Scraping Old Coralline off a Dry Tank

[Hugh Mann]

Tips for removing coralline build up from a tank I bought used?

Been using a metal razor scraper, but I'm going to be at it for a solid 4 or 5 hours. More as the blades dull on this purple cement.

 

[gentlefish]

Muriatic acid or vinegar with patience and elbow grease!

 

[TriggerFinger]

Soak a paper towel in vinegar and let it sit on the coraline. Scrape and repeat

 

[Sarlindescent]

If speed is your concern, a wet rag and razor blade, preferably a spray bottle instead of rag. This assumes glass, which the picture looks like, do not razor blade acrylic. If least effort is the concern, the acids above.

 

[Jeffcb]

Careful with seals.

 

[uhgster1]

Cleaning vinegar, buy a gallon at Walmart and let it soak. Do it outside in case the tank leaks. If you scrape it dry you WILL scratch the tank. It’ll dissolve the coralline in a few hours.

 

[PghReef]

Fill with water, throw in a gallon of vinager and a heater, let sit overnight. You can leak test the tank at the same time.

 

[CMMorgan]

Agree with all above - do not scrape. Use acid and let the chemical reaction do the work for you.

 

[Hugh Mann]

Alright. Thanks everyone. Duly noted. I'll have to get myself some vinegar and work smarter, not harder.

Will have to soak with paper towels or something. It's 230 gallons, leak test will have to wait until my hose unfreezes. Though the seals look to be in great shape.

 

[gentlefish]

Looking forward for the pictures of the built as it comes together!

 

[TriggerFinger]

Alright. Thanks everyone. Duly noted. I'll have to get myself some vinegar and work smarter, not harder.

Will have to soak with paper towels or something. It's 230 gallons, leak test will have to wait until my hose unfreezes. Though the seals look to be in great shape.

If you have an old bath or beach towel, that might work better. Didn’t realize it was a huge tank...that’s a lot of paper towels ;Hilarious

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Tips for removing coralline build up from a tank I bought used?

Been using a metal razor scraper, but I'm going to be at it for a solid 4 or 5 hours. More as the blades dull on this purple cement.

When using a razor blade the key is to keep the surface wet at all times

 

[Timfish]

Unless the coraline is blocking viewing I'd just gently clean it and leave it. It would be the ideal surface to attach zoas, chalices and other plating corals too.

 

[Hugh Mann]

Unless the coraline is blocking viewing I'd just gently clean it and leave it. It would be the ideal surface to attach zoas, chalices and other plating corals too.

It's almost all on the back glass and overflow. Not a big coral fan myself.

Would leaving it help seed the tank with coralline? It's been dry for a while, so I'm guessing probably not.

 

[Timfish]

It won't seed it but coraline should colonize it quicker than the glass.