I've gathered a nice litter collection of reef and frag tool. They are all stainless steal I assume. (Tweezers, bone cutters, sissors) I've never done more than rinse with fresh water and towel dry. I've noticed a small patch of surface rust forming on my large (fairly expensive) bone cutters. I know I could rub it down with WD40 and it would probably get rid of is and keep it from rusting.(did you know they clean the statue of liberty with WD40!?) But I don't think WD40 in any dose would be good for a reef aquarium or any fish tank really. Just wondering if there is a better way or a product to use to keep these tools clean and from ever rusting.
Cleaning reef/fragging tools
- Thread starter paul87
- Start date
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Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
I'm not sure about this answer, but would like to know.
uh.oh...
Aquarium Advice Freak
i read the main ingredient in wd40 is actually fish oil
I may just have to do further research on WD40 and saltwater.LOL. I think it also has petroleum of some sort in it. I guess vinegar would be another thing you could clean with. But there is gotta be sine oil to keep tools from rusting and keeping then lubricated that's safe for fish/coral tanks.
Ingy
Aquarium Advice Addict
Contrary to popular belief, stainless steel can rust. It's something I deal with all the time keeping my fishing knives free of rust.
First off don't use vinegar or baking soda on the steel. Both will increase rust issues. A piece of emery cloth is all you really need. Rub the surface to get rid of any remaining rust. Clean it afterwards with a drop or two of regular cooking oil and then wipe it all off. And residue won't cause any serious issues, as long as you've gotten almost all of it off.
Your cleaning regime needs fixing tho. Rinsing in warm water is good, but you need to really dry the tools off and put them somewhere they can air dry better. Definitely not in a fragging tool box that will hold in moisture.
First off don't use vinegar or baking soda on the steel. Both will increase rust issues. A piece of emery cloth is all you really need. Rub the surface to get rid of any remaining rust. Clean it afterwards with a drop or two of regular cooking oil and then wipe it all off. And residue won't cause any serious issues, as long as you've gotten almost all of it off.
Your cleaning regime needs fixing tho. Rinsing in warm water is good, but you need to really dry the tools off and put them somewhere they can air dry better. Definitely not in a fragging tool box that will hold in moisture.
Ingy
Aquarium Advice Addict
Absolutely. Unfortunately many other people don't know stainless can rust. Unless its Stellite, it can rust.
Ingy
Aquarium Advice Addict
And the oil won't really get rid of ant rust already there. For that you need the emery cloth.
