saving the aquarium

nate9 · 08/01/2008, 11:52 AM

Long story short i recently got some pretty seriuos mineral deposites on my 55 gallon tank. the tank is empty and im wondering if anyone knows a trick to remove these deposites. Or should i just scrap the tank and go get a new one.

thanks for any help.

mille239 · 08/01/2008, 12:39 PM

fill it with water, and dump a gallon or two of white vinegar in it. let it sit over night to two days, and voila!! empty, rinse, and you are ready to go! should take very little scrubbing!

coop47 · 08/01/2008, 12:39 PM

Fill the tank up with freshwater, and dump in a gallon jug of cheapo vinegar. Let it sit for a day or so. What doesn't just dissolve away will be easy to remove with an algae-scrubber.

edit: beaten to the post!

nate9 · 08/01/2008, 12:57 PM

alright thanks guys very much. i was afriad i would have to get a new one after muriatic acid didnt work lol.

Macimage · 08/01/2008, 10:19 PM

I use Muriatic acid because it is generally stronger than vinegar.

Joyce

stagefright13 · 08/01/2008, 11:10 PM

Yep vinegar. It will make bubbles and get rid of everything. Hot vinegar from the microwave is faster. Dunno if I would use muriatic on a tank tho...

Muriatic acid didn't work?? What dilution did you use?

nate9 · 08/02/2008, 10:17 AM

it was strong stuff, im afraid too strong. it was 30% and to my dismay i went out into my garage this morning to check on the tank after filling it with the water and vinegar solution yesterday afternoon and it was empty.....the tank had sprung a leak. The wierd thing was i filled the tank yesteday afternoon to the brim, i checked it last night around 1130 pm and it was still full to the brim. i went out this morning and the tank was empty so sometime last night the silicon must have given way.....i dont know if the muriatic acid had weakened the silicon on the tank. there were no cracks so it must be a leak.

should i at this point just get a new tank....anyone know any cheap places to pick up a 55 gallon? I got this one at petco where they have this dollar a gallon sale on all All-Glass aquariums for 55 dollars. They are not running that sale as of right now and this same tank there is about 99 dollars.

nate9 · 08/02/2008, 10:19 AM

also does anyone know any tricks for identifying the location of a leak in an aquarium?

nate9 · 08/02/2008, 01:53 PM

bump

08/01/2008, 11:52 AM	#1
nate9 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 96	saving the aquarium Long story short i recently got some pretty seriuos mineral deposites on my 55 gallon tank. the tank is empty and im wondering if anyone knows a trick to remove these deposites. Or should i just scrap the tank and go get a new one. thanks for any help.

08/01/2008, 12:39 PM	#2
mille239 Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Harrison Twp., MI Posts: 1,644	fill it with water, and dump a gallon or two of white vinegar in it. let it sit over night to two days, and voila!! empty, rinse, and you are ready to go! should take very little scrubbing! __________________ -Blair Disclaimer: No trees were harmed in the creation of this post, though a significant number of electrons may have been inconvenienced. Current Tank Info: 120 SPS reef in progress, 120 mixed reef, currently being completely rebuilt)

08/01/2008, 12:39 PM	#3
coop47 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: sunny FL Posts: 52	Fill the tank up with freshwater, and dump in a gallon jug of cheapo vinegar. Let it sit for a day or so. What doesn't just dissolve away will be easy to remove with an algae-scrubber. edit: beaten to the post!

08/01/2008, 12:57 PM	#4
nate9 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 96	alright thanks guys very much. i was afriad i would have to get a new one after muriatic acid didnt work lol.

08/01/2008, 10:19 PM	#5
Macimage Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Quartz Hill Posts: 4,078	I use Muriatic acid because it is generally stronger than vinegar. Joyce

08/01/2008, 11:10 PM	#6
stagefright13 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hatboro, PA USA Posts: 899	Yep vinegar. It will make bubbles and get rid of everything. Hot vinegar from the microwave is faster. Dunno if I would use muriatic on a tank tho... Muriatic acid didn't work?? What dilution did you use?

08/02/2008, 10:17 AM	#7
nate9 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 96	it was strong stuff, im afraid too strong. it was 30% and to my dismay i went out into my garage this morning to check on the tank after filling it with the water and vinegar solution yesterday afternoon and it was empty.....the tank had sprung a leak. The wierd thing was i filled the tank yesteday afternoon to the brim, i checked it last night around 1130 pm and it was still full to the brim. i went out this morning and the tank was empty so sometime last night the silicon must have given way.....i dont know if the muriatic acid had weakened the silicon on the tank. there were no cracks so it must be a leak. should i at this point just get a new tank....anyone know any cheap places to pick up a 55 gallon? I got this one at petco where they have this dollar a gallon sale on all All-Glass aquariums for 55 dollars. They are not running that sale as of right now and this same tank there is about 99 dollars.

08/02/2008, 10:19 AM	#8
nate9 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 96	also does anyone know any tricks for identifying the location of a leak in an aquarium?

08/02/2008, 01:53 PM	#9
nate9 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 96	bump