Hard water on glass

[Abbeys_Mom]

I had a problem with my 33g leaking water because it wasn't level. It would build up the nasty hard water stain on the one corner. I tried everything to get it of and ended up wiping the tank every time I noticed that it was wet and not filling as much. I was also given a 10g with the same affliction. I never found a way to get the stains off...til now.

I bought a "magic eraser" like the Mr. Clean one (only a cheap knock off). I was trying on everything to see what it would clean, the faucet in the shower, the oven, the walls and then on the old aquarium on my balcony.
The stains came right off! No scrubbing or anything! I cleaned the whole tank and canopy and now it looks like new! It took the calcium build up off the canopy and cleaned in all the little bumpy bits. I am almost tempted to keep it now!

When I get a chance I will post a pic of the staining I am talking about. I still have the 10g in my closet and am planning to do some before and after shots.

[Fishguy2727]

Does it say what the active ingredients are?

[Severus]

I know exactly what you are talking about. Thanks for that tip. I believe the magic eraser is just a sponge of some sort and nothing else. Making it safe for the aquarium

[Abbeys_Mom]

It's not got any active ingredients. It's just a micro fiber type sponge, but it's weird because it wears out. It's just like an eraser.

[Severus]

They are very cool. And the weirdest part is, they work as good as the commercials say they do

[nikipate]

I bought a "magic eraser" like the Mr. Clean one (only a cheap knock off).

Great tip!! :19:
I was wondering if those things really worked.... guess I know now. Since it doesn't have any chemicals could you use it on the outside of the glass? I guess it's not "scratchy" (for lack of a better word) or you couldn't have used it on the tank you cleaned up, right?

[Abbeys_Mom]

My tank looks amazing. It's not looked that good in 20 years.

[Drumachine09]

They are very cool. And the weirdest part is, they work as good as the commercials say they do


Thats GOT to be a first:ezpi_wink1:

[Severus]

Thats GOT to be a first:ezpi_wink1:

That is what i was thinking when i saw how good they really work

[Lady Hobbs]

I love the erasers for cleaning but would not use them for cleaning an aquarium. They are said to contain a small amount of formaldehyde due to the manufacturing of them. Safe in human standards but how safe for fish?

[kimmers318]

I never thought to try magic erasers on my aquariums....thanks for the tip Abbeys Mom! I use those things ALL over my house as they work as well as they claim. Yes, they do wear out and shrink, but picking them up at the dollar store is cheap enough that I am okay with it since they are such a great product. Washing white walls used to mean dirty smears, rinse, rinse again etc, you get the pic...now it is a simple process....grab the magic eraser and wipe it away. Crayons...markers....you name it, with kids anything can happen.....away go the stains with the magic eraser.:thumb:

[Abbeys_Mom]

I would never use it on the inside of my aquarium, but I think the outside would be fine. Think of all the chemicals that are dumped into your tank if your fish get sick. I know fish can die from glass cleaner leaching through the glass, but that takes years of cleaning. If you have concerns about chemicals from the eraser, you can always go over the tank with a little water and a clean cloth.

[Lady Hobbs]

Hope it works for you. Those lime deposits are unsightly. I scrap mine with a razor blade now and then and have one of those tank scrubbers. One thing I won't do again is get one of those scrubbers with the long handles. Too hard to use them.

[jeffs99dime]

Hope it works for you. Those lime deposits are unsightly. I scrap mine with a razor blade now and then and have one of those tank scrubbers. One thing I won't do again is get one of those scrubbers with the long handles. Too hard to use them.

i like the magfloats (magnetic scrapers) they wouldn't do anything to remove calcium scale though. i use a razor blade like hobbs for that

[minabird]

wish I knew about those erasers earlier. I revived an old tank that had lots of old calcium and hard water stains. Got most of it off with elbow grease and vinegar and some of the other tips I got from the forums. I still had some stubborn stains that wouldn't come off. I filled the tank to see how noticeable it would be, and you couldn't tell there were any stains, so I just left it at that. But it still bothers me that I have hard water stains on the tank even tho I can't see them.

[Drumachine09]

We should be getting payed for all of the advertising we are doing for the mr clean company!:ezpi_wink1:

[Incredulous_Ed]

how exactly did your tank leak? did the water go over the edge, or did it go through the glass?

[Abbeys_Mom]

It leaked over the top of the glass, under the plastic edging on the top. Just in the one corner. The tank wasn't level.

I also had a 10g that had stains from water running down the side. The airstone was shooting water up on the canopy all the time and then the water would run to the front of the canopy and out of the tank.

[jeffs99dime]

i usually keep the water line about 1/8" from the bottom of the support strips.

[Severus]

i usually keep the water line about 1/8" from the bottom of the support strips.

I do the exact same thing. It has been working well with keeping the glass clean and not too much spray on my canopy.

[jeffs99dime]

I do the exact same thing. It has been working well with keeping the glass clean and not too much spray on my canopy.

also, it allows for more o2 to be dispersed throught the water column

[Abbeys_Mom]

My tanks are smaller then yours, and I only filled them until you couldn't see the water line anymore. I think that would be a 1/2-1" on my 55g, but only 1/4 on my 10g. I still get water build up on my 10g canopy, but I have a different lid that does sit on top of the lip, it sits on the rim inside the tank.

[Severus]

I keep it roughly 1/2" - 3/4" away. Next time i change my water i want to try a magic eraser.

[Nautilus29]

I filled my medical tank to the brim (I wasnt thinking). Then i tried to straighten up the stones on the bottom, water all over the place. Ill never do that again.

[Severus]

haha thats alright. Live and learn

[crackatinny]

Seen these in the supermarket today here in Aus, but at over $5 for 8 1 inch square cubes was a bit reluctent, are they that expensive over there in the USA?

[Abbeys_Mom]

I got 2 for $2 at the dollar store. The are about 4"x2" with a chamois on the back side.

[Severus]

Do you have the magic earser duo? that is the double sided one.

[bushwhacker]

is there anything you can use on the inside of the tank that will not hurt fish and plants to take care of hard water stain ? this was a used tank dont know how it got the line

[cocoa_pleco]

is there anything you can use on the inside of the tank that will not hurt fish and plants to take care of hard water stain ? this was a used tank dont know how it got the line

old thread, but you can use vinegar