White stuff on canapy whats the best to get it off

12 posts • Page 1 of 2

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


milky648
 
Posts: 194
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 4:41 am

White stuff on canapy whats the best to get it off

by milky648

hello my friend hase a 33 gallon tank ,and the light is coverd with this white stuff. I my self dont have it what is it? and whats the best way to get rid of it ? thank you


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

possibly calcium build up

the tank itself should be fine

possibly someone else knows better


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

Is it dried up and almost looks like salt? If so its like yash said, calcium. I have found the best way of getting it off its scraping it off with a razor blade.


milky648
 
Posts: 194
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 4:41 am

by milky648

ya but its really bad would salt water help to ? how do u keep it off???


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

first, you must make sure it is ONLY aquarium salt...and salt would just cause more deposits to build up because any salt you put in the tank never ever escapes, so if you put in too much salt you can do more damage than good - though once every Sunday, I put in 2 tablespoons of aquarium salt for the platies plus it is just good for any stress in the tank as long as I do not touch the frgs and live plants with the salt for these species are sensitive to the salt

just either take a razor blade to the calcium build up like dizz said or leave it be...it's not like it cakes up so much that it looks like the aftermath of a volcano

it may be unsightly but it does no harm to anything...just scrape it off if you can


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

There is no way to keep it off. It builds up over time. Don't use salt water, just wipe it dry and a razor will scrape it right off. I scrape it off once a month. After awhile it builds up enough to start blocking light.


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

I agree with dizz...or just purchase a new light a little more often than usual


Tmercier834747
 
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm

by Tmercier834747

Keeping water from spraying up on the canopy (or light) will help. If the filter outlet is far above the surface of the water it will obviously cause a lot of spray which results in more deposits on the light. A bubble wand will do the same. I've found within the past year that my fish get plenty of oxygen when the filter outlet is level with the surface of water..but the water moves fast enough to break surface tension. Oxygen is being put into the water even when there's no audible evidence of the surface tension being broken. I know this because in the past year of fishkeeping i've yet to see a fish gasping at the surface for air. Dizz is on point about removal..but the points above are best for prevention of excessive mineral build-up..since it sounds like your buddy doesn't have a canopy to shield the light itself...this seems wiser than buying a new light every month or trying to scrape minerals off fluorescent lights.


milky648
 
Posts: 194
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 4:41 am

by milky648

well he dose have a canapy and he hase bubbels going in its a 33 gallon but i dont think hes even cleand the top of the light and it looks gross like to dislplay a tank and its so dirty ok thanks ill tell him


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

I agree with Tmer, even if the filter outlet is level with the water (mine always is, on both filters), the agitation to the water surface creates plenty oxygen in the water column...it is a falsehood to believe oxygen is created with bubbles in the water column...oxygen is ONLY created at the water surface, the agitation intermixes with the gases in the air right above the water surface, and the water ions and the water agitation, even if slight, but more the better, creates plenty oxygen in the water column

if you put a glass canopy between the water and the light, very little if any deposits will build; like I said before, I get some calcium deposits around the edges of the tank at the top, but it is not so bad that I need to scrape it off

anyway, if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask

White stuff on canapy whats the best to get it off

12 posts • Page 1 of 2

12
Display posts from previous: Sort by: