Scale may accumulate in the aquarium. This can be caused by using hard water with a high mineral content. Fortunately, you can easily remove scale from your aquarium by following these tips!
Prepare: Aquarium scraper, aquarium cleaner, vinegar (optional ready-to-use aquarium cleaner, available at the pet store), spray bottle, net, a spare aquarium, and fresh water for the tank. Never use glass cleaner or other detergents, as even the smallest chemical residue can harm your fish
Remove all the fish from the aquarium using a net and put them in a temporary tank. Then scrape off as much hard water sediment as possible with a special scraper. Mix half a cup of white vinegar with 3.5 l of water and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray the sediment with it, and then wipe it off with the cleaner. Finally, rinse the aquarium thoroughly with clean, fresh water. Make sure to get rid of all traces of vinegar. Fill the tank with clean, fish-safe water and put it back in the aquarium.
Hard water is a preferred habitat for some fish. Unfortunately, it’s not very good for clear, transparent glass. If you’ve ever noticed a white residue on the top of your glass tank, you’re probably seeing the effect of hard water evaporation. Such residue is usually lime (calcium carbonate plus basic ions) accumulated on the glass, also known as “scale.” While they don’t harm the fish, you may have a lot of trouble seeing them. Thus, they will not be pleasing to the eye as they should be.
If you are struggling with stubborn deposits, try using a razor blade or an algae scraper to gently scrape away the scale. Give up on razors with plexiglass handles. Any sharp tools can scratch the aquarium
Evaporation is the main cause for scale formation. Therefore check the water line of your tank every two or three days. High temperatures and high humidity increase the evaporation rate. The best substitute for evaporated water is distilled water
Flush the filter cartridges weekly to prevent mineral ions from re-entering the filtration. Mineral solids will contaminate the water. You can also do a test by checking your water with special strips
In alkaline or hard water, a reaction occurs in which calcium carbonate shells form, known as biogenic decalcification. This results in white calcium spots on the glass. They increase the concentration of minerals in the aquarium, which is dangerous for fish.
Use a special scraper to remove algae from the aquarium. Switch off the heater once the desired temperature has been reached. True, algae die at high temperatures, but they leave white, unsightly stains everywhere. You should not constantly create cold and hot environments in your aquarium. Such temperature fluctuations not only harm your fish, but also cause problems such as algae and calcium deposits.
After cleaning the aquarium glass, remove the decorations and scrub them well. Remember to empty the tank of all stones, novelty decorations, and even artificial plants. Use the algae scraper again to remove all sediment. Pay special attention to the leaves of the artificial plants. This will get rid of all the algae
If the decorations are very dirty and the scraper doesn’t work, dip them in a solution of water and bleach. Fill the sink with a 10% solution and soak everything for 15 minutes. After soaking, try scrubbing all the items again, then rinse them thoroughly under running water. This will remove all traces of bleach. Leave to dry in the fresh air to let the bleach residue evaporate from the surface.
What about live plants? Remember that they too can accumulate algae. Wondering how to get rid of them? Many plants will tolerate a brief soak in a 5% bleach solution, but don’t leave them for more than 2-3 minutes. Then rinse them thoroughly. Importantly, stem species may not tolerate such a solution, so test it on one plant before soaking them all.
