Glass 'stained' at the water's surface

[Ron Reefman]

I'm selling a 120g tank (low iron glass) and I want to do all I can for the new owner. This tank has stains where the surface of the water was about an inch below the top of the tank. The tank is slightly less than 2 years old.

I've scraped with a standard coraline blade scraper (sharp stainless steel) and I've wiped it with vinegar. But the hazy stain remains. The rest of the tank is spotlessly clean.

Any suggestions I could try, or advise for the new owner? He is picking the tank up in 2 days.

Thanks.

 

[mcgyvr]

Longer vinegar soak?
Muriatic acid if that fails..
Buffing process with cerium oxide of that fails..

Many times the glass is basically permanently etched like that and nothing short of a full on buffing process will remove it...

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thanks mcgyvr, I'll inform the buyer of his options.

And I assume that even if we get them clean off, over a year or two they will just come back? Or is there some way to prevent them in the first place?

 

[Tripod1404]

You can try hydrogen peroxide or ethanol as well. Hydrogen peroxide will remove most organic residues and ethanol is in case it is a water insoluble or hydrophobic stain.

If neither work, you can try piranha solution, which is a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide (I think 3:1 ratio). It is an extremely destructive solution towards organic compounds and it is normally used to clean organic stains off laboratory glass work. H2S2 and H2O2 combine to form one of the strongest oxidant and acid, Peroxymonosulfuric acid (or Caro's acid, H2SO5). It first breaks down complexy organic molecules into simple carbons and then oxideses them to CO2 and some type of ash, basically nothing will be left. But be extremely careful working with it.

 

[nereefpat]

A lot of times, those stains aren't visible when the tank is full of water.

 

[mcgyvr]

And I assume that even if we get them clean off, over a year or two they will just come back? Or is there some way to prevent them in the first place?

"new" stains will come back in time.. The same marks "if cleaned" won't necessarily return..

 

[joshky]

Try magic eraser (original)? I've gotten these stains off with one before.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll try a couple of the easy ones between now and Sunday morning when the new owner takes the tank. I'll pass along the more involved ideas to him if the stains still remain.

 

[Nickyfish]

Try magic eraser (original)? I've gotten these stains off with one before.

wow really I actually had that idea once but there has always been a HUGE debate on what was exactly in the magic eraser. Some have claimed crazy things some even had said formaldehyde.

I have a Oceanic 120 gal tank that i just got off someone and i did not notice till the tank was full but it seems like there are some small swirly scratch but also a couple lil spots of "haze" any way to fix ???

I know oceanic is Out of bis. Is there a company now making tanks that look as big and heavy as the oceanic. That is the what I like about the look of it


Thanks

Nick

 

[NO3]

+1

We all think glass is completely flat and non-porous but its not. Glass is finely porous

The staining is BENEATH the surface of the glass and scraping it won't do a dang thing.

You've already proved that razorblading won't touch the stain underneath the surface, trapped in the pores...

To reach the stain you are going to have to put on heavy rubber gloves and work with some type of ACID that will penetrate the surface of the glass.. It probably needs to be soaked in an acid to penetrate the pores...but how in the heck do you soak the inside of the glass of a tank (?)....

Sooooooooo....
I personally come Monday would call around to Glass Shops in your area to talk to the Owner who has 20yrs experience to ask them what acid they recommend to heavily SCRUB the glass to penetrate the pores

Good luck and be SAFE with acid

 

[JTL]

Ron, if caused by mineral deposits I would think muriatic acid would remove them. You might also try some very fine steel wool.

 

[joshky]

wow really I actually had that idea once but there has always been a HUGE debate on what was exactly in the magic eraser. Some have claimed crazy things some even had said formaldehyde.

The original is fine, people use them with their tanks actually running. I've done it myself and had no noticable complications.

 

[mcgyvr]

wow really I actually had that idea once but there has always been a HUGE debate on what was exactly in the magic eraser. Some have claimed crazy things some even had said formaldehyde.

[MENTION=366098]Nickyfish[/MENTION] Nick,
There shouldn't be a debate..
The "magic" really isn't magic and is readily available..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melamine_foam
Yes it contains formaldehyde... but the process basically makes it inert (neutralized). It also contains sodium bisulfite

Its been used by many in this hobby without any issues I've ever seen reported.. And there shouldn't be really..
Its MSDS(SDS) sheet is also readily available and lists no hazards to it..