General Care Discussion :: efficient way to prevent white buildup around the tank?

[caykuu]

These white calcium deposits seem to build up extra quickly and thick around Mello's aquarium tank as opposed to my fish tanks. I'm thinking it's due to splashing by turtles.

I just thought I would ask, do you guys have any way to slow the white buildup around the tank or an easy way to clean it off or even prevent it? I've always gotten the calcium deposits all over the furniture and walls around the tank by a one foot radius.

[twinkie]

I've heard it's from hard water so putting salt or something in the water to soften it might help but then again that could be totally wrong. I am also interested in hearing solutions to this issue.

[steve]

Skin and waste make it look worse. I'd try more frequent cleanings to get it under control. Just water or white vinegar are the usual recommendations. Some use the Mr Clean Magic Eraser (original, without detergent) but I have not tried it.

I just use some straight razor blades.

[Mooch]

I found that when I was using the calcium puck (turtle shaped and white) that the water deposits were far worse than they r now. I just feed them cuttlebone for calcium now. I get very little white stains on the tank now.

[NetteC]

I've had the same issue. A very knowledgeable guy at my local store didn't think that adding anything to the water would help, because with hard-water you'd still have the same level of calcium. Other than getting a whole-house water softener, he thought that frequent water changes would be the best defense. I suppose it wouldn't concentrate with frequent changes. However, I believe my regular hard water has enough calcium to be problematic without concentrating.

Yesterday, I tried using a Magic Eraser with spring water on the glass walls above the water, and it worked beautifully. However, as someone who mentioned splashing also knows, we'd have to do this regularly. But I am encouraged by this trick, as the buildup in my last tank was awful. After a few years, you couldn't see though. The Magic Eraser removed every last drop of calcium residue on my new tank so far.