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Cleaning old aquarium
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:50 am
by Ravenmoon
I have an old 55 gallon aquarium I got from my grandfather, but it's been empty for years, and has what appears to be cloudiness on the inside of the glass. It's probably just calcium deposits or something. I had my father try to help me clean it up, and we've tried practically everything...even HCL, and it helped a little but a lot of it is still there. Is it etched in the glass do you guys think, and if so, I'm guessing there's nothing else I can do. Should I just toss the aquarium and get a new one or keep it and use it? The aquarium is otherwise in good shape...no leaks or cracks, the lights still work and everything. Thanks guys.
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:33 pm
by wasserscheu
I have a little tank, which also has sopme cloudyness, I could not get it off neither. Tried with aceton, 25% concentrated vinegar and rasor blade ... hmmm... I guess it came from the foto-wallpaper stuck to the glass...
Keep it as a filtertank, or similar.
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:10 pm
by raving_wayne
i would fill the tank with water and give a huge doss of bleach and leave over night then drain and try scrubbing it then with warm bleach water once completed rinse thoroughly before refilling for fish use i would run a hose through it for a few hours before fish use to clear all traces of the bleach toxins, this is how i removed the cloudeness on the glass of a tank i had a few years ago
Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:19 pm
by PASoracco
Ravenmoon wrote:I had my father try to help me clean it up, and we've tried practically everything...even HCL
HCL as in hydrochloric acid? I would be careful about what harsh chemical agents you use while cleaning a fish tank to insure that the silicon doesn't break down or absorb anything nasty.
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 6:53 pm
by Ravenmoon
I don't believe it broke down the any of the seals or became toxic, because we tried this a number of years ago, and I had fish in the aquarium after that without any issues what so ever. The aquarium has been barren for a few years now, and I was trying to either clean it up once and for all or get rid of it.
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 10:00 pm
by Diana
It is possible that the glass is etched.
Most often this sort of haze is alkaline in nature, so acidic materials ought to remove it if it is removable, and not an actual problem with the glass. If it does not work I do not know what else to suggest as far as cleaning.
Try filling the tank and see if you are still bothered by the haze. Maybe it is not so noticeable when it is wet.