Cleaning Saltwater Tank (Empty)

Question
When I bought my used 55 gallon tank there was some build-up around the top of the tank, I used windex to try and clean (Which afterwards I learned you shouldnt use chemicals like this) but it didnt do a very good job of cleaning. What cleaning materials do you recomend for getting this build up off?

Answer
Hi Jake. You can use straight white vinegar. Vinegar works great at removing calcium and hard water deposits from your tank and it is all natural. Put some in a spray bottle and spray down the whole tank inside and out. Let it sit for a few minutes then use a brand new razor blade or some sort of a safe scrubby pad to wipe it off. It may take two applications since it tends to remove these deposits in layers. Your whole tank will look like it is brand new and the vinegar is easy to rinse off and leaves no residue behind. I have used it a dozen times with no ill effect on my tanks! Just make sure you let it completely dry before you start filling it up with water. You can then use mineral oil on any plastic surface. Just rub a small layer of it on the plastic frame to your tank and any thing else that won't be directly in the water and is plastic.. This prevents anything plastic from accumulating these deposits so your tank will always look like new. I use this on all the plastic hoods I have at work and even though some of them are twenty years old there are no hard water stains on them!