The Puffer Forum

Is there anything anyone uses that is safe to clean the outside of the tank off? i wipe it off with towels that are jusy damp but is there cleaner type product that is safe?

I use Windex. I just spray it on a sponge in another room and wipe the glass down. You can also use vinegar and water to clean glass. It does an excellent job.

thank you!

Wiping with newspaper leave a streak-free shine.

Yep, I use the vinegar and water with newspapers routine, and it works a charm!

regarding this - the girl at a lfs was spraying the hoods directly above the tanks and glass with hamster cage disinfectant - god knows what will happen next

Rubbing alcohol...It dries streak and residual free. I'm a professional window cleaner and if I can't clean it with a squeegee, and I have to use a spray cleaner and a towel, I use alcohol. Trust me on this, around the house to clean any type of glass or mirrors, it works great.

I would assume that if a tiny bit even made contact with aquarium water it would dissipate very quickly. I don't usually use it myself because I have a knack with wiping glass even with just a flick of aquarium water, but if it's something that I can't clean up that way out comes the alcohol. And if you really wanted to be safe you could even use denatured alcohol, though I don't think that would be necessary.

I would never, ever, spray Windex or comparable window cleaner anywhere around a tank, or even use paper towels damp with such around a tank. Ammonia-based cleaners are highly volatile. I don't want any surfactants or ammonia anywhere around the tanks.

Water or various strengths of vinegar are as far as I go.

Good to know!

I do confess to having used warm to near-hot vinegar on the outisede of some old tanks. That is done outdoors with a breeze. Putting a few layers of paper towels over old drip/leak stains and soaking in warm vinegar with a plastic film over it for some time keeps the minerals from re-drying and mobilizes more than brief treatments. It has to be a valuable tank for me to go to all that effort, though. I do own and use some antique tanks - even though none is as old as I am... .

RTR wrote:It has to be a valuable tank for me to go to all that effort, though. I do own and use some antique tanks - even though none is as old as I am... .

Not to get off subject too much but remember these old tanks.



These tanks were built like military tanks with the slate bottom and all.

OMG that is gorgeous!

Where can I get me one of those?! Stunning!

I bet it's fecking heavy too!

Mine is similar to that but has a glass bottom. Was made in Germany.