Cleaning inside Aquarium Glass

[jovi]

Hey guys.. need some help with cleaning the inside of my glass
i have what looks like either a calcium build up or a Lanthanum chloride build up on the front panel

ive taken to if with a razor blade, flipper, sponge and it wont get it off - when moving over it with the blade you can see some white dust coming off but you can never clean it like new
you cant see it in pics but it looks like smudge marks *OCD is kicking in*

can anyone suggest anything else other then having to strip the tank to do a vinegar bath .

cheers

 

[brandon429]

before going the full strip consider wet paper towel of vinegar mode

you could drain all your water into rubbermaids (hold fish elsewhere or let em swim in the lower 1/3) and as you have access to that panel just spread out wet paper towels of vinegar and let em cook in a given spot. what accidentally drips down w count as carbon dosing for that week.

peel carefully off the paper towels/wipe and refill

that was the initial brainstorm, its a lot of work but you wouldn't have to actually take the tank apart to do what you are needing.

I do exactly this step on my small nano, I drain it, then lay wet paper towels across the coralline spots to dissolve em but im using 35% peroxide which isn't acidic it just kills the coralline then it releases. it could be mildly acidic I haven't pulled the msds on 35% but through some action + oxidation it will mow coralline if its sits there a while im positive.

you could start with an easy 1/3 tank drain as a test, and only work on the top area to see if that mode sustains before doing the big drain.

 

[jovi]

would the vinegar cause a PH drop ?

 

[BlueCursor]

I think Brandon is saying you have to empty the tank first.

If you can't get it off with a razor I can't imagine it's something that is going to come off easily if you empty the tank. Try magic eraser sponge. The kind with no added cleaners in it. Between that and a new razor blade I can't imagine why it wouldn't come off glass.