I currently have a 55 gallon up and running. I’ve been wanting to buy a new tank that’s drilled and go bigger. I just bought a 90 gallon tank off Craigslist. It has hard water stains on it.. at least that’s what I think it is. And I can’t get it to come off to save my life... I’ve heard vinager works well but I heard “bar keepers friend” works the same but is stronger... I went ahead and skipped the vinager and went to the BKF.. I followed some videos online that showed step by step to clean it that way, But I didn’t see any difference. I did a little more research and saw that some people used “CLR” calcium lime and rust. I only tested it on one side and after scrubbing for a good 30 minutes and letting it sit for a few minutes I didn’t see a difference... maybe I’m not scrubbing long enough but with nothing after almost 30 minutes I feel like I’d be scrubbing until my arm went numb.., any advice on what I should do ? Please help... I hope I didn’t waste my money buying it.
New tank
- Thread starter Kenneth456
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Hot water and elbow grease. Also get a large razor blade to scrape it.
But here's what you should be worried about -- That silicone looks like it's seen better days in the first picture... That's pretty rough dude, I honestly can say I would NOT recommend using something with that much missing silicone :/
And last but not least -- this isn't exactly the kind of 'tank emergency' this area is meant for. I would suggest starting a new thread in the beginner/general area with detailed pictures of that war-torn silicone... Doesn't look promising.
But here's what you should be worried about -- That silicone looks like it's seen better days in the first picture... That's pretty rough dude, I honestly can say I would NOT recommend using something with that much missing silicone :/
And last but not least -- this isn't exactly the kind of 'tank emergency' this area is meant for. I would suggest starting a new thread in the beginner/general area with detailed pictures of that war-torn silicone... Doesn't look promising.
Kenneth456
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I used a little razor blade but none came off with it... and I filled it up.. no leaks but I agree it does look wore out.. I planned on buying some tank silicone and going over it with some once I cleaned it but I haven’t been able to get that far with the water stains... you say hot water.,, should I fill it up with hot water and let it soak then try scrubbing ? I used them chemicals and no luck so idk about the hot water
Silicone doesn't stick to silicone -- putting new silicone over it won't do anything. It may make you feel comfortable, but I assure you, it will not benefit the tank in any way.
Hard water isn't the end of the world, it'll come off. You usually need a sharp razor blade, and to let it soak.
But I'm telling you, upload pictures of the silicone and ask for advice. You cannot fix it, it may be no good.. Additionally, something with that much hard water may have had medications and copper in it. If that's the case, the tank is trash anyways.
The tank is the least expensive part of this journey, and it's the most important. One little earthquake and that thing could rip open.
Hard water isn't the end of the world, it'll come off. You usually need a sharp razor blade, and to let it soak.
But I'm telling you, upload pictures of the silicone and ask for advice. You cannot fix it, it may be no good.. Additionally, something with that much hard water may have had medications and copper in it. If that's the case, the tank is trash anyways.
The tank is the least expensive part of this journey, and it's the most important. One little earthquake and that thing could rip open.
P-Dub
The ocean is open to all, merciful to none.
What you have there could likely be etching of the glass due to coralline algae growth, if that was a reef tank. If not a reef tank, I have no clue. The same thing happened to my tank's back and sides when I neglected to scrape the glass regularly and just let it go and build up for years. I've had people swear up and down that it will come off. It will not. It has etched the glass. Perhaps it can be polished out but the tank looks a little rough to spend that money to polish it up. Sort of like lipstick on a pig. You could always have the seams re-siliconed I suppose...
On a side note, this is not a tank emergency.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Moved from the emergency forum.
Kill 2 birds with one stone. You will want to do a leak test. So fill it up with water to test for leaks. And pour 2 bottles of lemon juice in the tank as well. Put a pump in their to circulate the water and those marks/hard water stains will be gone in a couple of days.
Kill 2 birds with one stone. You will want to do a leak test. So fill it up with water to test for leaks. And pour 2 bottles of lemon juice in the tank as well. Put a pump in their to circulate the water and those marks/hard water stains will be gone in a couple of days.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Yup, completely filled, water circulating, and a decent amount of lemon juice.
Idoc
Getting lazier and lazier with upkeep!
Also, the silicone you need to be worried about is the silicone that is sandwiched between the panes of glass. If the seems are solidly filled, then toy should be fine. The corner bead isn't a problem, but you can fix it very easily...I replaced it on mine with minimal work. But the old divine had to be cut out... several videos on youtube showing how. Good luck with those water stains!
