# Cleaning off the white crud



## Violie (Feb 27, 2010)

I recently got an old tank from a friend, however the lid + heater are caked in white crud, what's the best way to clean this stuff off?


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

i just used steel wool to scrub it off


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

The white crud is calcium carbonate, just like the stuff you get in your electric kettle.

You can soften it and/or get it off with vinegar, or you can use muriatic acid if you know how to use it safely. Once it's softened, you can clean it off with a sponge, or scrape thick deposits off with a knife or razor blade. You can soak a paper towel in vinegar and stick it to the glass to 'soak' an aquarium without filling it.

The glass used for aquaria is fairly soft, and easily scratched by abrasives, so be careful. Some pot scrubbing pads have abrasives embedded in the plastic, so be cautious.


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## Windowlicka (Mar 5, 2008)

bae said:


> You can soften it and/or get it off with vinegar, or you can use muriatic acid if you know how to use it safely. Once it's softened, you can clean it off with a sponge, or scrape thick deposits off with a knife or razor blade. You can soak a paper towel in vinegar and stick it to the glass to 'soak' an aquarium without filling it.


+1, though after soaking with vinegar (or CLR - just be sure to rinse everything like a hound if you use this stuff), I prefer to use a nice flat, wide putty knife instead of a blade.


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## cichlidsnorth (Dec 2, 2009)

I just use a razor blade to get it off


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

There's more than one way to skin a calcium carbonate. I find soking an aquaclear sponge in hot water repeatedly and scrubbing gets it off. It's just water stain.


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