Cleaning Aquarium stains

[Ziggs180]

I'm the proud new owner of a 46 Gallon aquarium, however the tank itself is a bit dirty toward the top with water sains, where the water line probably was. It looks pretty ugly, and i'm trying to scrub it off, but it just wont go away. I've tried taking a damp towel with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water, but that don't seem to be helping much (plus smelly).

Any advice would be great!

 

[butterfly_koi]

Vinegar and a razor blade works great just be careful not to scratch the tank

 

[Ziggs180]

I've been using vinegar and it hasn't been working all that well. I might try soaking a towel in some vinegar, turning the tank over, and letting it soak over night or something.

 

[butterfly_koi]

I've been using vinegar and it hasn't been working all that well. I might try soaking a towel in some vinegar, turning the tank over, and letting it soak over night or something.

Try scraping it off with a razor blade after you spray it with vinegar. I keep some vinegar in a spray bottle, a razor blade is the only way I've been able to get the stains off of my tank

 

[Ziggs180]

I tried that as well, it took off some of the looser particles but theres a band going across the front of the tank that i just cant seem to even take out. This tank has probably been out of use for some time, so the stain seems to be well ettched in.

 

[butterfly_koi]

Try the soaked towel for a bit and then try the razor. one of my tanks was like that when I got it I had to soak it, scrape it, soak it, scrape it. It took forever it seems but it finally came up after a few days

 

[Ziggs180]

I've turned it over and just took a bunch of old rags, soaked em in vinegar, placed on the marks, and i'm going to leave it over night. see if that will allow me to etch off or scrub off the marks.

 

[butterfly_koi]

I've turned it over and just took a bunch of old rags, soaked em in vinegar, placed on the marks, and i'm going to leave it over night. see if that will allow me to etch off or scrub off the marks.

Sounds like the right thing to do! Good luck!

 

[Ziggs180]

the effect has been very minimal. I'm starting to look around for any other alternative methods but i'm not seeing any. I might just leave it, since the stain is barely visible when the tank is full.

 

[butterfly_koi]

Ok I know this sounds really odd but after looking it up I read a few suggestions on KoolAid, fill the tank with really hot water and KoolAid and let it soak overnight. Not at all sure if this works but hey it might be worth a try. I've also read tobacco sauce

 

[butterfly_koi]

I've also read a lemon might work. And also clr but I don't recommend that its a harsh chemical and that would make me nervous to put fish in the tank if I used that

 

[DragonFish71]

I use a green scrub pad, vinegar and salt. Then rinse the tank very well. Works great.

 

[butterfly_koi]

I use a green scrub pad, vinegar and salt. Then rinse the tank very well. Works great.

I've heard salt as well with warm vinegar, never tried out though

 

[butterfly_koi]

Let me know what works for you ziggs, next week I'm getting two tanks one a 55 and one larger than that, not sure what size though for $25 each. I haven't seen them yet but I'm told they are really dirty

 

[sheilak]

dirty tank

i use too use salt too scrub out the dirty stained coffee pot at work and let me tell you after about 20 pots of coffee with noone but me cleaning it it was dirty so that may help indeed

 

[Vicksta]

I actually purchased a mop/hand held steamer and it works well removing water stains from my lid.

I think I paid about $130 for it. It came with a couple of scrubber type attachments. Good thing about it is it being chemical free.

I also have a battery operated scrubber, kinda looks like an oversized toothbrush, came with lots of attachments. I use that to detail clean my filter.