Tank cleaning question

[Brew12]

I am trying to clean up a 120 gallon used tank. It has some very heavy deposits on the overflow boxes that I am struggling to get off. For the equipment, soaking it in vinegar worked great. I can't justify buying 120 gallons of vinegar.
My thought is to spray vinegar on it every 30 to 40 minutes in an effort to start breaking it down. Any idea if this will work? Or any other recommendations on how to clean it?

 

[Water Wings]

I'm interested in this as well. I have a used ~30gal sump I just bought that needs cleaned and I was debating on diluting a few gallons of vinegar with tap or RO water to let it soak. Would be interesting to hear what other people have tried.

 

[SandJ]

You could soak a towel in vinegar and lay it over the area you want to clean. Just come back every few hours and wet the towel again.

 

[Brew12]

You could soak a towel in vinegar and lay it over the area you want to clean. Just come back every few hours and wet the towel again.

Thanks, if the spray doesn't work I'll try that next.

 

[Kali]

I used a spray bottle and paper towel. Sprayed just enough straight vinegar to get the paper towel to stick to the tank wall. Wipe and repeat depending on how thick the deposits are.

On small tanks, you could lay them on the side that needs cleaning and splash some vinegar on it...of course if its rimless, you'll need to get creative.

 

[Brew12]

I used a spray bottle and paper towel. Sprayed just enough straight vinegar to get the paper towel to stick to the tank wall. Wipe and repeat depending on how thick the deposits are.

On small tanks, you could lay them on the side that needs cleaning and splash some vinegar on it...of course if its rimless, you'll need to get creative.

Thanks Kali! Paper towels sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, the 6ft 120 gallon tank is a bit tough to put on its side. I've done it but I prefer not to.

 

[Salty1962]

I use green scrub pads on anything I'm not worried about scratching and no scratch pads on everything else.

 

[Scotty LaBeouf]

razorblade (carefully)

 

[donnievaz]

The towel soaked in vinegar method works like a champ, I've done it.

 

[code4]

Thanks Kali! Paper towels sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, the 6ft 120 gallon tank is a bit tough to put on its side. I've done it but I prefer not to.

Why not try using magnetic glass cleaners to hold the paper towel against the glass? Just a thought. I would probably try a combination of spraying and razor blade. Is it just hard water deposits? If so you could use lime away if you rinse really well afterwards. Just a thought depending upon how comfortable you are in your ability to remove all residue.

Shelley

 

[Brew12]

Why not try using magnetic glass cleaners to hold the paper towel against the glass? Just a thought. I would probably try a combination of spraying and razor blade. Is it just hard water deposits? If so you could use lime away if you rinse really well afterwards. Just a thought depending upon how comfortable you are in your ability to remove all residue.

Shelley

It is a combination of everything that grows on the inside back of a tank over a few years. The person I purchased it from didn't clean it at all. Lime away might be the next try. Scrubbing it and the vinegar don't seem to help too much. What didn't flake off is still very thick.

 

[code4]

I have used lime away turbo power in a green spray bottle to clean the cup when it gets plugged up in my BBS hatchery dish. Have seen no ill effects with the newly hatched baby brine shrimp. Good luck!

Shelley

 

[Brew12]

razorblade (carefully)

Not sure how I missed this last night. I did use a razor blade first and got all the glass clean. I found I couldn't keep the razor from catching on the plastic on the overflow box and didn't want to cut it up. These overflows are the last thing left to clean and I'll be ready to move the tank inside. I may just have to accept the fact they won't start clean. Big picture is that it probably won't matter much. I expect that in a year or so it will be completely covered again, if not much sooner.

 

[wmgettys]

I set up my 90 and added 10 or so gallons of vinegar to it. Just let it run for a couple days and everything came off with ease.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

My thought is to spray vinegar on it every 30 to 40 minutes in an effort to start breaking it down.

this

I expect that in a year or so it will be completely covered again, if not much sooner.

and we hope so

 

[cmcimino]

I dumped a gallon and a half of vinegar in my 28 gallon and most deposits were gone over the weekend. For your size tank it would be smarter to just use the towel, or spray it every 20 mins or so.

 

[Quah]

I've cleaned a 125 by filling it up with water and dumping a couple gallons of vinegar and let it soak. I think any water that has been turned slightly acidic will quickly eat away dead coralline, etc.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I've cleaned a 125 by filling it up with water and dumping a couple gallons of vinegar and let it soak. I think any water that has been turned slightly acidic will quickly eat away dead coralline, etc.

thats actually a good idea when you do the final leak test.

 

[beaslbob]

I think the vinegar wiping is an excellent idea.

As is first doing a leak test so all the calcium gets good and soaked. Should come off easily.

Actually pressure washing would work too but you might not have a pressure washer and a big tank is kinda hard to move to the local car wash.


my .02

 

[120reefkeeper]

Fill the tank..... Add 5 gallons of vinegar..... Through in a pump and let it run for 3 days. Works like *magic*