Hard water deposits on outside of glass

[LizStreithorst]

I'm hoping for a bit of free advice...I have mineral deposits on the outside of my tanks. I tried Lime Away. It didn't work well. I think that's it's because I'm using it on a vertical surface. It runs down. It doesn't have time to soak in. What can I use on the front of my glass that will remove these mineral deposits? Do I have to moisten them with an acid and use a razor blade?

[brewmaster15]

Liz,
I have always used the razor blade myself... Don't know if it would work but you could try soaking a paper towel in vinegar or that scale away and then laying it over the area to be cleaned......it should dissolve away the junk.. a piece of saran wrap should help with the evaporation.

-al

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks for the free advice, Al. I figured that there would be some work involved getting the deposits off the glass, I was just hoping otherwise. I will soften the deposits first with a paper towel soaked in an acid and then have at them with the razor blade.

[Ryan]

Vinegar works wonders on hard water deposits. I have used it in a cheap spray bottle from Walmart to soak down glass walls before scraping them with a glass scraper/razorblade. Just do it in a well-ventilated area.

I've gotten a couple good deals on old saltwater tanks from Craigslist that looked terrible because of dried crud/film on the glass, but a couple rounds of vinegar and scraping and it was gone.

FYI, you can also soak plastic things in vinegar to get hard water deposits off of it (pieces to filters, hoods, overflow boxes, etc.).

[Fire-Ted]

Muriatic acid does wonders, but, you must be extremely carful. Dilute it down about 10 to 1. You can find this at pool supply centers, Home Depot etc. It is used to lowe pool ph and etch concrete for paint applications.

I dilute it in a bucket then use a paint brush while wearing eye protection and rubber gloves.

[nc0gnet0]

Muriatic acid does wonders

+1 gloves and goggles

[LizStreithorst]

Thank you for the avice,gentelmen. I think that I'll try the vinegar and a razor blade first. Funny, I've used muratic acid on floors without using gloves or breathing protection and I can't see that it's done me any harm. It did hurt my hands a bit but they got over it.

[Fire-Ted]

Mostly a disclaimer as it is an acid.

Ted

[LizStreithorst]

I figured as much. It won't hurt you unless you work with the stuff on a daily basis or have very sensitive skin. I'm German and English. I'm as close as you can get to being indestructible ;) I've even known flooring guys who have their hands in alkalies bathe their cracked hands in a strong acid solution to heal them.

[nc0gnet0]

Liz, your right, but chances are your face is going to be much closer to the working surface cleaning the tank than it would be using it on the floor (unless of course your on your hands and knees old school). Muratic acid is pretty cheap and a stronger acid than vinegar.

[LizStreithorst]

I was on my hands and knees (old school). It's not a good job unless you do it on your hands and knees twice and then buff it on your hands and knees three times. That's how you get the best finish. Perhaps I'm the way I am because I've inhaled too many fumes. I don't think so. I think that I've always been this way, but you never know...

[Len]

Just be extremely careful, because if you even breath the fumes the slightest bit, it's going to be painful.

[a volar]

I have cleaned lots of tanks with vinegar and razor blades, It works every time, have not tried anything else, I know water is different depending where you live.