# Hard Water Deposits



## Contrive (Jun 19, 2012)

Does anybody have any tips on removing hard water deposits? I've tried a Magic Eraser and white vinegar, but to no prevail.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Safe and effective...slice a fresh lemon in half and rub it on.

Take precautions and extremely effective...a mix of 50% Muratic Acid and 50% water. Don't breath the fumes or get it in your eyes! Pretty much harmless to get it on your skin but rinse it off. It's used in swimming pools. Find it anywhere that does pool supplies or get it at Lowe's.

If the Muratic acid doesn't work, then it is etched in and will not come off.


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## mnemenoi (Jun 26, 2012)

CLR? It removes hard water and is effective when I use it and can be acquired at most stores (even grocery stores). Just be sure and rinse it very well afterwards and for final rinse do it with distilled or RO to prevent the water from doing the self same thing you are trying to get rid of.


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## Contrive (Jun 19, 2012)

Alright thank you. I'll be starting my first vivarium in like a week. SO pumped!


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

Pumilo said:


> Safe and effective...slice a fresh lemon in half and rub it on.


Second on this.


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## Alexandre8100 (Sep 7, 2012)

If the deposits are difficult and vinegar does not work to remove them,it may be necessary to resort to the power of chemical cleaners.Power tooth brushes or washing resources such as the Sound Scrubber also help to make cleansing small places much easier and more effective.


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## Steverd (Sep 4, 2011)

For my fish tanks, just warm up some WHITE vinegar, in the microwave and scrub (one of those blue aquarium scrubbers). I've never had any on my aquarium glass that this did not work on.

Steve


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## mrzoggs (May 27, 2012)

i do this for a living... get some fine steel wool. make sure the tank is wet and scrub it with steel wool. I have told another person to do the same and he said it cleaned the glass so good he couldnt even tell the doors on his exo were closed... water and steel wool is all you need. It will not scratch the glass.


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## Frog Tropics (Jul 18, 2012)

Lemon juice/pulp also works well if you don't want to use steel wool.


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## cyck22 (Sep 8, 2011)

Would the lemon juice be safe(ish) for a planted tank with frogs in it, or would the acidity cause problems?


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## LizardLicker (Aug 17, 2012)

You can try warming the vinegar and then letting it sit for a minute. Have you tried scrapping it off with a razor blade after that? It might work as well.

Good luck.


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## Emerson72 (Oct 19, 2013)

Well dude!I have no knowledge about it but in according to me,A swimming pool at home will be a good idea,health-wise,pleasure-wise,and appearance-wise.If your pool is n't cleaned regularly,nobody will want to or should go swimming in a big green swamp of algae.Fortunately,several pool cleaners/vacuums are available and reasonably priced to make pool cleaning less of the back-breaking chore it once was.The most popular models are automatic or robotic pool cleaners,which comb the surfaces of your pool and climb the walls,hopefully sucking up debris and algae along the way.So,if any body wants to share any ideas about it then please share me dude??????????


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## Splash&Dash (Oct 16, 2012)

Contrive said:


> Does anybody have any tips on removing hard water deposits? I've tried a Magic Eraser and white vinegar, but to no prevail.


lemon juice and razor blades? It's just one of those things that seemingly requires old fashioned elbow grease


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## Splash&Dash (Oct 16, 2012)

Pumilo said:


> Take precautions and extremely effective...a mix of 50% Muratic Acid and 50% water. Don't breath the fumes or get it in your eyes! Pretty much harmless to get it on your skin but rinse it off. It's used in swimming pools. Find it anywhere that does pool supplies or get it at Lowe's.
> 
> If the Muratic acid doesn't work, then it is etched in and will not come off.


is it used for PH adjustments?


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## Splash&Dash (Oct 16, 2012)

mnemenoi said:


> CLR? It removes hard water and is effective when I use it and can be acquired at most stores (even grocery stores). Just be sure and rinse it very well afterwards and for final rinse do it with distilled or RO to prevent the water from doing the self same thing you are trying to get rid of.


CLR seems to leave a heavy residue in my experience, so never considered using it in a viv.


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## mrzoggs (May 27, 2012)

Water and steel wool. No chemicals or precautions needed. Keep the glass wet and get to scrubbing. Also this thread is old as dirt. That guy bumped it and I'm pretty sure by looking through his posts he is a spam bot or something.


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## Dragonfish (Mar 23, 2012)

As long as somebody already bumped it, how fine do I need to use? I'm building a 1950's tank right now and I've tried vinegar, lemon and lime-away. I even laid it on it's side and let it soak. I think I have 000 steel wool at home.


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## mrzoggs (May 27, 2012)

I would say 0000. Super fine. You don't want to scratch it. I've had hard water deposits on windows come in when I used to detail cars. One guy said he tried every chemical in his house and he was making one last stop to us to see if we could get it off for him before he went and replaced his windows. Steel wool had them looking brand new.


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## showjet95 (Mar 3, 2013)

+! on the steel wool, worked like a charm when lemon juice and vinegar were not completely getting rid of it all. Looks brand new!


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## oldlady25715 (Nov 17, 2007)

Where would one easily obtain fine steel wool? I am assuming not from a steel sheep. Ha Ha.


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## Judy S (Aug 29, 2010)

I really wish there were a "boooooo" button....but actually...cute, very cute...


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## Wusserton (Feb 21, 2014)

I think that if the tank is occupied lemon juice and maybe a razor blade would be the best option, steel wool sheds steel slivers everywhere so you would have to be careful about that ...also steel wool rusts quite a bit so don't plan on saving the piece afterwards, the steel dust/slivers alone would scare me half to death with frogs present


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