# Glass top lids- Cleaning?



## Andynater (Sep 23, 2012)

*** got 2 glass top lids on my 75 gal aquarium and im wondering how does everyone keep them clean or stop moisture drops/condensation on them?

The tanks new and its much easier to continue to keep it clean from the start then to try and later clean it and get it back to how it was.

Any ideas? Whenever I do water changes or randomly I will take them off and wipe them. But I havnt wanted to use any cleaners on the inside obviously
in case it got into the water.


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

A dilute vinegar solution sprayed on and wiped off with a rag is what I do.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

i scrub any algae off in the sink, and then use vinegar on a pot scrubbie for anything more stubborn. I dont even dilute the vinegar.


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

I only dilute it because I'm cheap...not for safety, full strength vinegar would be fine.


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

I just rinse to get the easy stuff off then pour some vinegar on, let it sit then wipe.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Plain water. If you are doing it every week you should not have hardened deposits.

When I do get hardened deposits (I don't do it every week, LOL) I usually have to use a razor blade.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I drape paper towels on the glass and soak in CLR, let sit for an hour or two then rinse, wash with liquid soap, rinse then dry. 
I'm currently conducting a little experiment with wax. After the last cleaning a couple of weeks ago (which I hate doing), I waxed the glass with automotive wax (Zaino for the curious). As of 2 days ago, there were little to no deposits on the glass. What _was_ on the glass wiped clean with a towel. The wax I'm using is a synthetic polymer that chemically binds with the surface it's being applied to. I wouldn't recommend trying this with something like Carnauba.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I take mine off about once every few months and clean them. I wipe all the water off once a week during water changes so the water doesn't sit and evaporate and leave hard water deposits. Still though I have to clean every few months or so.

So I lay out a towel on kitchen counter next to sink. I lay glass out, pour on pure white distilled vinegar and then I take a plastic little dish scrubber brush and wet it generously and scrub then I turn it over and do the other side. Then I rinse each glass under sink and dry off. Spotless every time.


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## Andynater (Sep 23, 2012)

I have a small like dollar store ketchup bottle or water and vinegar ( used for cleaning out the new tank before filing) which I could use.

On the topic of something that could go on the glass, *** used for awhile and very much recommend the product RainX.
Could I used that on the bottom side of the glass after cleaning it?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What are the ingredients of RainX? You have used it inside the aquarium before, or for other purposes?


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## Andynater (Sep 23, 2012)

Rainx is for your car windows, the water on glass treated with it will bead right up instead of being blotchy and slides off. In a car you can basically drive without wipers.

I have a bottle at home or can look it up online tonight as far as the makeup of it.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Ethanol, Isopropanol, Polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS), Ethyl sulfate, Chlorotrimethylsilane, Siloxanes and silicones, di-me, hydroxy-terminated.
I wouldn't use it. Then again, I'm using car wax so who's to say it's any better.


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## Woundedyak (Oct 19, 2007)

Vinegar and a razor blade


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

GTZ said:


> Ethanol, Isopropanol, Polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS), Ethyl sulfate, Chlorotrimethylsilane, Siloxanes and silicones, di-me, hydroxy-terminated.
> I wouldn't use it. Then again, I'm using car wax so who's to say it's any better.


GTZ at least your product makes the claim it bonds and becomes part of the surface...the inference being it is then inert.

Well, you two report back and I'll let you take all the risks, LOL.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

So far, so good. :thumb: I wiped them down again today, nothing is sticking to the glass. What condensation there is is beading.


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## badspellar (Oct 14, 2009)

I spritz with vinegar, scrub with a sponge that has a teflon safe pad on it, then rinse with water. The sponge is designated for tanks only. The goal is large chunk removal, as the little yuckies return so fast.

Wicked cool idea about the wax.

My hubby would get ideas about me waxing the car, if I waxed the tank lids.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

GTZ said:


> So far, so good. :thumb: I wiped them down again today, nothing is sticking to the glass. What condensation there is is beading.


You guys have me thinking now, a couple months ago we bought an all natural, multi-purpose cleaner from a door to door guy. It took him 30 seconds to pull a golf ball sized oil spot out of my driveway with a cleaner that he took a small drink of......sold me. The stuff cleans glass great, and leave an invisible residue on the glass that blocks the transfer of fingerprints. I love it for my tanks. I wonder if this same residue would make the tops easier to clean or not get as dirty? The ingredients in the product are not listed specifically, but they are from soybeans, coconuts, and pine trees. As i said, the guy drank some!! http://www.sierrasolutions.com/products ... e-1-1.html


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Oh boy, here we go, lol. :lol: 
I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner to be honest, I've been waxing the front glass of my tanks for years, so much easier to dry or clean off water spots.


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## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

GTZ said:


> Oh boy, here we go, lol. :lol:
> I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner to be honest, I've been waxing the front glass of my tanks for years, so much easier to dry or clean off water spots.


What kind of wax do you use on the front glass?


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I have some older carnauba wax that I don't use anymore, called P21S.


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## Andynater (Sep 23, 2012)

Im curious how would I know if the rainx would be ok other then to just try it out
?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

By the ingredients. If you would not mix ethanol (or any of the other ingredients) into your fish tank...you don't want it on the underside of your glass.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Depends on how well it bonds to the glass and whether or not it will leach into the water when it breaks down. Or if it breaks down, how quickly. I know it lasts a long time on a windshield.
If you do try it, let it sit for a while after application before removing from the glass, so it can bond well. Put some time and effort into buffing the glass to remove the excess product before you put the glass back over the tank.


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## Andynater (Sep 23, 2012)

I just cant find a definitive answer on it online really. I would hate to put it on the glass and then have everything in the tank slowly die or something.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Me too.


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## Andynater (Sep 23, 2012)

decided to just email RainX and get there input lol


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## Andynater (Sep 23, 2012)

They said no, only for use on automotives lol Still leaves me curious


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Andynater said:


> They said no, only for use on automotives lol Still leaves me curious


Liability concern I am sure.


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