cleaning light fixture glass

[bkelly]

Whats the best way to really clean clear my MH/T5 light fixture glass. Ive been using vinegar and vinegar/RO water but still seems to leave a haze. the glass is in mint shape just want to get really clear. if i remove it has anyone used windex?

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by bkelly

Whats the best way to really clean clear my MH/T5 light fixture glass. Ive been using vinegar and vinegar/RO water but still seems to leave a haze. the glass is in mint shape just want to get really clear. if i remove it has anyone used windex?

clr perhaps?? im in the same boat lol tried last night with vinegar :P

[reefwars]

i tried windex last night didnt work for me, same for soaking in vinegar

[Delphinus]

I use vinegar and a razor blade..

[Mike-fish]

vinager and a little elbow grease works for me

[gregzz4]

On my old 6' fixture I used a cheapo dollar store scrubbie and water. No vinegar, no bleach, just water. Well, maybe some elbow grease, but you can get that anywhere
I also used the same on the glass tops on my old 6' FW tank.
Nothing like a scrubbie.

Scrubbies are not to be used on acrylic covers !!! Just a wash with whatever you like

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by reefwars

i tried windex last night didnt work for me, same for soaking in vinegar

I found with my last FW tank ...
If you let it go too long the lights cook it on and then good luck

[TimT]

Use diluted muriatic acid. 1 part acid to 4 parts water. ONLY EVER ADD THE ACID TO WATER. NEVER WATER INTO ACID!!!

[Delphinus]

I use muriatic acid on some things too and did use it to clean my halide glass a couple times (heavily diluted) but even diluted the stuff is nasty to work with. It hurts to breathe that stuff, so ventilation is something of a must, and disposable work gloves also a good idea because if you have any kind of cuts or scratches on your fingers and you get it into that, it's an unpleasant time. With that said though, man that stuff makes cleanup an easy breezey 1-2-3 kind of task. Like Tim said: "acid into water, not water into acid".

[ScubaSteve]

Originally Posted by TimT

Use diluted muriatic acid. 1 part acid to 4 parts water. ONLY EVER ADD THE ACID TO WATER. NEVER WATER INTO ACID!!!

I spend a lot of time cleaning glass shields for lights at work that get get deposits on them (lab monkey in a solar research lab). I've found that muriatic acid (hydrochloride acid) and nitric acid work the best; in fact, mixing the two together works great. As Tim said, 4 parts water to 1 acid. I just leave them to soak for a while, rinse well, then give them a quick once over with windex to get rig of finger prints and streaks.

I had an Italian chemistry prof who used to tell us : "Do as you oughta, add acid to watta". (gotta say it with a super think Italian-American accent). A decade later and I can still hear him in my head every time I touch the acids cabinet.