Cleaning Calcium?

mopedman · 05-02-2008, 07:29 PM

I have what I believe to be calcium all over the top of my tank. I have taken a green brillo pad to it and it got little of it off. So I have two questions
1. What causes this?
2. How do I clean it off?
Thanks

Obsidian · 05-02-2008, 09:23 PM

What causes it is minerals in your water supply. Perfectly normal.

How to get rid of it:
I use 2 weapons to deal with this.
1. I always wipe down all areas that calcium can build up on with every single cleaning. This keeps it down to manageable levels.

2. I use a razor blade (like from a utility knife) to clear off any remaining calcium. Most of those surfaces in the pictures can be easily cleaned with a razor (provided that is in fact glass. If it acrylic then you can get an acrylic safe scraper from the fish store). Some of them, such as the plastics at the top, can be cleaned with a razor but you must be very careful. You could also use another flat edged type tool to scrape it off that would be less likely to damage the plastic. It helps if you wipe it up a lot as you clean so you minimize what goes into the tank.

Good Wolf · 05-02-2008, 10:35 PM

What do you wipe it down with. I do have a scrub brush I bought from the LFS but if need be would a regular dish towel be ok if I need something more coarse?

I'm concerned that the residual detergent might effect the water.

Obsidian · 05-02-2008, 10:45 PM

I use API aquarium wipes. If I do that with each cleaning its not hard yet so they work well. Anything that hardens is removed with a razor and wiped off with an API wipe. I use the same wipe, often on multiple tanks while washing it in between (in tap water, no need to be worried about bacteria issues). I do this because the wipes are on the expensive side, but worth it. I won't go between tanks when I know one has any kind of disease in it.

COM · 05-02-2008, 11:16 PM

I usually use windex applied to a rag. I buy those rags that are sold by the pound in the paint section at Lowe's. They're like scrap t-shirt material. Good stuff.

Obsidian · 05-02-2008, 11:21 PM

I just looked again at the pictures and it looks like most of that is on removable things like your glass hood. I take those over to my sink and wash them there, still using the razor.

I am not sure I would use windex, too much of a risk of the chemicals getting into the tank, but that is just me.

COM · 05-03-2008, 12:21 AM

I've done the windex thing for years. It's mainly ammonia in there but I am very careful not to get it in the water.

05-02-2008, 09:23 PM	#2
Obsidian Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Arizona Age: 37 Posts: 1,174 User Feedback: (0)	What causes it is minerals in your water supply. Perfectly normal. How to get rid of it: I use 2 weapons to deal with this. 1. I always wipe down all areas that calcium can build up on with every single cleaning. This keeps it down to manageable levels. 2. I use a razor blade (like from a utility knife) to clear off any remaining calcium. Most of those surfaces in the pictures can be easily cleaned with a razor (provided that is in fact glass. If it acrylic then you can get an acrylic safe scraper from the fish store). Some of them, such as the plastics at the top, can be cleaned with a razor but you must be very careful. You could also use another flat edged type tool to scrape it off that would be less likely to damage the plastic. It helps if you wipe it up a lot as you clean so you minimize what goes into the tank. __________________ Obsidian 20 gallon 1 Dwarf Gourami; 6 Cherry Barbs 4F 2M; 8 Black Neon Tetras; 3 Peppered Cory's; 1 Bristlenose Pleco 10 gallon 4 Zebra Danios 5.5 gallon 1 Zebra Danio in QT with columnaris 100 gallon 10 Giant Danios; 5 Long Finned Rosy Barbs, 2 Rubber Lipped Pleco's, 1 Blue Mystery Snail Eventual additional stock: 5 blue rams, 1 rainbow cichlid, 5-7 julie corycats, 5-7 burmese loaches.

05-02-2008, 10:35 PM	#3
Good Wolf Howling @ U Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wylie, TX Posts: 288 User Feedback: (0)	What do you wipe it down with. I do have a scrub brush I bought from the LFS but if need be would a regular dish towel be ok if I need something more coarse? I'm concerned that the residual detergent might effect the water. __________________ ~Chris~ 30g planted 1 Flame Gourami, 1 Angel, 7 Glass Cats, 6 Peppered Cory *29g planted* 5 Cardinal Tetra, 3 Neon Tetra, 8 Black Neon Tetra, 1 Dwarf Gourami, 5 Three Stripe Cory, 2 Oto (moving Tetra to 75g soon) 5g planted 1 Blue Gourami, 2 Guppie Fry? wth? 75g Extended Hex Work in progress

05-02-2008, 10:45 PM	#4
Obsidian Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Arizona Age: 37 Posts: 1,174 User Feedback: (0)	I use API aquarium wipes. If I do that with each cleaning its not hard yet so they work well. Anything that hardens is removed with a razor and wiped off with an API wipe. I use the same wipe, often on multiple tanks while washing it in between (in tap water, no need to be worried about bacteria issues). I do this because the wipes are on the expensive side, but worth it. I won't go between tanks when I know one has any kind of disease in it. __________________ Obsidian 20 gallon 1 Dwarf Gourami; 6 Cherry Barbs 4F 2M; 8 Black Neon Tetras; 3 Peppered Cory's; 1 Bristlenose Pleco 10 gallon 4 Zebra Danios 5.5 gallon 1 Zebra Danio in QT with columnaris 100 gallon 10 Giant Danios; 5 Long Finned Rosy Barbs, 2 Rubber Lipped Pleco's, 1 Blue Mystery Snail Eventual additional stock: 5 blue rams, 1 rainbow cichlid, 5-7 julie corycats, 5-7 burmese loaches.

05-02-2008, 11:21 PM	#6
Obsidian Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Arizona Age: 37 Posts: 1,174 User Feedback: (0)	I just looked again at the pictures and it looks like most of that is on removable things like your glass hood. I take those over to my sink and wash them there, still using the razor. I am not sure I would use windex, too much of a risk of the chemicals getting into the tank, but that is just me. __________________ Obsidian 20 gallon 1 Dwarf Gourami; 6 Cherry Barbs 4F 2M; 8 Black Neon Tetras; 3 Peppered Cory's; 1 Bristlenose Pleco 10 gallon 4 Zebra Danios 5.5 gallon 1 Zebra Danio in QT with columnaris 100 gallon 10 Giant Danios; 5 Long Finned Rosy Barbs, 2 Rubber Lipped Pleco's, 1 Blue Mystery Snail Eventual additional stock: 5 blue rams, 1 rainbow cichlid, 5-7 julie corycats, 5-7 burmese loaches.

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05-02-2008, 11:16 PM	#5
COM Rebel Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 324 User Feedback: (0)	I usually use windex applied to a rag. I buy those rags that are sold by the pound in the paint section at Lowe's. They're like scrap t-shirt material. Good stuff.

05-03-2008, 12:21 AM	#7
COM Rebel Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 324 User Feedback: (0)	I've done the windex thing for years. It's mainly ammonia in there but I am very careful not to get it in the water.

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