Need to acid was an aquarium

T

Tinyfish

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I got one of my aquariums cleaned up only to find that there is an impenetrable white glaze on the glass that even a razor blade will not touch. I used to be a pool guy and have acid washed pools before. I am thinking this will be just like a tiny pool. I just need to find Muriatic Acid. Anyone want to help?
 
I would be worried about silicone seals I would make a very weak solution

Might want to tape them so no acid gets directly on them


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Have you tried vinegar? I'd try that (50/50 water solution) first before the muriatic. If the glaze is calcification, the vinegar should be able to cut through it.
 
I've got a tank that vinegar won't touch the stuff thats on it...even vinegar soaked paper towels covering the area overnight. Let me know how it goes acid washing...might be able to save my 72 bowfront...
 
I finally did this today and could not believe it did not work. Whatever this cloudy substance is, it is inert now and bonded to the glass.

This throws a wrench in my plans so I don't know what I will try next.

Just so people know, I used a straight pour from the bottle and left it on 10 minutes and then 30 minutes. Nothing happened.
 
That's strange. Is it possible the glaze won't be visible once the tank is filled with water?
 
I've heard of this, but not seen it personally. So with water in the tank, it looks hazy? But straight muriactic acid (HCL) didn't phase it?
 
@Tinyfish wrote:
Just so people know said:
Wow... that's surprising. I've used that stuff before (removing excess grout from some tile work I was doing) and I would have thought it would take off anything...
Click to expand...
 
Even with water in the tank the haze visibly cuts the clarity significantly. And straight muriatic did not phase it.
 
Are you the original owner of the tank. Maybe they tried to buff it and causes some swirls


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I am not the original owner. It looks as though someone added too much Calcium or Alk and it settled on the glass, however, maybe it bonded to the glass.
 
i know a lot of people use acid, but do you have any low PH base??
a friend of mine had a tank like what your talking about, but the funny thing is that the front glass was the only pain that was effected....
he had a heater blowup and catch his tank on fire, so he never got around to trying it...... so i have no real hands on experience....

I only mention Base, because if the substance/etching is in some way acid based, an acid wont do anything, but a base will neutralize it and may help remove it....
just an option....
 
I did think about this very thing but being no chemist, I could not think of something of a strong enough base to try out on it. Baking Soda does not work.

Someone else mentioned hydroflouric HF acid used for rust but since I used CLR, Calcium, Lime, Rust remover, I don't think it likely to make a difference.
 
Good thinking. Always avoid the use of HF acid. I guess all acids have the ability to cause serious injury, but even in weak concentrations, I wouldnt handle HF.
 
Well I tried the buffing wheel. I have to say that it is an acquired skill to balance pressure and speed. That is to say I don't have the skill yet. I will try again later on hopefully a little bigger patch. The first patch was so small that I can't see well and on the side.
 
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