Just buy an L12,000 calcium eating pleco and be done with it! Just be sure and order it with the tungsten carbide teeth upgrade though! 
Used aquarium---calcium deposits on glass?
- Thread starter bobgobucks
- Start date
Ok, the one I was skeptical about was bleach removing calcium. The others are all good suggestions. The CLR...is that (or any residual) harmful to fish?
I use Calgon ice machine cleaner to remove mineral deposits from used aquariums. It's pure phosphoric acid and needs to be used with great care, but it really kicks but over anything else I've tried. It is for cleaning ice machines in Hotels and safe for potable water systems as long as you rinse afterward.
Looks like the best advice going is to soak the tank in vinegar for a few days. Anyone have a clue as to dilution? I sure in heck don't want to hafta buy 125 gallons of vinegar!
White vinger and a pad that will not scratch glass, also hot water in-between scubbings works well also.
I wouldn't soak the ENTIRE tank in vinger for the fear that the vinger could damage the silicone seals or weaken it.
Muscle, time, VINGER, hot water and all will be well.
My water is so hard here in NJ, that every year 1/2 we have to replace the heating elements in the water heater, my sister has to buy new baby bottles every year, the calcium buildup is insane.
Cleaning the shower glass doors is even impossible.
I wouldn't soak the ENTIRE tank in vinger for the fear that the vinger could damage the silicone seals or weaken it.
Muscle, time, VINGER, hot water and all will be well.
My water is so hard here in NJ, that every year 1/2 we have to replace the heating elements in the water heater, my sister has to buy new baby bottles every year, the calcium buildup is insane.
Cleaning the shower glass doors is even impossible.
Don't listen to people saying to use anything that you are iffy about leaving a residual in the tank. IMHO, you should try using some jungle aquarium salt. This salt is partially designed for safely cleaning your equipment without leaving a harsh and negative residual. It is safe to soak it overnight in the tank and you can physically scrub/scrape the remaining calcium. I have used this method myself with good results. Plus, its cheap. Good luck
bobgobucks;2986496; said:
Actually it has (depending on the brand) sodium bisulfate which has many of the properties of sulfuric acid and will break down into sodium sulfate and sulfuric acid under the right circumstances. So he wasn't as far off as your lovable comment might suggest
. So when did you get your chemistry degree oh wise and all knowing.I tend to use White vinegar to clean calcium build up, sometimes cheep vodka to dissolve organic build up. If the calcium has a brown or tan tint vinegar won't take it off that easy it'll take more work.
swede;2989362; said:
CLR is the stuff it is biodegradeable and water renders it inert read the MSDS Sheet on a bottel. i have used it for years on tanks and never had an issue or harmed any fish!
