Lets Bust A Myth

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

And now, I'll tell you all the correct way to pronounce "Windex"... ;Smuggrin

 

[Malcontent]

 

[HuduVudu]

Did you call Dr. Fauci?

Telephone ... the game?????

 

[Tamberav]

You're supposed to clean the glass?

****… I didn’t know…

 

[Wasabiroot]

Vinegar will do an equally effective job and doesn't contain surfactants, which vary in toxicity but typically are to organisms. My main issue with Windex is the additional ingredients that aren't ammonia. Presumably an accidental misting of ammonium chloride would be metabolized by the tank. Windex has their ingredients listed on their website. One of the surfactants listed on their website is

Alkylbenzene sulfonates​

which while diluted in the larger environment, in a controlled setting can contribute to coral tissue loss and death in conjunction with raised temperature. (For reference, the study also included the aquatic portion of diesel fuel, which had little effect on coral mortality, vs the surfactants with up to 96% mortality.

Is there less of a risk in a larger aquarium better able to dilute the surfactants and remove them via chemical filtration? Sure. If anyone wants to risk that, I won't judge them, but it's fairly obvious corals don't like them. Hence me avoiding the chance of introducing it to my tank. That doesn't mean I am a saint (my wife burns candles) but why compound it in my opinion. I'm sure it's possible given caution and not misting near the tank, but I choose not to do it.

 

[Sean Clark]

That doesn't mean I am a saint (my wife burns candles) but why compound it in my opinion.

Is that really the reason she burns candles?

 

[FiddlersReef]

Before somebody comes up with me being dogophobic I apologise for the dogs might been offended
I no longer have a dog but I newer thought of brushing the teeth of the dog. I am under the impression the dog-breathe is not due to mouth hygiene but anatomy of the stomach. Could be wrong.

Well, every vet I've had has said that a lot of bacteria in the mouth can lead to illness in dogs. That's part of why they recommend dental cleaning every so often. We've gone 8 years now and have never needed to do that because their teeth look like they're still puppies. But I'm not trying to derail the thread here.

 

[fish farmer]

Well, every vet I've had has said that a lot of bacteria in the mouth can lead to illness in dogs. That's part of why they recommend dental cleaning every so often. We've gone 8 years now and have never needed to do that because their teeth look like they're still puppies. But I'm not trying to derail the thread here.

We brush our dog's teeth every other night....good thing he is little. Our last dog had dental issues that eventually led to cancer.

I used to have a saltwater paludarium connected to my reef tank. I would mist it almost daily with RO water. Since it was in the kitchen a bottle of Simple Green was nearby... started spraying the plants with that, I did a rinse, but I'm sure it eventually made it in the reef tank.

I didn't notice any ill effects, but I have mostly weed corals, need something a little tougher to kill them.

 

[Scdell]

Been spraying it directly on the glass for 4 years now without an issue.
I actually use Rainx on the glass. Easier to clean salt off.
Y'all are way over thinking a simple procedure.

 

[Dom]

Can it seep into the glass NO!

Can it be bad sprayed into tank YES!

Obviously.

As Randy pointed out earlier, large quantities of windex in the tank can be a problem. But I'm thinking of a quantity more in line with the amount that might get into the tank as overspray.

I would think that 2 or 3 oversprays into a 100 gallon tank would go without incident.

 

[Dom]

Most of the stuff on the glass for me is saltwater oversplash. Is windex best at cleaning off salt, I doubt it. Wet rag then squeegee.
Shine a flashlight at night at an angle on the glass to check for salt haze or film.

Again... I understand that there are alternatives. But I'm speaking specifically of spraying on to the glass. I Just don't see the harm and wanted to get the other side's perspective.

 

[Dom]

I've always used windex, still do.

I used to spray it on the glass, one day some extra spray over got into the tank(I could see it on the water). A few minutes later most of my sps started to RTN. A large water change, and fresh carbon stopped the event. Everything eventually recovered, but I could actually see the skin sloughing off the bone it happened so fast.

I could only contribute the event to the windex. I probably would have not know had I not seen it actually get in the tank.

I still use it, but spray it on a paper towel, away from the tank.

What was the total water volume?

 

[Dom]

LOL ... it is so funny how so much gets lost in translation over the years.

You are not supposed to use Windex (ammonia based cleaner) on ACRYLIC tanks. You are supposed to use Vinegar instead.

Telephone confirmed myth busted.

Who said the tank was acrylic?

 

[Dom]

Vinegar will do an equally effective job and doesn't contain surfactants, which vary in toxicity but typically are to organisms. My main issue with Windex is the additional ingredients that aren't ammonia. Presumably an accidental misting of ammonium chloride would be metabolized by the tank. Windex has their ingredients listed on their website. One of the surfactants listed on their website is

Alkylbenzene sulfonates​

which while diluted in the larger environment, in a controlled setting can contribute to coral tissue loss and death in conjunction with raised temperature. (For reference, the study also included the aquatic portion of diesel fuel, which had little effect on coral mortality, vs the surfactants with up to 96% mortality.

Is there less of a risk in a larger aquarium better able to dilute the surfactants and remove them via chemical filtration? Sure. If anyone wants to risk that, I won't judge them, but it's fairly obvious corals don't like them. Hence me avoiding the chance of introducing it to my tank. That doesn't mean I am a saint (my wife burns candles) but why compound it in my opinion. I'm sure it's possible given caution and not misting near the tank, but I choose not to do it.

Well said.

 

[HuduVudu]

For as far back as I can remember, I've always heard that you shouldn't use Windex or other glass cleaners directly on the tank glass.

Who said the tank was acrylic?

You have fallen prey to a lost in translation situation.

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The original reason not to use Windex is as I stated. You (or others that have told you) have morfed the important caveat when you have an acrylic aquarium to mean something other than it's orginal intent.

 

[mindme]

I use fritz. It's more expensive than Windex, about $10 for a much smaller bottle. But the bottle I have now has lasted about a year on my 180g because I only use it about once a month or so.

Fritz

It puts almost like a wax coat or something on the glass. I can tell the difference after using it because my flipper will have much less resistance when moving it.

Then I just use a towel to wipe away anything. It comes off pretty easy. At worse I'll add a little water(usually spit).

 

[homer1475]

What was the total water volume?

85G

 

[Koh23]

Lets make religion about so simple thing as cleaning glass....

Wil it harm your tank if you pour whole bottle into water? Probably.

Will few overspray particles do any harm? No...simple as that....

I always spray on glass, carefully to minimize overspray and thats it.....

I also use deo spray in same room, scent candles, air fresheners.... Still waiting for someone to connect any of tank issues or problems with that....

 

[HB AL]

The only thing I spray on the glass (very carefully) once a year is
Rain X.

 

[PlumbTuckered]

A little spray isn't going to hurt anything. Just don't pour it into the tank.