Scratches in glass

[rick s]

When I cleaned the glass of my new (used) tank I noticed some scratches. Will small scratches become unnoticeable when I fill the tank with water?

If not, is there a way to remove them before I fill the tank?

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

The scraches will still be noticable even when the tank is full of water. As far as I know there is no way to get the scratch out that will not effect the glass around the scrach.

 

[jbpig]

ya scratches are a good place for algee to grow. I have a few in mine and I have nice green lines everry now and then!

 

[nice1bruva]

When I cleaned the glass of my new (used) tank I noticed some scratches. Will small scratches become unnoticeable when I fill the tank with water?

If not, is there a way to remove them before I fill the tank?

Thanks

is it a new tank from your aquatic store????
if it so then take it back...if an 'old' tank there's nothing that will take the scratches out.

 

[Juck]

Scratches can be polished out of glass just as easily as acrylic,,,It takes a bit longer but is no more difficult. All you need is the correct abrasives.

I use four grades of grit,, 800, 2000, 12000 & 20000 applied with felt pads on a dremel.

 

[nice1bruva]

Scratches can be polished out of glass just as easily as acrylic,,,It takes a bit longer but is no more difficult. All you need is the correct abrasives.

I use four grades of grit,, 800, 2000, 12000 & 20000 applied with felt pads on a dremel.

if it's a new tank though he need not do it!
:lol:

 

[Juck]

It isn't new,, he said it was used.

 

[rick s]

Juck,

Do the repaired areas distort the glass? In other words, when you look through the repaired area do things behind it look funny?

I have a dremel tool. Where do you get the abrasives? Is the pad the grit or are there separate polishes?

Do you just work on the scratch or do you feather it out?

I'd like to try it before I order another tank. My time is free. . .



.

 

[Juck]

There has been no distortion that I've noticed,,, I've only ever polished the outside of the tank though,,, inside the tank could be a different story.

There are many minerals that can discolor/etch the surface of glass ever so slightly over time,, you might not notice it until you polish one area to a brilliant finish.

You have to feather to some extent as you move up through the grit levels or you can create a noticeable 'valley' in the glass where the scratch used to be. If I'm removing a 1" scratch I usually end up polishing an area of about 3 square inches by the time I've finished.

I get my compounds from a jeweler friend,,, he has diamond compounds up to 200,000 grit for polishing newly-cut gemstones. I find 20,000 for the final polish gives about the same finish as the original plate glass on my tanks.

The grit is a paste that you put on a dremel pad,,, run it at the slowest speed and apply steady pressure in bursts of 10 seconds,, be very careful of heat buildup.

You can probably get similar compounds from jewelry or lapidary supply houses. Some come as powders that you can mix with oil/water/solvent.

You might as well have a crack at it if you're considering a new tank anyway.

Good luck