tips to remove saltwater stains on glass

[Dr Joe]

Patience and CLR.

You'll have to come up with a way to keep the area wet with the CLR for 24 hrs.

Since you can't maneuver that tank on to its sides...

Duct tape towels to the glass (need the good duct tape, don't know about the new gorilla tape).

Fill the tank with enough to run a small pump and rig up a spray bar.

Handheld sprayer and moisten every 15 min. (or less depending on evap.).

Don't sand it.

Polishing compounds and a buffer are over kill and need experience to apply properly and the glass will need to be final polished or this will be the first place that algae takes a hold.

Dr Joe

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[nvrmor2paradise]

ok, someone help check my math on this. I have researched the dangerous componant in CLR which is Lactic acid. According to one site, it says that is a normal occuring and very nessisary chemical in our bodies, but in high enough concentrations, it begins to break down muscle tissue to convert it to energy. This dangerous thresh-hold is:

20 mmol/L which equals
180.18 mg/dl which equals
1g/.145gal which equals
7g/1gal

Now if we asume that we are cleaning a 55 gallon tank, the maximum amount of the residual toxic chemical could be no more than 385 grams in 55 gallons of water. Now CLR says that the volume of lactic acid in CLR is 15-20%. Even considering 20%, that means that up to 1,925 grams of CLR could be in the water before it becomes toxic. Convert that to gallons and... (drumroll please?)... you could have one-half a gallon of pure clr in the water before it becomes toxic to humans. Now, I don't know what the toxic levels are for fish, but it seems very doubtfull, if properly rinsed, CLR would pose a danger to fish. Am I wrong?

 

[midnight]

you guys are making my head go lol
inside doesnt seem to bad,its on the outside.

i just tried "on the outside"
windex - no go
mineral spirits - surprisingly didnt do anything
denatured alcohol - same as above

thats all i have around here
also i dont have any clr to try

heres pics of it.looks worse in pics.

 

[nvrmor2paradise]

I'm confident enough with my math that I would say try the clr. You can get some at any hardware, grocery, or department store. It will be in the cleaning supplies area.

 

[midnight]

tried steel wool. lol it did a lil but there was still a layer.
tried wet sanding with 1000 grit,did alot,but still had a layer.
the last layer i scraped with a razor blade more and it seems to come off easier now.
so i might wet sand the top layer off then scrape the last layer with razor.
this sucks.lol
this is why i dont like sw.

 

[midnight]

Don't sand it.

i agree dont sand.LOL
just noticed sanding scratched it.luckily i only did a tiny spot.

 

[IITUFFTOBEATII]

HCl will do it, diluted to a safe concentration and rinsed right away... kee it out of the joints

 

[TurboVinny]

30yr old dry tank, does it even hold water arent u scared that it will fall apart on yah when filled with water?

 

[midnight]

30yr old dry tank, does it even hold water arent u scared that it will fall apart on yah when filled with water?

it "held" water
of course im worried.
will fight that battle if it happens.
im hoping it doesnt leak and thats what im going on.lol
i have no time left,no money,to redo it.
and its not like re siliconing a 55g.
thats one serious job.
and i dont think anyone realizes,my gramps has done this longer then most of us have even been alive.
he said its ok,so im trying.lol
also,when he built it,he put silicone between each piece of glass,not just in the corners.
plus the corner silicone is thick and huge!
dang this post turned into a book,and oh ya welcome to mfk.lol

 

[TurboVinny]

thanks, I guess if the silcone is soft to the touch it would be ok to use.
For the stains have you tried using a metal brush or one that can attach to a drill?