Not sure where to post......but HELP!!!!!

[pilot_bell777]

HELP, HELP, HELP!!!!!

OK....trying to get an acrylic tank cleaned up that has been in the garage for some time so I can buff it and make it look new again. The only thing is it has concrete coraline all over it.

WHAT is the best way to get this off without breaking my back?????

I've hear vinegar but large tank.....I've heard hot water.........

Anyone know what and how to use to get this off the easist way without scratching the mess out to of the acrylic or making my arms go numb? (old motorcylcle accidient)

[dwdenny]

not sure you can actually get the coraline off. It finds its ways through little pores which makes it harder to get out.

[pilot_bell777]

It's comming off one way or another! :angry ...won't be happy until it looks like new glass again!!!!!!!

:lol

Worse case....just use some of that 36 grit sandpaper that I had to buy to strip the stand and canopy that had a gallon of shalack per square inch on it, get it all off....then get the scratch removal kit and buff it back to glass......

Would that work?????

[Gator]

what aboaut neratic acid

[pilot_bell777]

Gator....is there something we should know about you and neratic acid????

This post....throwing it in the kids face that sprayed Axe for Polkster's wife.....LOL

Scared to use anything too harsh in fear of residual left in the tank.....would that work on acrylic? would that have any residual?

Bleach....Acid....hot water...vinegar.....chisle and hammer......sandpaper!

WHAT do I do......someone has gone through this before and knows how to get it off. If it was on just the back I would leave it but it is on the front too and I want to get it all cleaned so I can buff out the scratches and make it all look new.

[BIGBIRD123]

Actually it's called Muratic acid but Gator, no offense intended....and a word of caution...This stuff will burn the pookey out of ya! Please wear a good pair of rubber gloves or you could be scratching your butt with a nub! Don't really want to picture that though....LMAO! The thought of Gary in a thong was bad enough! ROFLMAO!!

Steve

[pilot_bell777]

ya......I've had to use that stuff to clean a pool before....bad stuff!

[pilot_bell777]

How do you get it off acrylic when it is full? Sorry...only had glass tanks.

can I fill it with water for a couple days and then get it off like it was growing in the water?

[BIGBIRD123]

I would fill it with water and go to the dollar store and buy a few cheap bottles of vinegar before I did the acid thing. I'm not sure if the acid might not pit the acrylic. I'm mean this stuff burns holes thru concrete. We use this stuff at work and I have the scars to prove it. I have heard of great results with the soaking in vinegar for a few days, then it should scrape off with an old credit card. Just what i've heard. It would be worth a try.

Steve

[pilot_bell777]

I've got it turned on it's front right now and filled with water and vinegar to see what it will do and letting it soak.......I tried a coraline scrapper for acrylic and it broke in half in about 4 tries.....POC


I wasn't gona do the acid thing....that would melt the acrylic for sure. I would use the sandpaper before the acid! LOL

That's some BADDDDDD stuff......I was twelve when my dad made me clean the pull with it because he was too cheap to buy the chemicals over the winter and the algea was so bad that it too the acid to get it off and he always made me and my sister do the dirty work. Never used a mask or anything.....maybe that is why I don't have asthma anymore, burned enough of my lungs out to get rid of it !LOL.....OH well....the past what can you do but grip about it!

[pilot_bell777]

maybe I'm thinking of sufuric acid....???? can't remember....everything is foggy all the time.

What was I saying.... :cry


:lol

[BIGBIRD123]

That also is some pretty bad s#!t!

[pilot_bell777]

What were we talking about again??? LOL

[BIGBIRD123]

You used Muratic to clean a pool. Sulfuric is kinda hard to get.

[Dozer]

I'm assuming it's on the front? If it were me I would leave any on the sides and back, but that depends of course on how you're going to have it displayed.

[pilot_bell777]

Ya...it's on the front....I don't care so much about the back and sides, just want it off the front. It's a coner tank and want to make the front look like glass after buffing it.

[Dozer]

Gotcha, that makes sense. There was a great thread I saw a long time ago on reefcentral from an acrylic guru. I'm talking reeeeeeaaaaaaallllll long thread. Probably take days to read through. But, I do remember him addressing a lot of cleaning acrylic type of issues though. It's worth some searching. If you don't have a membership over there- and for some reason don't want one- let me know and I'll shoot you my log-in. You have to be some kind of member to search if I remember right.

[NaCl_H2O]

Maye someone else can confirm, but I think Muratic acid will only "disolve" the carbonate based stuff (The coralin algae) and won't harm the acrylic at all? Could always try it on a small spot on the back? If it is in the pours of the acrylic, I don't think Vinegar OR sandpaper are going to help much. I cpour it into a plastic tupperware cotainer to soak my pump impellers. Doesn;t harn the tupperware at all, but the Ca covered impellers "boil" when I drop them in.

[pilot_bell777]

Maye someone else can confirm, but I think Muratic acid will only "disolve" the carbonate based stuff (The coralin algae) and won't harm the acrylic at all? Could always try it on a small spot on the back? If it is in the pours of the acrylic, I don't think Vinegar OR sandpaper are going to help much. I cpour it into a plastic tupperware cotainer to soak my pump impellers. Doesn;t harn the tupperware at all, but the Ca covered impellers "boil" when I drop them in.

Are you saying that you pour the Muratic Acid into the tupperware and it doesn't hurt the plastic but eats the Coralline?

[NaCl_H2O]

Are you saying that you pour the Muratic Acid into the tupperware and it doesn't hurt the plastic but eats the Coralline?

Yup! In fact, they sell it in a big one gallon "plastic" jug ;)

[pilot_bell777]

I wonder if that will leave any type of "BAD" residue in the tank that would harm my future fish/corals?

Does anyone know???? I wouldn't think cleaning small things and washing good would hurt in a large system, but the whole front of the tank????

Where can you buy it at?

[BIGBIRD123]

I have a friend in College Station area that I used to work with and he uses an old acid barrel that we had at work to mix his water changes in. I do know that it doesn't remain in our plastic barrels when cleaned and dried but I'm too skeered to use one.

Steve

[NaCl_H2O]

You can buy it at any pool supply shop, and usually at Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace, True Value, etc.

Residual Muratic acid will SEVERELY drop your PH ... that's why they put it in swimming pools. Rinse it out real good with the garden hose and you will be fine!

[pilot_bell777]

I have a peice of scrap acyrlic I can test it on....how much does it run, do you know?

[hammondegge]

baking soda will nuetralize the acid. if you rinse it really well with water and baking soda you should come out even.

[BIGBIRD123]

Where do you live? I work in Pflugerville and I have a gal. jug of it. You're welcome to it but I won't be back at work until Monday. I believe a gallon is less than $10 @ HD or Lowes. LMK. I could meet Monday if you want to wait?

Steve

[BIGBIRD123]

You're right about the baking soda. I forgot about that.

[pilot_bell777]

Nah...not that expensive. If it was 25$ or something then I would get a little from you to test on that scrap and see what it does but 10$ or so, I can swing that and if it burns up the acrylic or hazes it then not out that much....gona try the vinegar first though. Got it soaking right now and I just tried to scrap a little off and it came off, but it was a small amount with a broken scrapper.

We'll see....... thanks for the advice!

[pilot_bell777]

The vinegar seems to be working if I let it soak over night.....Does anyone see a problem with using pure vinegar instead of a part vinegar part water?

It's acrylic......

[NaCl_H2O]

FYI - Had to get some more muratiac acid - $3.76/gal at Ace

[pilot_bell777]

Cool....thanks!