Old Reef Tank...

[srusso]

Anyone ever cleaned up an old reef tank so you could use it for your discus? It has an overflow box that has coralline growth all over...

[Eddie]

How big is that tank? The effort doesn't seem to outweigh the benefit. Lots of elbow grease along with vinegar and salt maybe. :o

[srusso]

How big is that tank? The effort doesn't seem to outweigh the benefit. Lots of elbow grease along with vinegar and salt maybe. :o

Yeah its a oceanic 70 gallon. I have the 55gallon for some time now. The stand for the 55 is made from cheap pressed wood hence my want to switch tanks. This tank is really nice (aside from all the work) However I do want to start a reef tank but the wife will only allow one tank. Not ready to sell the discus yet.... My discus need a bigger home and I figured I could get the sump going for discus which would increase the water volume and do less WC... I have done more work then what appears in that picture.

How well does vinegar work? If I run the tank with a few gallons of vinegar and the rest water will it easier?

[Condor]

I recently cleaned a 125. It was a Pain to say the least. The coraline algae came off the glass very easily, but it was really tough to get it off the black plastic overflows. Vinegar was what I used, though I almost broke out the CLR.:flame::flame:

Adrian

[ExReefer]

I've done it, but the glass never looked as clear as new glass does. The coraline algae will etch into the glass so even if you get the algae off, your glass will likely have tons of tiny markings. I couldn't stand so I through my reef tank away and started over.

[srusso]

the part I am most worried about is the edges, I dont want to break the seal on the silicone. I assume you guys used a razor blade...?

[roclement]

Vinegar soak for a day or so and then elbow grease! Why don't you post this on Craigslist and then buy a non-reef used tank? Just an idea.

Rodrigo

[nc0gnet0]

Muratic acid and RO water. Sealing a tank is easy if that becomes an issue.

[Darrell Ward]

Cleaning coraline off a tank is a nightmare. I did it once on a 125 I got for free. When I tried to clean it, I discovered why it was free. I ended up stripping out the overflow box, throwing the stand in the dumpster, and using it as a sump for 2 other 125s. Years later, it still has traces of coraline algae on it. That stuff is full of calcium, and it's like removing encrusted cement. If it were me, I would fill it with water, and smash it with a 5lb. hammer! It would make a neat, explosive mess, and a valuable lesson learned. :D

[srusso]

Cleaning coraline off a tank is a nightmare. I did it once on a 125 I got for free. When I tried to clean it, I discovered why it was free. I ended up stripping out the overflow box, throwing the stand in the dumpster, and using it as a sump for 2 other 125s. Years later, it still has traces of coraline algae on it. That stuff is full of calcium, and it's like removing encrusted cement. If it were me, I would fill it with water, and smash it with a 5lb. hammer! It would make a neat, explosive mess, and a valuable lesson learned. :D

Harsh man, how could you smash one of these magic glass boxes? Lol

[srusso]

I recently cleaned a 125. It was a Pain to say the least. The coraline algae came off the glass very easily, but it was really tough to get it off the black plastic overflows. Vinegar was what I used, though I almost broke out the CLR.:flame::flame:

Adrian

Can I use CLR? :o I know that may sound stupid....

[Jhhnn]

I'm with nc0gnet0- muriatic acid will annihilate coraline algae and hard water deposits. Cheap, too, and readily available at hardware stores and home centers.

There are several caveats, however, because it's really nasty, dangerous stuff.

If you're diluting it, always add acid to water, never vice versa. I remember that from highschool chemistry.

Strictly an outdoor activity. I wear eye protection, old clothes, rubber gloves and have running water instantly available.

The fumes are corrosive and toxic, so an activated carbon cartridge respirator is a good idea. I have one used for spray painting, works great. My first time using the stuff I didn't, so I stayed upwind, pushed the acid around on the surfaces using a 3' dowel and a small white scotchbrite pad. One whiff of the fumes convinced me to stay well back.

Muriatic won't attack silicone seal, glass or the PVC used for rims. Dunno about acrylic. I'm sure it will destroy plant life.

I lay the tank on its side, pour some full strength acid on the inside surface to be treated, push it around with a white scotchbrite pad until the deposits are dissolved. I then roll the tank over to the next surface, repeat until I've done all the surfaces, then rub the stuff on the rim. I then rinse thoroughly, being sure to dilute the acid a great deal. Further sanitation is entirely unnecessary.

Sometimes the glass will be etched by the algae or hard water deposits, which is basically impossible to change.

I shower immediately afterwards & wash the clothes I was wearing. The fumes make me itchy.

I don't advocate anybody doing this, but it has worked for me. Doing so is strictly at your own risk.

[srusso]

I have done some crazy stuff before, but that trumps them all... I will give the vinegar or CLR a try first... Don't want the weekend project to become the weekend trip the the hospital!

[Jhhnn]

I have done some crazy stuff before, but that trumps them all... I will give the vinegar or CLR a try first... Don't want the weekend project to become the weekend trip the the hospital!

Heh. The strangeness makes it seem more dangerous than it actually is.

People routinely do things that are a lot more dangerous, like riding motorcycles on the freeway and buying houses on 1 year introductory rate ARM's...

I'm adding something to my previous post to include a common sense precaution- "Always read the label"

It's apparently too late to edit...

[nc0gnet0]

I think Jhhnn went a bit overboard in his saftey precautions (no harm in that), a well ventilated area (outside is best) and rubber gloves and goggles should do the trick. You can buy the stuff at any hardware store. A long handled toilet brush is helpfull and keeps you away from the fumes. Apply on one side and let sit, let the acid do the work. Occasionally brush over the deposits with the toilet brush. This will hands down outperform any commerically available cleaner on the market.

Ps. never hurts to have a garden hose nearby just in case.

[Condor]

Can I use CLR? :o I know that may sound stupid....

I have never used CLR, but I would hesitate to due to the possibility of chemical residue being left in the tank. I have heard of others using it.

Adrian

[Jhhnn]

I think Jhhnn went a bit overboard in his saftey precautions (no harm in that), a well ventilated area (outside is best) and rubber gloves and goggles should do the trick. You can buy the stuff at any hardware store. A long handled toilet brush is helpfull and keeps you away from the fumes. Apply on one side and let sit, let the acid do the work. Occasionally brush over the deposits with the toilet brush. This will hands down outperform any commerically available cleaner on the market.

Ps. never hurts to have a garden hose nearby just in case.

I just don't want to put people in the position where they could be hurt following my example, so I lay it out like I was an OSHA safety inspector.

You're definitely right about the performance factor- Muriatic acid is, from my pov, the only method that makes his kind of salvage worth the effort at all. I stubbornly and vainly tried vinegar, clr, razor blades and a great deal of cursing trying to recondition a former reef tank that was similarly encrusted, got bumpkus for my efforts. When I went to the Muriatic acid, I got a cloud of corrosive stink, lots of fizzing and a clean tank in short order...

It's the nuclear option, and it works.

I never should have bought that tank in the first place, but that's another story.

[srusso]

The Tank came out great, only used vinegar. I will post some pics tonight.