Things You'll Need
- Razor blade
- White vinegar
- Soft sponge or microfiber towel
- Dishtowel or hand towel
Instructions
Empty the aquarium. If the aquarium houses a fish community, transfer them to another tank. Remove all the décor and gravel, which can get contaminated during the cleaning process.
Scrape the thick lime deposits with a razor blade. Thick lime deposits will come off easily with a sharp blade. Take care not to scratch the glass with the corner ends of the blade. Apply some vinegar to the area to help soften the crusted deposits.
Lay the aquarium on its side and apply vinegar to the stained areas of the aquarium wall sitting at the bottom.
Scrub off as much of the lime scale as you can using a soft sponge or a microfiber towel.
Lay the vinegar-soaked microfiber towel on the glass to dissolve the remaining stains. Add a vinegar-soaked dishtowel to cover the rest of the affected aquarium glass. Let the vinegar soak for several hours (the towels will keep the vinegar from drying out too quickly).
Repeat the process on the other three walls of the aquarium. Let the vinegar soak for several hours per side to achieve the best results.
Rinse the aquarium thoroughly to remove all traces of the vinegar and lime deposits.
Consider scouring the sides of the aquarium with rock salt to dislodge and dissolve the hard water deposits.
Consider using a paste of vinegar and baking soda. Rinse the tank thoroughly afterwards.