 

[reefman]

Ok here's the easy way. By some clr (calcium,lime,rust remover) wash what ever you want the saltcrete and coraline off of. Make sure you fully wash it with clean water when your done. Wear gloves too

 

[BIG-G]

Ok here's the easy way. By some clr (calcium,lime,rust remover) wash what ever you want the saltcrete and coraline off of. Make sure you fully wash it with clean water when your done. Wear gloves too

Reefman have you tried this?