what's your best way to get rid of the hard water build up inside your tank while you still have fish in the tank?
Hard water build up in tank
- Thread starter mike3367
- Start date
The best and most useful way to get rid of the calcium is to use 10% of hydrochloric acid (HCl).
This is a dangerous stuff, but when used right, it is your best companion for limestone removing on the glass parts.
I use that about every 3 months, when I do the regular water changes. The water level is down so I can do pretty much everything to the upper dry part of the glass.
I carefully use *damped* cotton wool (with more acid, you risk slipping it into the water!) and remove all of the lime. Then, I use the the wool *damped* with water and clean those parts several times (5-6 or more) and always with a new wool.
My water has a pH of 8.5, and that helps removing the acid quite fast. In the end I "test" the wool with the tongue. If it feels slightly acidic, I wipe the glass with water again, until there is no acid-taste.
Do not do this method unless you know what you are doing! Remember, you are doing it on your own risk, but don't let that thing scare you. When done right, this method is VERY time saving, it removes _all_ lime and is relatively easy to maintain.
You'll be surprised how good your tank will look - like you made it just few minutes ago.
I never had any troubles with this, not even the slightest pH falling after refiling the tank with fresh water.
Good luck.
This is a dangerous stuff, but when used right, it is your best companion for limestone removing on the glass parts.
I use that about every 3 months, when I do the regular water changes. The water level is down so I can do pretty much everything to the upper dry part of the glass.
I carefully use *damped* cotton wool (with more acid, you risk slipping it into the water!) and remove all of the lime. Then, I use the the wool *damped* with water and clean those parts several times (5-6 or more) and always with a new wool.
My water has a pH of 8.5, and that helps removing the acid quite fast. In the end I "test" the wool with the tongue. If it feels slightly acidic, I wipe the glass with water again, until there is no acid-taste.
Do not do this method unless you know what you are doing! Remember, you are doing it on your own risk, but don't let that thing scare you. When done right, this method is VERY time saving, it removes _all_ lime and is relatively easy to maintain.
You'll be surprised how good your tank will look - like you made it just few minutes ago.
I never had any troubles with this, not even the slightest pH falling after refiling the tank with fresh water.
Good luck.
dude he wants to do it with the fish still in there. you can scrub but i guess it will go into the water dissolve and dry out giving more to scrub.