Scum

[cer]

Hi, I recently got a 10 gallon tank from our friends. They kept saltwater and this was a quarantine tank. So it is covered in salt residue that is somewhat crusty. Is this deadly to FW fish and is there a good way to get rid of it?:hmm3grin2orange:

[Wild Turkey]

Use vinegar and a sponge, you can also try soaking paper towels in vinegar and sticking them to the insides of the tank. Theyre mineral deposits

[Northernguy]

It will have an effect on the perameters.
Not good for most fish.lol
Vinegar! It works great.Soak a rag in it and lay it over the bad area.Let it sit for a while and use a razor blade to remove the crust.
Water and vinegar to clean the tank.Fill it up and add the vinegar.Let it sit over night and scrape it down.
Be careful not to scratch the glass.

[tanks4thememories]

Use vinegar and a sponge, you can also try soaking paper towels in vinegar and sticking them to the insides of the tank. Theyre mineral deposits

Yup this works. Also you can scrape it with one of those razor blade scrapers from the hardware store but be extra careful to avoid the silicone seams. So after the scraping you just do the above vinegar thing and poof its good to go. Just rinse well when done...lol

PS depending on how long it has been sitting in that condition there may be some etching of the glass if this is the case there is nothing that can be done when you reach the etched part.

[oranda man]

i would soak it in water for a week or so or lemon would work better and if there is some left on when you put fish in the lemon wont harm the fish

[cer]

Thank you for all of your help.

[tanks4thememories]

i would soak it in water for a week or so or lemon would work better and if there is some left on when you put fish in the lemon wont harm the fish

The reason lemon works is, just like vinegar it has acidic content. IE: they are the opposite of alkaline. Either of them if left in any significant amount will acidify the water thus alter the ph. So it is best to avoid getting it into the water of a running tank and also best to rinse thoroughly before setting up the tank.