Nicotine stain cleaning?

[Xeek]

Originally Posted by Ilikebutterflies

The magic eraser is actually an abrasive material. It will etch glass. Ask me how I know.

Cheap glass? hmm The ones I buy that I thought were magic erasers have an abrasive side (blue) and a nonabrasive side (white). Even still it doesn't scratch my tank, though I have a $300 bent glass tank - not all glass is equal. I learned that with acrylic to. I have one acrylic tank that I fail to scratch every chance accident I make, yet my cheap bookshelf acrylic tank scratches just with my finger nail.

Lesson is, try it on a non front piece of glass first like the back corner.

[titolatino1970]

if it is nicotine stains i.d toss the gravel and bleach the tank 19 to 1 ratio let it sit awhile then rinse well with hot water let dry 24hrs rinse again extra dechlorinator and you should be good hope this helps

[aemaki09]

Originally Posted by Xeek

Are you sure it's not just brown algae (dead, dried, and stained)?? I've never seen nicotine really stain much of anything, but it will make everything in the house smell that way. I would only think this is staining from smoking if it was cigars, otherwise it was probably a tank over run with diatom algae and emptied later but never cleaned.

I'm poise it's not algae and that it's smoke residue. There has been no water in it for at least 5 years and it's been sitting in the corner of their living room this whole time and they all smoke like rabbits breed. Ive always had problems with smoke residue on walls of my apartments so I am almost positive that's what it is.

I haven't had time to clean it yet though...hopefully I can get to it by this weekend.

[Ilikebutterflies]

I found that scrubbing too hard with one will take paint off the wall and it scratched my glass door. Of course I was scrubbing really hard trying to get some adhesive off from a sticker. It works by acting like very fine sandpaper but like I said I was really getting after it.

http://tipbusters.com/2011/mr-clean-...it-good-magic/

[aemaki09]

I came to the conclusion that I'm going to try cleaning with vinegar, and probably just a regular sponge. Throw out all the plant-type decorations and gravel, just keeping the caves and tank to make things easier on me.
Thanks everyone for your advice

[Butterfly]

The magic erasers have never scratched my tank/glass/any kind of glass or dinnerware :D Maybe you're using a different one or something with a scratchable surface/coating? I use it on my stovetop(flat surface ceramic top) and everywhere in between. Just don't use it on surfaces with paint. You'll be sorry xD I wouldn't use it on plastic aquarium decor either.

I don't recall how much they cost, but they are SUPER handy for anything...coffee stains on cups, vinyl car seats, dishes, caked on stovetop messes, microwave, bathtub, sink, LAPTOP(squeezed out really well just with plain water), you name it. I know they sell them in a value pack from costco.

But yeah, in my experience, they have never scratched the glass of my tank or the smaller thank that fred is in while the larger one cycles.

[aemaki09]

I think they are like $4 for a package of like 4...but worth it, used to use them a lot at my apartment but now I'm living back with my parents so I use whatever they have handy to clean...but I will be going to kroger tomorrow to get a pack and hopefully I'll have time to scrub the tank.

[Oldfishlady]

I like to use the rind of either an orange (best) or a lemon to remove adhesive left by stickers. The citrus oils work great for this, smells good and animal/fish safe to boot...lol....Plus a nice snack...lol....