Cleaning with CLR

[drunkenmonkey]

I have my uncles old fish tank (hasn't been used in 6+ years) sitting in my garage. It's pretty dirty and there's a hard white substance over all of the walls (calcium/magnesium me thinks). My mom wants to clean it out using CLR, but i'm not too sure if its safe. This is a brief description of it (stolen from the Ace hardward store site):

26 oz.
Non-abrasive foam for bathroom & kitchens
Removes calcium; lime deposits; scales & discoloration
Contains no phosphates; ammonia or bleach
Biodegradable
Trigger spray
Bottle
6 Pack

is it safe to use this?

 

[ccg]

I would try and use a algae pad along with vinigar, if that doesnt work for you then start to consider other options.

 

[littlefishie]

I really wouldn't risk it. I use CLR to clean showerheads and sink drains to get off really nasty stuff. And it REEKS.

If it smells that bad, and you can just smell all the chemicals in it, I wouldn't put it in a tank.

 

[Tolak]

Use the CLR, just rinse real good, like with a hose outdoors. I've never used it, but I've used stronger, Sno-Bowl toilet bowl cleaner. Hydrochloric acid eats through most anything, just don't go too heavy with it on the silicone. Learned that trick from an old timer who has been keeping fish longer than I've been alive.

Many times mineral deposits dissapear once you fill the tank. If some is left after cleaning, kind of like a film, try filling it, you may not see it.

Tolak