Water marks on second hand tank.

As I mentioned in another tread, I bought a second hand tank and is busy renovating the stand and cleaning the tank.

I am battling with the old water marks. I tried removing it with spirits vinegar, which took off the most salts and what have you, but the water marks is sticking. I then tried pool acid, undiluted. It removed a bit, but you can still see it. I am scared to leave the pool acid on too long. Also worried that pool acid might affect the silicone?

Any advice?

 

Try some methylated spirits or something like windowlene ?

 

Done that. Spirits give you a nice finish, but do nothing to the old hardened watermarks.

I read in a thread now someone mentioned sugar soap. Worth a try?

Yet someone else mentioned vinegar and elbow grease. Whats that? hehe...

 

elbow grease means really using alot of power to rub it off.. hehe.. so basically just using vinegar and lots of rubbing dont worry.. i fell for tht one too

 

If you've put pool acid into that tank undiluted... you may find yourself scraping silicon off the corners and redoing all the silicon!

 

hehe, i was a bit sarcastic. Do not like that one! Elbow Grease!
I am desparate now. What about acetone? Will for sure damage the silicone!

Off to the post office now to collect my plants!

 

You've used neat pool acid. I think the damage is already done Tom.K

 

I was scared of that! But I left the tank full of water overnight and all seems fine! If it happens, so be it. The guy who build it in the first place did not do a good job of aligning the edges, so I am a bit peed off! Nothing major, but still...

 

Hi Tom.k, I use ph down (the crystal form) and a bit of elbo grease and it works for me. Give it a try

 

@Gerrit

Thanks, will give it a try. The 'help' is busy at the mo with vinegar and elbow grease, again. After wash down we will see and try that if need be.

 

Rather strip the tank and redo it... It will always bug you til you do it one day...
Vinegar worked for me also. Took some kitchen toweling and soaked it in vinegar and left it on the areas that was stubborn.
Then I used a Stanley blade to scrape it off completely. Good as new!!

 

First going to try this! Thanks.

 

yes because what i rem reading was that acid (low in ph ofcourse) disolves those mineral deposits such as calcium etc.. so leaving the vinegar on the stuborn spots should disolve the deposits in no time.

 

The one side is particular anoying, on the outside? The whole pane. I now turned it on its side, with this side on top. Soaked pillow sheets in vinegar and draped it over the bad side. Will see what it looks like tomorrow. Is white spirit vinegar the best to use?

 

I used white spirit vinegar on mine. I soaked for 30min and then scraped off that was loose. Then back on with the vinegar till everything was gone.

 

OK. I am going to leave it like that overnight. Hope there is a tank by tomorrow morning!

 

If the viniger dries out completely before you give it some elbow grease it not much use.

 

aah, I will check on that. Hopefully the cloth is preventing that. Sure it will not stay wet all night. So it is elbow grease now!!

 

Still no results. It is like stained into the glass. Mailed Meguiar's
Here is the answer from them.

Any comments?

PS. Even Brasso do not help.

 

Jeez Tom you have a really stubborn tank there. Any chance to up a picture to see these marks?