Secret to crystal clear glass? Specifically inside the tank.

[Stuckita]

Hey everyone, I have a new to me tank. Currently has fish in it. I’m noticing that although I can get the outside of the tank clean using ammonia free cleaner/micro fiber towel, the inside of the tank is smudged. When I first bought the used tank I cleaned it but without chemicals as I was concerned for the fish health.

I bought a magnet scraper and a razor scraper but Algee isn’t the issue, it’s smudged/clarity. Is this something a future clean up crew will handle, or is there another secret?

 

[bluerider098]

Is the tank acrylic or glass? It sounds like maybe they're is build up on the inside of the glass or if it's acrylic it may be scratched up.

Do you have pictures?

 

[blaxsun]

Cleanup crews usually only make a small dent (even with massive ones).

 

[FiveGallonSea]

I am meticulous as all hell with my tank. I don't overfeed, low bioload, UV sterilizer, carbon and GFO reactor, you name it and I only get nice clean glass for like 3 days at the most before it becomes a bit hazy. When I say hazy I mean analyzing it through the side views because straight on it still looks fine for like 5-7 days. Clean up crews do nothing except maybe add streaks of clean glass lol. This is the nature of the beast. If you want a very clean looking tank, learn to love cleaning the glass.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Do you mean the glass is stained from previous use? Usually I scrub with a scrubby pad and vinegar, it usually gets that hard stain off.

 

[Timfish]

Assuming your tank is glass and the above recommendations don't help, sometimes glass oxidizes and outside of emptying the tank and polishing it with ultra fine grit products there's not much you can do. If you tank is acrylic the fine grit sand papers used for polish auto paint may work.

 

[Stuckita]

Is the tank acrylic or glass? It sounds like maybe they're is build up on the inside of the glass or if it's acrylic it may be scratched up.

Do you have pictures?

No pictures that demonstrate it well.. I could just be picky, but I see others tanks and they look less smudged? It's an almost new Waterbox 35.2 AIO so I believe it's decent real glass, certainly not scratched.

 

[Stuckita]

I am meticulous as all hell with my tank. I don't overfeed, low bioload, UV sterilizer, carbon and GFO reactor, you name it and I only get nice clean glass for like 3 days at the most before it becomes a bit hazy. When I say hazy I mean analyzing it through the side views because straight on it still looks fine for like 5-7 days. Clean up crews do nothing except maybe add streaks of clean glass lol. This is the nature of the beast. If you want a very clean looking tank, learn to love cleaning the glass.

Hmm.. I'm fine with cleaning it just need to sort out how haha. Like pretty much if I could windex the inside it would be perfect, but obviously I can't. Tank is less than a year old and I believe only operational for about 5-8months before I bought it. I am consider flipping my magnet razer around so that the softer felt side can clean the inside of the tank?

Or possibly I just need to dip my hands in their with the ATO off and just do some underwater micro fiber towel cleaning?

 

[Stuckita]

Do you mean the glass is stained from previous use? Usually I scrub with a scrubby pad and vinegar, it usually gets that hard stain off.

I wouldn't say stained... just not perfect, it's very similar to the streaks of when I get salt water dried up on the outside (which is my new pet peeve btw)

 

[Jedi1199]

I am meticulous as all hell with my tank. I don't overfeed, low bioload, UV sterilizer, carbon and GFO reactor, you name it and I only get nice clean glass for like 3 days at the most before it becomes a bit hazy. When I say hazy I mean analyzing it through the side views because straight on it still looks fine for like 5-7 days. Clean up crews do nothing except maybe add streaks of clean glass lol. This is the nature of the beast. If you want a very clean looking tank, learn to love cleaning the glass.

Not all algae is created equal. The magnetic algae scrapers work great at the minor film that is normal from day to day.. but they don't come close to being the end all cleaner.

I have to get down and dirty with the hand scraper at least once a week to get that tough stuff off and reach that clear look.

 

[Stuckita]

Attempted to take a photo, it’s hard to capture as it’s really not that and, but see the slight streaks?

 

[Troylee]

Use a magic eraser it should cure it for you.. make sure it’s a plain one with no soap.

 

[hexcolor reef]

Super clean glass outside use Alcohol and a cotton microfiber cloth. Spray, wipe, then fan the glass with cloth.
DONT let air dry or continue to wipe until it drys.

Inside tank, use a blade, some times rubber squeegees work but I use both and periodically a soft toothbrush

do this everyday

 

[Stuckita]

Use a magic eraser it should cure it for you.. make sure it’s a plain one with no soap.

Magic eraser... interesting... and just to confirm before I accidentally hurt my lovely clown fish.. we are talking inside the tank?

 

[Stuckita]

Super clean glass outside use Alcohol and a cotton microfiber cloth. Spray, wipe, then fan the glass with cloth.
DONT let air dry or continue to wipe until it drys.

Inside tank, use a blade, some times rubber squeegees work but I use both and periodically a soft toothbrush

do this everyday

Tooth brush/rubber squeegee could be a winner as well.

 

[Troylee]

Magic eraser... interesting... and just to confirm before I accidentally hurt my lovely clown fish.. we are talking inside the tank?

Yes it’s fine in a full blown reef tank.. I use it all the time on every tank I’ve ever owned

 

[homer1475]

Yes, a plain magic eraser(melamine sponge) is reef safe, and can be used inside the tank.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I've used those tunze glass scrapers for my tank, and they work good for me!

 

[paragrouper]

Yes it’s fine in a full blown reef tank.. I use it all the time on every tank I’ve ever owned

I use one as well.

 

[Planted Reef]

Looks like you left water to dry on the inside and that caused mineral streaking when it dried. I have the same issue but my tank is like 4 years old and one end is "smudged/cloudy" not streaks like yours. Tried magic eraser as well but unfortunately that didn't work in my case. I was really hoping it would clear it up. I have a mixed reef and no harm came from using it inside the tank.