Bought a former saltwater tank, can't seem to get it clean

[jestes]

I got a pretty good deal on a 55 gallon former saltwater tank. I've gotten most of it pretty clean, but there's still some stuff on the glass that I can't quite seem to get off. The best way I can describe it, is that it looks like little fingerprints on the inside of the glass. Any ideas on how to clean this stuff off? A razor blade, algae scrubber, and vinegar doesn't seem to help.

 

[thincat]

Is it on the inside surface or really inside the glass?

 

[melosu58]

Have you tried bleach?

 

[WhiteDevil]

Use straight vinegar on a towel if its on a verticle piece of glass, follow with a razor blade. I just cleaned a 210 former reef tank(http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/210g-discus-build-128370.html) using nothing but cheap walmart vinegar at full strength(cheaper the better) and a no 5 straight edge razor blade, also the dollar stores carry a ton of cleaning tools, spent 10 bucks and got everything I need to clean any tank I come across.
I know some can be tough but is it like etched almost?

 

[jestes]

Is it on the inside surface or really inside the glass?

Yup, it's on the inside surface. I put my finger on the outside, and moved my head, and the perspective changed. I "think" I can feel it, but that might be my imagination since I know it's there anyway.

Have you tried bleach?

No, I've always been a little leery of using bleach in an aquarium. Do you think it would work for this? I can always rinse the tank really well and use a lot of dechlorinator.

Use straight vinegar on a towel if its on a verticle piece of glass, follow with a razor blade. I just cleaned a 210 former reef tank(http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/210g-discus-build-128370.html) using nothing but cheap walmart vinegar at full strength(cheaper the better) and a no 5 straight edge razor blade, also the dollar stores carry a ton of cleaning tools, spent 10 bucks and got everything I need to clean any tank I come across.
I know some can be tough but is it like etched almost?

Now when you say straight vinegar, do you mean 100% and not the diluted kind from a grocery store? The only stuff I found at Kroger was 5%. Maybe that's why I couldn't get it cleaned earlier. I haven't checked out Wal-Mart yet. It doesn't seem to be etched at all. The spots are rounded, and basically look like water spots. I've tried a razor blade, and that did nothing. It's not a very good picture of it, but you can see some on the left side of the tank:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dPhNYSzByIRorlfZSW_9PQ?feat=directlink I had the tank full just to check for leaks, and to see how some of the fake driftwood that came with it looked. It still looked fake with water in it... lol


I have been following your Discus build. It looks great so far! The funny thing is, that's why I bought this 55 gallon! I've been wanting a Discus tank for a while, and then I came across this setup on Craigslist.

 

[nxb161]

I've used baking soda to clean a tank that just wouldn't come clean and have had good results.

 

[melosu58]

I`ve used bleach many a time on aquariums. You just add a few caps of bleach into a small bucket of water. Then clean the tank. You do have to rinse good and you then have to let it air dry completely. Whenever I have set a tank up for someone I have always cleaned with bleach. Never had not one problem.

 

[Krypt]

When you pass a razor blade over it, can you feel the razor hit it? or does it glide right over it without catching anything? If it just glides over but you can still feel it with your finger then it may be an area that is just heavily scratched.

 

[mfdrookie516]

does it still look the same when its got water in it? all my tanks have a white cloudy film on them no matter how much i scrub when theyre dry... once they're full of water, you cant see it

 

[jestes]

I can feel the razor blade hit it a little bit, but it's got to be at a pretty shallow angle. I can really hear it though. The funny thing is, I can't feel it with my finger much. It also looks a little better with water in it, but the spots are still visible. I know what you mean about that white film though. Hopefully it will look better once I get my lights in it. It came with an actinic and 10k bulb, and I've got two 67k bulbs on the way.

 

[Freshie In Disguise]

I'm not sure I'd recommend this for a tank, but I've used CLR to get some grungy stuff out of fish bowls. I CLR'd them and scrubbed/rinsed the living daylights out of them. I never had a problem, but then a bowl is much easier to rinse thoroughly than a tank. :/

 

[jestes]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I'm not going to let this thing get the best of me! I finally got a good picture of the spots, although the camera makes them look brighter than they really are: Picasa Mobile

 

[WhiteDevil]

straight as in the absolute CHEAPEST you can find, cheap= less refined.
if you do the baking soda, use gloves and a spray bottle, spray the spot with vinegar and with a protected had, dab some baking soda on it. chemical reaction SHOULD emulsify what is on your glass and just wipe with paper towels and follow with a razor over the whole area and then clean normally.

 

[jestes]

Well, I tried pretty much everything today. Baking soda and vinegar, baking soda and water, vinegar only, and so forth. I even tried some muratic acid and that didn't phase it... I tried it diluted at first, and gradually worked my way up until it was straight out of the bottle. No change in the white spots.

That leads me to believe that the white spots are actually etched into the glass instead of just being a deposit on the surface. So, does anyone know of a good way to remove something that's etched in?

 

[jeffwisely]

no man sry. the only thing i can think of is to buff it out

 

[thincat]

Is the tank painted on one side? If not just put the faulty side to the back?

 

[jestes]

Nah, it's not painted anywhere. The white spots are alot worse on the back side, but they are on the sides a good bit, and some on the front too.... I can't win for loosing on this thing!! I do have a blue colored background I can tape on the back, so maybe that will help the spots blend in.

Thanks again for everyone's help. I'll keep on trying to get it clean and I'll post on here what works, if anything, and what doesn't.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Well, I tried pretty much everything today. Baking soda and vinegar, baking soda and water, vinegar only, and so forth. I even tried some muratic acid and that didn't phase it... ...

Did you try the bleach suggestion? If not, give it a try - full on, don't dilute it. (But where rubber gloves!)

Bleach is OK in this application since you can easily rinse it and let it air dry for a while before putting it to use.

 

[jestes]

Sorry for the delay in replying.

Bleach didn't make any difference either... I decided to try the muriatic acid thing again, only I let it soak this time. Before, I wore some gloves and a respirator and scrubbed the tank. This time, I filled the tank almost clear up and then added two gallons of the acid. I let it sit for about 7 hours, and then drained/rinsed the tank. That didn't remove the spots, but it helped.

I really appreciate everyone's help! I never knew algae could etch glass like that...

 

[cabezon]

glass is silica and silica is a nutirent used by algae. the circle of life.