Cleaning Aquarium Glass

[M4R13Y]

Would an unused scouring pad (the ones you use to do the dishes) fresh from the packet be ok to clean aquarium glass
Of not what could I use without buying anything extra

 

[SLIM]

The green ones? Yea thats what i use and have done for a long time with no probs

 

[M4R13Y]

Yes they're like a green sponge with one side has this white scourey bit ( the white bit is a sort of like the fluffy part of Velcro)

 

[Lunar Jetman]

I used to use one like that but i've got a cleaning pad i bought a while back. A sponge will also work. Unless you have stubborn algae..

 

[M4R13Y]

It's not that stubborn it comes off when I wipe it with my finger

 

[CezzaXV]

It should be fine. Make sure it's not the type that has soap or anything added into it though.

 

[Militarybooks]

I have a used 125 gallon tank in great shape except for what looks like a think whitish film on the inside of the glass. It looks like a thin hard water lime coating, but neither vinegar nor razor blade does anything. I can't tell whether it will even be visible once the tank is filled, but obviously I want the glass as brilliant as possible.
 
So if vinegar and a blade are doing nothing, does anyone have any suggestions?
 
Thanks.
 
tps

 

[hobby5]

How did you apply the vinegar? It needs some time to take effect, especially with old and thick deposits like yours.

 

[Militarybooks]

Hello to Germany, and thanks. The deposits are not thick at all. It is a very thin cloudy film. In fact, I am going to partial fill today to see if it is even visible through the water. I had put it on a sponge and drenched the side, waited a few mintes, and scubbed. No real change. I had also put on a paper towel, stuck to the side, waited a couple hours. Same thing.
 
I am hoping it is not etched into the glass. I can't really tell. After I partial fill today and check, if it is still a problem, I am going to haul outside and use muratic acid as a last resort.
 
Any other thoughts?

 

[Blobfish]

Might be a daft question but are you sure the tank is glass and not acrylic?  If acrylic then it could be fine scratches.  I can't think of what other type of deposit it could be aside from limescale but that wouldn't generally form in the way you are describing as far as my experience goes, plus you should have been able to remove at least some of it with a blade I would have thought.

 

[Militarybooks]

Hello UK. Thanks. No, definitely glass. There is some obvious lime along the very top and it comes off fine with a blade. The thin film below in the regular glass area is what is driving me nuts . . . .

 

[fluttermoth]

You could try scrubbing it with salt on half a lemon?

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I also have a hard bristled tooth brush for the difficult spots.

 

[Militarybooks]

Thanks guys. I pulled the hose in through the window and filled the tank to see how bad the film is when looking through water, and oddly, I can't see it at all. Whew. I suppose it adds some opacity (5% or some such), but I asked three people what they thought (they did not know about the film), and they all thought it looked grand. So I think I am ok. I think it is etched into the glass a bit, and was going to try diamond power (1 micron) as a friend recommended he had, but I see no need.
 
Again, thanks for all your offers of help.