How to Remove Calcium Buildup from Your Aquarium - Easy and Effective Methods
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- Are you struggling with stubborn white calcium deposits on your aquarium glass and equipment? In this video, we’ll show you step-by-step how to effectively remove calcium buildup and restore your aquarium to its crystal-clear state. Whether you're dealing with hard water stains on glass, decor, or equipment, we've got the right tips and tricks to help you clean your tank safely without harming your fish or plants.
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Great cleaning advise for calcium deposits on glass. Others propose various concoctions, but your simple approach is better. (Most other cleaning videos are by people mainly interested in being slick and getting as many views as possible, but they don't have much real cleaning experience.) I used your white vinegar technique to remove deposits on a fancy glass flower vase. After trying many other cleaners with lots of scrubbing, I had only limited success. Then I used white vinegar: I filled the vase to above the scum line and waited about 20 minutes. With some hand scrubbing, that was fairly successful. Then I did it a second time, after warming the vinegar in a microwave oven, but I had lost track of the time -- so it soaked for about 4 hours! After a little hand scrubbing, it came out PERFECTLY CLEAR. Conclusions: (1) warm the vinegar to improve the chemical reaction, and (2) let it soak as long as you can.
great vid. informative. just picked up a nasty 45 gallon long tank from the dump and i took it home did the water leak test and cleaned with vinegar. boy does the tank look like a million bucks now
thanks
How do I clean my fish tank calcium stains
@@louielouie6215 vinegar
you can also use lemon juice and a thooth brush to scrub its also effective
😂a thoothbrush? 😂 🦷
@@zackattack8433 yeah what?
Yeah scrub a quarter of an inch @ a time. Really smart! Only take ya 3 days :)
Thank you so much we have been trying FOREVER to remove that annoying stuff and this halted a lot so again thank you 😊
Vinegar is the magic natural solution for many cleaning needs!
S.T. International Aquarium Supply So true. I worked at a bar a long time ago and use to spray a mix of one third water, vinegar and vodka (for a natural bar like scent) on the couches to remove the smell of smoke
S.T. International Aquarium Supply..... sir is vinegar harmful for fish??
@@DeepakKumar-bg7td No, not in minute amounts . Google it
Thank you so much for your video, it really works with no harm to my turtles. 👍😊🐢🐢
Great to hear!
Just did this on my tank. It was really bad. I started by scraping with a blade, then vinegar and kept dousing with a sponge, then scrubbed a bit more with vinegar and did that 3-4 times. Then came back with a razor blade and the rest came off very nice. Not sure what the other commenters are doing wrong.
Tom Ferlaak easy enough to figure out what they are doing wrong.
They are looking for a quick easy remedy and it takes effort and a long time to get it done detail cleaning it, and this method and all other methods just really make it a bit easier to accomplish..
They want an instant fix. There isn't one.
It really depends on what kind of water or minerals are in your water thats why we all have different results. Common sense really
White vinegar is great stuff! Works perfect on an old reef tank with coraline build up. Especially on plastic over flows!
Try a product called Barkeepers Friend. It's designed to clean glass and it works amazing on fish tanks with water spots and calcium buildup. Check out some videos on it.
I love Barkeeper's! I've used it for years and now that I have a spotty, used tank, I totally forgot I had this magic cleaning potion. Ty for the reminder, lol
Could it be, that the acetic acid % by volume varies by manufacturer? Also, are some folks soaking the calcium/deposit with water BEFORE applying the vinegar, thereby forming a buffer that is protecting the deposit?
I tend to stay on top of this build up - just a quick scrape with a half a box-knife blade (I'm raising Mystery Snails)
You can also use pumice stone used for cleaning calcium lines in the toilet. Makes it much easier.
Yeah and then the toilet has a lot of scratches. Not a great idea.
@@andrear1751 it leaves no scratches. Professionals use it.
calcium buildup are the worst!!!!
They are
Ahhh, I can all ready smell it
I myself have been doing this with pickling vinegar for years on tanks , works great.
did It work Perfectly?
Great solution, thanks! I have a slightly different situation: my tank is still active and has live fish in it. Due to evaporation the water got low, and I filled it back up again several times. Over the past year, it has built up about 2 inches of calcium on the top of the tank. How do I clean that without taking the whole tank down?
Gary Dauphin did you find anything?
In this case you can use a razor blade.
Can’t magic erasers or razor algae scraper prevent this?
I just got a 250-300 gallon with top and stand and it has major water marks.. would you recommend the vinegar still? Should I fill up a 5 gallon bucket of vinegar and just start scrubbing? The tank is 7ft long 2ft wide and 3ft tall
I came back to this comment if anyone was interested and the vinegar works great to make it clear again, I also let the calcium buildup sit there for so long time in a hot garage to where the calcium turned very hard shards and it started chipping off the glass in peace’s witch is awesome because clean up was so much easier.
Thanks! I'll Do this with my turtle tank. Hope it works.
Did it work
@@jessicadavidson2044 Mostly.
Is this what hell smells like?
No... no that's sulfur.... but oooh so so close!! Lol
Mr clean magic eraser is all you need to clean aquarium glass it is the only thing for stubborn algae on glass and also white buildup it will never scratch the glass
I use the heavy green scrub sponges and dip that in vinegar. That will remove the thick algae, calcium build up and other gross residue.
Alexander Stewart thx
Amazing!! Thank you
I have a 100 gallon tank. That have they white smug. I tried Glass cleaner & like a car buff. Can't get it out. Feels clean but still look dirty. You think this trick will work too?
I use couvoursier Brandy and bicarbonate of soda works a treat 10 times better than vinegar removes any amount of limescale
I made a video on this also I used steel will to get the calcium buildup off.
Dont waste your time..I used steel wool and it did not help at all!! also the vinegar must only work for light newer stains..Not for old buildup
RoxyQueen You can use a rag soak it in vinegar place it on the area prop it if you have too leave it over night
Lol that is what I am doing now with a Fluval Spec 5. I got tired of looking at calcium build up. On edges and back. I use vinegar for just about everything. Straight is better, it melts that calcium. Mine wasn't found so no leaks. These free ones make great terrariums also, a little leak will not matter.
This does NOT work! Been there done that.
I have very hard water.
How do you clean yours then
What’s a cleaning solution that works for really hard water??
What works then?
@@do7735 If you find out let me know, lol. I still have the tank i want to clean.
@@WindWipper I have a little bottle of Barkeeper's friend and its taken out the more minor white streaks. I have not had luck with much of anything else so far.
There is a magnetic cleaning tool you can get at fish shops ~one half goes on inside tank glass while the other half goes on outside glass matching the inside (magnetic) ~then you move the outside one along the glass keeping the one in tank in water ~ no need to remove anything from tank ~ use your tank water hose to clean out anything floating in water you don’t want ~ and then just top up water in usual way!
Lisa Jarvis that scratches the glass over time.
Useless
Best idea is to get a scrub brush from the pet store or even Walmart because they work well to take out the hard water stains.
This will work on Flower vases right? I tried the Dish soap thing & NADA!!!
blade is best or use an aquarium scraper with blade.
This method didnt help for my tank. Is there is any other good method
Nihar Karkhanis try a coffee maker descaler. This is supposed to remove calcium deposits inside the coffee machines.
Rinse thoroughly after you do it. And then rinse it again.
But it shou break down the calcium haze and make it come off.
And it goes without saying, you can't do it with fish in the tank. It's for a shut down or restart deep cleaning.
Use salt+ vinegar + lemon
Thanks !!
I have a turtle aquarium and the water splashes and has left a crust hard white layer of some sort what is this can someone tell me please is it capsicum build up
Marinegamer4life yes thats calcium.
K thanks I can get rid of it by vinagar right
Marinegamer4life yes I do it all the time.
How did the vinegar work for you? It does little for me. I'm seeing people are starting to consider using CLR, but are concerned about it weakening the seal/joints and causing a leak. I might experiment with a 10 gallon tank.
mef1975 you can do just as good a job with just water, a soft scotchbrite pad and a small glass scraper and elbow grease and not worry about busting seals or harsh chemicals.
Cool tip
Spray vinegar and Lots of salt scrub with washcloth . boom clean ... Razor blades & sand paper will scratch the glass .
As natural product it is a really good one, but i used toothpaste and a toothbrush and it did the job quite easily🤙
can i use vinegar and clean the calcium above the water while turtle is in the tank
Awesome sauce
will apple cider works too?
Yes
can I use white vinegar?
does it clean all the dust partical from the tank?
after cleaning it with vinegar if I fill it up water does it effect the water or fish?
Yes you can, that is what they said. And if you rinse it good it should not affect the fish. Glass is not porous and it it does not absorb the vinegar.
Shivani Sharma
Vinegar is an acid, and a source of carbon, if you can drink it, a little splash wont be harming your fish (some advanced aquaponic farmers use it to feed the anaerobic bacteria in their demineralization filter), but seriously, for me, it does very little to remove hard water stains. Stay on top of your stains, before they get bad, and it could work for you.
Thanks..
Will CLR work?
No hopes of getting a response but, I was given a 50 gallons tank and I have tried vinegar and razors but it is not coming off! Any other solutions? Been scrubbing for an hour or so!
Try a magic eraser
or use fine grit sand paper, * make sure you wet the sand paper *
Sir which number sand paper
@@rajatvvij4841 1000 or higher
Even 320 works well
@@rajatvvij4841 you've tried it? Are there any scratches?
No scratches as visible
I can just smell this video 🤢🤢🤢🤢
Very informative though 👍🏽👍🏽
Good tip and keep up the good videos
I have calcium build up on my filter / pump. How should I use this vinager method?
Robert Bangs yes, run the pump with a strong vinegar solution mixed with water, use a tooth brush to clean the pump.
I’m dealing with that in my 30 gallon it’s so annoying
Wall paper the inside with vinegar soaked paper towels and let sit 20 min. Wipes right off
Thanks!
Would white vinegar work too?
Ashley Bailey white vinegar is vinegar
Lol
Can you use apple cider?
My aquarium get brown color fungus on d wall of glass. How I get rid?
Buy a plecostomus fish, or tropical snails if it's practical with the type of fish you have, they eat the algae/fungus growing in the tank.
My aquarium glass lid has milky water marks but vinegar didn't help
try magic eraser
Where do you get free tanks?
At garage sales, facebook marketplace, side of roads, ect.
Try "Bar Keepers Friend". Vinegar works but not as well but nearly as strong and efficient.
Walter Keen yup, that stuff works wonders.
Walter Keen where do I get "Bar Keepers Friend?"
use a glass cleaning blade (handle that holds a razor blade flat, with vinegar and let dry) then get to scraping. Takes a while but you can see the calcium buildup peeling as you glide the blade across.
Joey just made a video on this and you can use a product called bar keepers friend and it comes off instantly. Nice vid though I used to use this and it works well.
Yes but vinegar is something that almost everyone has in the house already
ReefKid14 bar keepers friend is a total joke!! It does not work!!! I wanted this to work so badly I only disappointed myself!! It did not work!!!
What about using hydrogen peroxide filled with water 25% of tank and submersible water pump for 40 minutes
What do you do when you wanna clean up the calcium build up while keeping fish in the tank ?
You don't.
Oxalic Acid Barkeeper's Friend!!!
I use ph down from API
I have axolotls. Can I clean tank with vinagar with them inside?
What is water calcium
Tyson water has minerals in it. Calcium is one of them. As the water evaporates, calcium is left behind along with other minerals.
I have gold fish in my tank can I do this while there inside
Alex Tyson2 no
i’ve used vinegar AND the bar keepers friend and they’re still there it’s driving me NUTS!!!! i really don’t think this tank is savable 😭
Sorry guys I use bleach on my tank didn’t know the much what is goin to happen
will bleach work as well?
No
Toxic to fish 🐡🐠🐟☠💀🤦♂️
put your camera on the table or something so we can see more and you can move more!!!!!!!!!
Ok so this is what I am finding out...The freaking vinegar DOES NOT work for older build up..so whatever the white crap thats still on my glass is not coming off with vinegar and if another person tells me to use it .. I am going to SCREAM!! Listen it does not work for every single stain People!! I am going with muratic acid now..Thats how the hell this is going!! I will tell the people who are like me with the stubborn white calcium build-up on their tanks.if it works after I use it.. I have been literally in my yard scrubbing and soaking and waiting for this and that to clean the glass and nothing has worked! I watched and listened to almost everyone on you tube on the subject! I just can not believe that there is not one person with a fix to this problem!! HELP!!!!! I really do not know how to apply muratic acid ..I dont even know if I am spelling it right.
RoxyQueen you can use the acid on the glass. You should avoid it getting on the tank seals and plastic though.
I use just water a soft scotchbrite pad and a small glass scraper and a ton of elbow grease and keep working at it until it's all gone the hard way.
The acid will work though, but you got to rinse it after and keep on rinsing it because if the acid remains you will have a really low pH.
It's calcium. Basically a mineral deposit. I've had good results by filling the tank and dumping a box of efferdent denture cleaner tablets in there and after the fizzing stops, scrub the calcium with a plastic scrub brush. That shizz removes stains from false teeth, figured it couldn't hurt on glass right?
There's no "easy" solution besides elbow grease though. It's kind of false that there is an easy way to remove mineral deposits from glass. It takes a lot of cleaning. Some things may make it a bit easier but it's still a lot of detailed cleaning. Wear gloves, and a mask, avoid contact with your skin and just dab it on to the areas you want to treat. And goes without saying do it in a well ventilated area. Muriatic acid is harsh and so are the vapors.
Use bar keepers friend. Very good at releasing hard water stains.
I use CLR for stubborn calcium build-up. Works for me!
Bought car glass cleaner, my problem solved.
@@Noeman2009 wax , and if possible use a buffer .. works great !!
hard to follow for beginners. I feel like you were too detailed with your words but not enough in describing what and why you were doing it. poor instruction and still I'm looking for another video to get help.
livesay88 it's pretty simple. Their is build up on your tank here is how to remove it. Sorry that's so hard to understand
Nothing works perfectly. There isn't a substitute for scrubbing the hell out of it and using a glass scraper and detail cleaning it and putting in the work.
This may make it a bit easier to do, but in the end if you want it all gone you gotta do the work.
I put vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it every 15 minutes or so for about an hour. And then I scrub it with some soft scotch-brite. Do it again if it's not completly clean.
can u do this With fish in the tank
EdsApi
@@lashingdemons9277 no, if you have fish in the tank use a razor blade. Just be sure not to scratch the tank (it's actually hard to do). It will scratch if you get the corner of the razorblade on the glass. As long as you stay flat with the blade you're good
thank you for this i was getting frustrated of trying to scrub it out
My frogs were in my 25, and then I moved them to a new tank and their 65, and then their old tank got calcium build up, I put my leopard gecko in it and for last few Weeks I have been thing to remove it. I tried vinager I will try a razor now
Household White Cleaning Strength Vinegar even works faster
Can vinegar be used to clean fungus infected aquarium tank?
It did not work is there any way that you can fix it for 25 gallon curved tank
Put some brick acid (phosphoric/hydrochloric) in a sprayer and spray it all around the inside. Leave 30 minutes rinse out. Follow safety instructions.
When useing the veniger how long after that can u put ur fish back in the tank
Rinse it real good but it back it only vinegar
Keep in mind that you will just have destroyed your beneficial bacteria, so take your time throwing a tank-full of fish into that squeeky clean tank!
i tried this on an old tank and as soon as the milky glass dries it fogs right back just like it was. am very disappointed
Ammonium chloride
Can u give me measurement of that tank
Looks like it's probably a 10 gallon
Hey thanks, I actually heard of that.
If you add about a table spoon of dill seed to the vinegar and heat it up to just a boil then cool some you will not get a burn. Then clean like you said. The dill may not help clean how ever your house will smell like dill pickles and most people like dill pickles. Ha ha I am trying to be funny again.
Can someone tell me why the top of the filters (outside) keep getting white buildup , calcium or hardwater but how can I prevent it ?
I use ph down from green planet that use on my weed plants ,takes this off so clean and after you rinse it good it’s harmless.
My husband just got a huge used tank that has a leak somewhere (we don't know where yet, they taped all the seams on the inside). We will be removing all tape, and applying silicone to all seams. Aside from vinegar and scraping with a razor blade (we already plan on doing this) do you have any other suggestions on how to prepare the tank for our turtle? Or any suggestions on what to use for the leak?
Do you use distilled vinegar if you are cleaning the tank when fish are currently in it?
so you fill it up full of vinigar?
Wow looks better
Cleaning bathroom window, thanks
I have tried using vinegar on my vases and it never works. I have let them soak over night, try and to scrub them off but when it dries the deposits are still there.
heard that vinegar has to be 7 percent or more acidic to work
I know this is an old video but I have a calcium problem in my tank, and it seems to be on my fish. I don’t know how to help him. I’m cleaning his tank but it doesn’t seem to be helping him
Tubylubrx on your fish? Are you sure it isn't ick? I would research some common fungal infections that fish get and try to diagnose the problem, calcium will build up on the tank and equipment but not on your fish, he may be sick.
Dfabe53 I know for a fact it’s not ick. I’ve done lots of research and there’s nothing. He’s fine and looks fine most the time but when the calcium gets really bad in the tank his whole body is covered in milky white.
Tubylubrx hmm i'm no expert but if the tank is new it could be a bacterial bloom? here's a link to a chart with common fish diseases and their descriptions www.fishnet.org/sick-fish-chart.htm
Ok...and how can I prevent the water stains?
Get softer water
This is a layer man
Do you Ron e it anyways or just if there is residue?
I was joking bra
Will the tank smell like vinegar
I used soap and use ate metal pot scrubber and it works fine and doesn’t smell like vinegar
What if you have live stock in the tank ?
Best to remove the fish, and wash thoroughly with plain water before adding them back afterwards