# Removing Lime or Calcium Deposits



## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I use vinegar. There are heavy duty cleaners that you can use when you have an empty tank (CLR or something like that). Some use a lemon. Others use razor blades. Or Windex. Or alcohol. Just depends how bad it is and what you have handy.


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## Cheeseybacon (Feb 13, 2005)

+1 for vinegar. I found an old Aquaclear filter at a yard sale that was absolutely encrusted with calcium depsoits. A little vinegar fixed it right up.


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## bc_hawaii (May 2, 2005)

Wow... Didn't know vinegar could be used to clean it... Will test this out when I have the time!

Looks like a good cheap alternative vs. the commericial products like "Lime Off". Crossing my fingers that it works!


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

Yeah, diluted Vinegar will work wonders!


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## bc_hawaii (May 2, 2005)

Well... After scrubbing and scraping for an hour and a half straight, I've decided to just by a new 29 gallon tank....

I used vinegar (two types) and a razor blade and had "some" success, but not as much as I wanted. I filled the tank up and I can still see the calcium deposits when I look closely. If I plan to spend $300+ on the tank, I want to have a perfect tank, so I minus well get a new tank. ARGH


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

I think you are doing the right thing. Sometimes glass seems to go "blind". I got a used 43gal tank that was home to a dragon lizard and stood outside in the yard for a long time. I can't get it back to like-new shape, the glass seems to be permanently stained.
But for the weekly cleaning of glass surfaces, Vinegar works great.


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## tinman (Jul 6, 2004)

I bought a second hand tank that was heavily encrusted with calcium deposits. I used a paint scraper and got rid of all of it without leaving any scratches. I was pretty rough with it too.

Hope that helps


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## Hypancistrus (Oct 28, 2004)

This stuff works so great it's unbelievable. I tried it after getting sick of vinegar not working too well.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/search/...redirect.xml?pkey=19079,1,3373;log_id=4122752
http://www.bigalsonline.com/search/...redirect.xml?pkey=19081,1,3373;log_id=4122761

Use the glass cleaner first then the rydyt2 second.

Sometimes they don't come with atomizers ("sprayers"). So you really need to find some if they don't.


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## bc_hawaii (May 2, 2005)

Hypancistrus said:


> This stuff works so great it's unbelievable. I tried it after getting sick of vinegar not working too well.
> 
> http://www.bigalsonline.com/search/...redirect.xml?pkey=19079,1,3373;log_id=4122752
> http://www.bigalsonline.com/search/...redirect.xml?pkey=19081,1,3373;log_id=4122761
> ...



Hmmm... I might give this I try if I can find a place that sells the stuff. Big Al's unfortunately doesn't ship to Hawaii, any other stores in mind?


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## Laith (Jul 7, 2004)

I've just removed a hood to finally move to an open top tank and there is a lot of calcium deposits on the glass that was hidden by the hood. It does scrape off but it's difficult to get it all off.

Most of what I need to remove is on the inside lip of the aquarium. The aquarium is fully setup and I have no intention of breaking it down to clean this.

So what do you use that is also safe for the fish and fauna?


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## deepdjdanny (Apr 20, 2005)

1. Old empty tanks, need razor blades & days of repetitive & methodical scrapping.
Vinegar will definitely not work with this 'white' glass situation.
Have not tried the above chemicals... (links). (in Australia you see)
2. If you have the above situation as an occurance about the waterline in an active 
tank, BAD LUCK!. You'll cry... sob... curse etc...
Break the tank down, remove fish, plants gravel - EVERYTHING!
Go to item Number 1. (#@$!) 

Buy a new tank I suppose $$$$$$$$$$ =(


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

My office coffee pot is used more to heat up water for my current hot drink of choice, southafrican red tea. The pot started to get a mineral deposit from the hot water with no acidity from coffee, I don't brew the tea in the pot, it's just hot water. 

I tried a quick fix, *seltzer water*. 

The deposit was *gone in seconds* after I poured in a little of the seltzer. Would one of you with an aquarium calcium deposit mind trying this out to see if it works on that kind of deposit too? I don't have any calcium deposits at home to try it on.


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## Laith (Jul 7, 2004)

What do you mean by selzer water? Doing a search it looks like its basically carbonated bottled water?


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## SCMurphy (Oct 21, 2003)

Laith said:


> What do you mean by selzer water? Doing a search it looks like its basically carbonated bottled water?


Exactly. I used it on the coffee pot on a whim, knowing how acidic sodas are in general. It took the deposit right off, gone, clean, my eyes bugged out. :icon_eek:

If it works on calcium deposits on aquarium glass we have a safe way to clean them up, adding a little water with carbon dioxide in it. Don't use Tonic water, that has quinine and sodium in it. Don't use Club Soda, it has sodium in it. Don't use 'flavored' seltzer, it has sugar and friut juice in it.


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## cousinkenni (Jan 24, 2005)

bc Hawaii,

I am not sure that the build-up is calcium. I also get the build-up and I have heard that our hawaiian water is high in silicates. The build-up might be silica, not calcium. I have not tested this yet, have a solution or called the board of water supply to confirm the alligations.

The question becomes........is there a way to remove silicates from glass?

Ken T.


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## spleen93 (Jan 10, 2005)

Silicates don't cause hard encrustations AFAIK.

Spleen


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## phkhgh (Sep 15, 2005)

Jumping in late, here.

I think it all depends on what is the ACTUAL chemical composition of the deposit. Calcium carbonate can fairly easily be removed by a number of dilute or concentrated acids.

SOME of the water deposits in my area, whether in an aquarium or on shower doors, etc., are not (completely) removeable with ANY kind of acids that I've tried, nor any other mechanical or chemical means that I've tried.

If anyone knows anything about removing these "other" non-acid soluble deposits, I'd sure like to hear about it.

I've spoken to glass shops about cleaning shower doors that commonly get it - they said they've never found anything that would take it off.

I tried (on a test piece of glass outdoors!) undiluted muratic acid, phosphoric acid, vinegar, razor blades, fine steel wool, fine grade car polishing compound, ammonia, concentrated tile cleaner, and on and on.

The only thing that was removed was the residue "above the glass surface" by scraping with a razor blade - but after a while, the glass was completely smooth - no drag on the blade, but it was still considerably "frosted."


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

That's because the glass was etched. It's quite common. And nothing will clean off the etching.


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## Guest (Oct 4, 2013)

*How to remove heavy deposits*

I had an 80 gallon glass aquarium with very heavy mineral deposits from water evaporation between tank changes. Also, the tank was left for a year filled with water (no fish) and the water level evaporated down 9 inches. Returning home, I found a thick caked on white/gray deposit. I first tried repeatedly rubbing with full strength vinegar, which didn't work. Then I got a flex razor blade from the bathroom and tried scraping the glass by hand. It removed very little. I then tried Turtle Wax buffing compound. That worked slightly, but the deposits were too thick. After spending a couple days trying, I thought the glass was etched and irreparable. What finally worked was buying a glass cleaning scraper from the paint section in the hardware store. It uses regular rectangle single side razor blades and has a handle. This cut right through the heavy deposits. Holding a razor blade in your hand doesn't generate the necessary force needed to keep the blade on the glass. I went through about 7 blades cleaning my 80 gallon tank. You are essentially scraping away rock which quickly dulls the blade, so change blades often. After removing the medium and heavy deposits, I took a rag and full strength vinegar and wiped away the remaining spots and light film. The glass is now sparklingly clean. This revelation about getting a razor holder is probably obvious to a handyman, but something many apartment dwellers might not think of. I did also soak the deposits in vinegar by spraying paper towels placed on the glass, so that may have helped loosen the deposits. Also, don't let full strength vinegar sit on the silicone sealant, it will dissolve it.


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