Water stains

[SaraB]

Is there an easy way to clean water spots off the outside of my aquarium?

 

[King Fisher]

They won't rub off with a wet rag?

 

[mbkemp]

Try a plain magic eraser

 

[Autumnsky]

Make sure to wet the magic eraser, it really is a sand type stuff and can scratch, probably not glass but I ruined some plastic piece because it scratched off the finish without it being wet.

Using a microfiber cloth will help prevent future spots.

 

[King Fisher]

To add to this......is a magic eraser safe to clean the inside glass of a tank? Can it be placed in the tank water or is it toxic?

 

[Autumnsky]

I was told it is fine to use, not toxic. Basically spun sand or something. You can look it up and or call the company. I use it all the time, but NOT under water for cleaning inside the water. Chalky looking water comes out of it. So I do not recommend inside the aquarium water use.

I will even use it after lots of evap where the water line is visible inside the tank - just squeeze out all extra water and rub gently back and forth til the lines are gone.

 

[Autumnsky]

WAIT _ was told incorrectly...

it is melamine foam

It still has never bothered any fish...

 

[Autumnsky]

Okay way off base on that one!
formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer when it cures it is like sand paper according to wikipedia.

 

[Autumnsky]

Magic eraser calls it Durafoam, which sounds much nicer than formaldehyde-melamine-sodium bisulfite copolymer.

 

[King Fisher]

Do you think formaldehyde harms fish like it does humans?

 

[wendy fm]

It used to be used to preserve dead bodies and dissection specimens. I don’t think i would chance formaldehyde in my tNk

 

[King Fisher]

I tried to find something on it and it's affects on fish but I can't find anything. Thought maybe someone had some insight into it just out of curiosity. In the past I had a light white film on the front of my tank. I never knew what it was but it made the tank look cloudy. Only the front glass though. My nerites couldn't even take it off. I tried everything including a pot scrubber that scratched the glass slightly so I stopped. Eventually I ended up tearing the tank down for other reasons. It took 0000 steel wool to take it off. I never thought about using a magic eraser.

 

[SaraB]

A wet rag is what caused it. It's just dried on water. You can't see it at a distance but it's kind of annoying when you are sitting next to the aquarium.

 

[SaraB]

I've never thought about using a magic eraser. My sister used it to clean something on her walls once and it took the paint off ><

 

[earhtmother]

I have the same hazy blotches I on the front of my 65g. You can take a wet rag to them and they disappeared but are back when everything dries.

 

[mbkemp]

As long as it is a plain magic eraser you can use it inside, outside, cleans pretty much everything. The key is no chemical, they work great

 

[King Fisher]

A wet rag is what caused it. It's just dried on water. You can't see it at a distance but it's kind of annoying when you are sitting next to the aquarium.

I mean, can you wet a spot on a rag and rub the water spot's off then use the dry part of the rag to clear it off? I do this after water changes when I drip water down the outside glass and it dries.

 

[King Fisher]

I've never thought about using a magic eraser. My sister used it to clean something on her walls once and it took the paint off ><

It won't hurt glass. Maybe acrylic? If your worried about it do a small spot in a corner area first and see what it does.

 

[King Fisher]

As long as it is a plain magic eraser you can use it inside, outside, cleans pretty much everything. The key is no chemical, they work great

Awesome. I'll try that.

 

[Autumnsky]

Im not the chemist - disclaimer

After formulations cure they should be somewhat stabilized. Like concrete, you don't want to breathe the dust because it is harmful, after curing we make fish ponds out of it.

As for toxic, it has changed composition to a different thing chemically. But formaldehyde isn't something I would generally think to use. Many end use products are comprised of things we wouldn't think of normally wanting to use. Think of additives we eat in our food, red lake food color comes to mind.

So in thinking through the use of this sort of thing, I will probably still use it but use it more cautiously and not squeeze it in the fish water for sure. And not breathe any dust like if cutting it.

I am pretty sure I called the mr eraser company back like six years ago and they said not toxic and like a micro sand. So as a mini defense of my lightly checked and taken on face value "researched" comment originally, afterall it's made from Durafoam, which sounds not scary at all.

If not inside the tank with water and fish. Just a starting before setting up the tank. And double the rinsing especially the under and inside top rim afterwards...

I would also recommend baking soda and vinegar, with a microfiber cloth. But now I'm wandering what microfiber cloth is made from!???