Mineral Deposits

[LizStreithorst]

How do I most easily remove the mineral deposits on the front of my glass?  Any liquid product just runs to the bottom of a vertical surface.  I tried Lime Away, but it didn't have enough time to soak in.  Should I use a rag soaked in muritic acid and a razor blade?

[Mugwump]

You can try the acid...but be 'wary,wary careful'.......

[LizStreithorst]

Thanks for the excellent advice, Elmer Fudd

[Mugwump]

Thanks for the excellent advice, Elmer Fudd

LOL..you're welcome....any time you start messing with acid.....watch youself...

[LizStreithorst]

I watch myself all the time.  I can't help it.  There is nobody more available for watching than ones always present self.  Just becauce I'm always watching myself doesn't mean that I won't screw up.

[Mugwump]

I watch myself all the time.  I can't help it.  There is nobody more available for watching than ones always present self.  Just becauce I'm always watching myself doesn't mean that I won't screw up.

LOL...... ..been there too many times too....

[BallAquatics]

Hell Liz, the only people who never screw up, are the ones who never do anything.....  live and learn.

Dennis

[LizStreithorst]

I was told on DaaH that WD40 would remove the mineral build up.  Just spray it on and wipe the mineral deposits off.  It didn't work.  I will let it sit over night and see if the mineral stains wipe off.  My fish room smells like WD 40, but it hasn't killed any fish.

[b125killer]

I'm interested in what you find that works. I have a streak down one of my tanks that I haven't been able to get off. I tried everything I could think of. I got it to fade a bit but I can still see it. I think I tried WD40 too. I haven't tried muritic acid. I'm not that worried about it to go that far.

[LizStreithorst]

I'm interested in what I find that works as well.  So far t WD40 with a razor blade has not done the trick.  I can feel the mineral deposits with the razor blade but I can't make them go away.  It's like they've bonded to the glass.  I wish I'd never gone on this cleaning frenzy.  The deposits never bothered me until I decided do get rid of them.  I thought that it would be easy, lol.

[Mugwump]

I'd be leary of using WD40 on anything in the fishroom....if the tank was empty, and outside, ok, maybe..but washed and rinsed well with 'Dawn' dish soap.....

[Frank The Plumber]

I use WD 40 to repel mosquitos when I go fishing. It must be toxic, they usually stay away when I have it sprayed all over me.

[BallAquatics]

It must be toxic, they usually stay away when I have it sprayed all over me.

LOL  In 20 years of working in environmental remediation, we tried very hard to keep from having toxic substances from being sprayed all over us.

Dennis

[BillT]

These kinds of deposits are probably a combination of salts and calcium/magnesium carbonates and phosphates). The phosphates are supposed to be more difficult to dissolve. Details will depend on your water chemistry.
It is possible that the chemicals may have etched the glass to some slight extent because they would be at very high concentrations just prior to precipitating. This could result in pitting which could look whitish and would not be removed by any amount of dissolving, but you should not feel anything with the razor blade moving over the surface.

I have used a thick phosphoric solution to dissolve deposits on many things. I found it in a beer brewing supply store when I was looking for some live yeast. It is used for sterilizing things used to brew beer.

If you are trying to soak something on a vertical surface, you might try creating a little pocket by loosely covering the area of interest with a piece of some kind of plastic sheet and seal the sides and bottom with some strong adhering tape, and then putting a piece of paper towel soaked with your acidic solution into the pocket so it is in contact with the deposits.

[Frank The Plumber]

It must be toxic, they usually stay away when I have it sprayed all over me.

LOL  In 20 years of working in environmental remediation, we tried very hard to keep from having toxic substances from being sprayed all over us.

Dennis

Hee hee. No worse than Off. Smells nicer too.