MINERAL DEPOSITS ON AQUARIUM GLASS

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CB

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
11
Location
Prague,OK
I bought a used aquarium that had mineral deposits on the glass. Does anyone know of a safe and effective way to remove it??????????????????????? :?
 
I would soak the deposits with vinegar. Possibly get some of it off with a razor blade and then scrub the rest with vinegar.

Congrats on the new aquarium (y)
 
That'll do the job...better than anything I've ever tried. For the really tough deposits, fill the tank with water, dump in a couple of gallons of vinegar, add a powerhead, and let it run a couple of days. The deposits will usually be soft enough to remove with an algae scrubber after that.
Logan J
 
don't use a razor if it's an acrylic tank :eek:)

I know he said "front of the glass" but that doesn't necessarily mean actual glass :eek:)
 
Yeah good question - I have a 55g that's many years old - I don't know how to describe some of the ugliness other than it looks like mineral deposits have "infused" themselves into the glass.. razorblades and vinegar don't touch it -the glass feels perfectly smooth on both sides, but if you look at it, you see kinda, I dunno how to describe it, almost as if, say the glass had started to melt, and "run" and then solidify again from the inside out..
 
BillyZ said:
don't use a razor if it's an acrylic tank :eek:)

I know he said "front of the glass" but that doesn't necessarily mean actual glass :eek:)

Good point!!
schild43.gif
 
your tank is how old?!

mound said:
almost as if, say the glass had started to melt, and "run" and then solidify again from the inside out..

wow chemistry strikes!!

Glass is actualy a liquid.. over time it will do exactly that, it will sag as if it were melting. If you see very old window pains they will look that way as well.

how to fix it... turn your tank upside down for ohhh a 50-60 years :eek:)

now i can't say for sure thats what happened to your tank, but given that you said it is quite old, it is possible. Do you know how old your tank is?
 
yeah - I have seen old windows that kinda look like that now that you mention it..
umm, I believe my brother bought the tank new, probably, 15 years ago or so.. It sat in a basement until about 4 years ago when I brought it back to life. it may have been used when he first bought it, I really don't know, maybe he'd remember.. I just know that areas of it are "permenantly ugly" it's nothing too major, more like "why the hell can't I clean this off???" it's just there.. I don't think it's in the ballpark of 50-60 years old but then again you never know.. I'll flip it over and start waiting ;-)
 
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