• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Limescale

Dominic

Dominic

Member
Joined
11 Nov 2013
Messages
319
Location
High Wycombe
Ever since i have started keeping fish, i have noticed that when my water level drops, it leaves a milky white residue behind, which is terrible to get rid of, and usually leaves a white line wherever the water level is.

Our pH in the area is usually around 8.0

Is this due to the water hardness? I am going to be having an open topped rimless co2 planted tank. How could i prevent this? Would the co2 do enough to prevent this?
 
Yes, it's your water hardness.
Reducing mineral content of your water is the only method, by means of an RO unit / dosing less fertilisers.
No, co2 will not affect this, as it's a mineral content problem as oppose to PH problem.

Darrel will be along with the order that salts dry around the rim, as it drys out in a certain order, starting with the least hydrate-able, through to the most. The less easily a salt is hydrated, means the quicker it drys out on the rim.

I should have listened more in chem, but the more I concentrated on the teacher, the more I wanted to strangle him. He was a moron
 
is there any other way around this apart from using r.o water? Or at least, less r.o water? And i do not dose fertilisers on my current tank as it is just an ordinary fish tank at the moment with some plants chucked in.

And does this mean that every time i do a water change, i would need to use r.o water?
 
Hi,
other than reducing hardness your only other option is to regularly top up the tank so the limescale deposit will be less noticable as it tends to follow a reducing waterline. Either top up daily or use an auto top up system to reduce the unsightliness. You may still get a little residue above the water line, but not nearly as bad as when it drops a cm or two.
Also in a planted tank deposits are likely even with soft water as the salts we add as fertilisers are left behind in the same way.
Cheerio,
Ady.
 
Ok, thank you for your advice ady! I just wonder how everyone on here keep their rimless open topped tanks so clear of limescale etc.

Do you think the co2 would lower the ph enough?
 
Dominic said:
Ok, thank you for your advice ady! I just wonder how everyone on here keep their rimless open topped tanks so clear of limescale etc.
?
Click to expand...
Good old fashioned elbow grease!
Razor blade, careful of the sealer!scourers as said above and vinegar on a cloth during water change can all work :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top