Clean glass on empty aquarium

[jmatt]

I have a used peninsula aquarium that I am prepping for sale... but have an odd problem.

The long sides of the tank came perfectly clean with citric acid and/or vinegar. However, the far end of the tank, opposite the overflow and where the ecotech mp40s were, simply won't come clean.

The glass appears frosted or hazy and you can see rings where the mp40s were.

If I clean it with citric acid or vinegar some areas appear to come clean but if I wipe it down again, they go back to being hazy. When there was water in the tank you couldn't see any haziness at all. Looked perfect.

Not sure why everything cleaned up so perfectly but not this far end of the tank. Starphire low iron glass if that matters.

 

[Fish Fan]

You know, I don't know what causes this, but I've seen it, and on one tank I had I threw absolutely everything at it, and nothing worked. What I can say is that it does look better when water is in the tank, and some report that they can buff the glass back in order, but I've never tried that. Hopefully someone else has some better suggestions.

Good luck here!

 

[Red_Beard]

Coraline algae and some other things can etch the glass. Sometimes you can feel it if you run your fingernail carefully over the area. You could use some rouge and buff that out though if you felt inclined to do so.

 

[WMCWINGS186]

Is it possible that the glass has been "etched" by the water being blown around in the tank and picking up "debris" and bouncing off the glass?

 

[Red_Beard]

Is it possible that the glass has been "etched" by the water being blown around in the tank and picking up "debris" and bouncing off the glass?

distinctly, i would postulate. chances are non-zero.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

had a fresh water tank do this after 13 years, the glass is etched some how. I trashed it, but didn't try to polish it

 

[jmatt]

Is it possible that the glass has been "etched" by the water being blown around in the tank and picking up "debris" and bouncing off the glass?

Nah, it's not that. The returns and the mp40s were directly opposite each other, kinda canceling each other out and I never saw anything moving around in the water column, no sand or debris.

But thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jmatt]

Coraline algae and some other things can etch the glass. Sometimes you can feel it if you run your fingernail carefully over the area. You could use some rouge and buff that out though if you felt inclined to do so.

Well, there was no corraline algae on this side of the tank. And if that was the issue, why would it effect this pane and not the others? The side panels are perfect.

 

[jmatt]

You know, I don't know what causes this, but I've seen it, and on one tank I had I threw absolutely everything at it, and nothing worked. What I can say is that it does look better when water is in the tank, and some report that they can buff the glass back in order, but I've never tried that. Hopefully someone else has some better suggestions.

Good luck here!

I'm thinking of something like RainEx... some kind of "glass sealer" if such a thing exists.

 

[Fish Fan]

I'm thinking of something like RainEx... some kind of "glass sealer" if such a thing exists.

I don't know for sure, but I can't imagine that RainX is reef safe.

I've had this happen on freshwater tanks over the years, and I believe the glass gets chemically etched from who knows what, and not so much damaged by blowing sand or similar.