lyndatu

Hello

I wanted to clean my top aquarium glass cover(the one where you place the light hood on) because it is covered with limestone residue(hard water stains) from the water. I tried to scrape it off with a razor cutter, but no luck. My brother gave me a piece of sandpaper and I rubbed it on the glass piece. It worked like a charm! The limestone was off the glass and it was crystal clear, but some scratches revealed, too and I'm not sure if they are caused by the razor blade or the sandpaper.

Now I have these hard water stains on the viewing panel of my tank and it is really getting to me. I tried straight vinegar and elbow grease and it wiped out majority of the stains, but there are still these that are hard to rub off. I'm thinking of using sandpaper again, but I'm not sure if it is safe for the glass as it might scratch it. Is it safe?

Thanks in advance!

jlewin_80

I would definately not use sandpaper as this will scratch the glass. It would be much more worth it to just keep using vinegar and a razor and you will eventually get it off. Good Luck.

Lucy

I agree with jlewin_80, I wouldn't use sand paper.
Sometimes hard water marks are more visible when the tank is empty but not so noticeable when there's water in the tank.

Martinismommy

EEEEEEEEEEEEE GADSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't use sand paper....It will scratch the heck out of it....Lucy is right, when the tank is empty all the scratches show up way worse than when it's filled.....

cerianthus

If vinegar dont work, try either any acidic solution (low concentration) from hardware store or Lemon juice.

Hypnox

When vinegar fails me I've found that using the tabasco sauce does better.

lyndatu

Thanks, everyone!

I'll keep using vinegar to clean it, but I hope it comes off soon.

Thanks again!

Steve113

trust me there's nothing worse that a big scratch right ion the middle.

I learned that the hard way when I bought a magnetic algae scrubber. I have sand substrate and it basically got some sand caught in the cleaning pad and i dragged it right accross the aquarium!

For this reason, I wouldn't risk it.
If it is just water marks and mineral build up then an acidic solution and hard work will move it.

Butterfly

Seriously? Thats cool!
carol

sirdarksol

I use an organic limescale remover that is pretty much just concentrated citric acid.

Hypnox

Finding naturally acidic products to remove hardwater stains was fun because when I lived in an apartment they had extremely hard water. Like, air drying plates left a lovely hard water crusting on them. So I found out by accident after eating some tortilla chips w/ salsa that hotter hot sauces removed hard water stains pretty easilly. Other things that worked was juices from acidic fruits like limes, lemons and grapefruits.

Scrubby pad and soap couldn't get rid of hard water, but that same scrubby with some tobasco sauce practically peeled it off.

CindyJ

I used to just use ordinary table salt on an empty tank and didn't really have to scrub at all! Not really having to scrub so I didn't have any scratches either!

Fla_Larry

check your local grocery or department store ( US try walmart, UK Try ASDA)
get some CRL. of course the lemon juice has merit as well, never tried tobasco, dont see why that would not work, but then fish is always better with lemon ( ducking and running for cover )