removing scratches from aquarium glass?

[sk8ter20art]

I just picked up a 90gal corner tank (1/4 circle). And the front glass has quite a few scratches on it. Some are small others are kinda deep. They dont make this tank size anymore.

I did a google search for polishing glass and saw a few diy methods including toothpaste and jewelers Rouge or actual polishing kits. Some mentioned leaving the glass hazy.

Just not sure which ones would be best, or remain reef safe.

Any tips/tricks/experience/suggestions would be great.

[tidus10]

honestly... i wouldnt even try to remedy it.. a lot of those scratch removers just take a layer off and if done wrong will leave the glass hazey..
if you can live with em, enjoy the tank

[cchase231]

I've used this on my car windshield with a dual action polisher and it worked really well. Not sure about on a tank though.

link

[R20]

If you can catch your fingernails on the scratch it is to deep to get out cerium oxide is what we use at my glass shop anything else it to much of a risk of making it worse and hazy it is a long and hard process to get the scratches out and like i said if they catch your fingernail they will not come out

[Bent]

You could always lay it flat, pour some clear fiberglass resin over it, and then sand and buff the resin smooth.

I've done that before on glass headlight lenses and other glass items. It's a hell of a lot of work though.

Edit: make sure you squeegee it real good to get the air bubbles out when you first pour the resin.

[Mark426]

Listen to R20. Its probably not worth the effort and will end up looking worse than before. I have seen glass with a small scratch buffed out and even thought it was clear it left a "fish eye" looking distortion. I would just live with it or get another tank.

[ThatReefGuyTV]

I messed up my tank doing some treatment

[s2nhle]

I used cerium oxide to buffer very small scratches out. It does work but it takes a long time. You must have some patient with it.

[timmygreener]

I spent 12 hours buffing my tank and it made only a 1% better difference in my opinion it's not worth it. I had light scratches from the mag float only No deep ones.

I used pro grade stuff too I have been a pro window cleaner for 10 years and my company offers scrap hglass removal at 300 bucks an hour and I used the same exact equipment and it didn't do much. It did however get the crazy hard water and coraline stains off

[Mikemanson]

I have a small 90gallon reef tank that I was moving so it gave me an opportunity to address a few scratches that came from my kids when they were younger playing with the mag float algae remover which had a few grains of sand trapped most of the scratches were not very deep "didn't catch fingernail" but a few were , I was skeptical but a well known cerium oxide dealer assured me something would work...it does not ! I buffed with 3 different polishing pads for two days with correct consistency as the manufacturing suggested it did lighten up the haze of the glass and seemed to bring back the clarity but as far as the scratches even the very fine ones it didn't touch them. Plus this stuff is a mess it gets into every crack and crevice, I also took the time to replace the silicon and I'm not sure if because it was so new and grippy but the oxide stuck to the silicon so bad that even after scrubbing with a tooth brush there is still a orange haze residue on silicon its comming off with vinagar but allot of work for sure, so overall i spent 100$ on the kit 2 days of polishing probably 3.5-4 hrs of true polishing and another couple of hours trying to clean the stuff up and a horrible back ache from bending inside the tank. For my time and money I should have just bought a new tank for 600$ if someone tells you the stuff works their probably the one selling it to you. Take my word for it, it does not work. In fact I was in a custom glass shop after that picking up a mirror, and chatted with a 40+ year experienced glass man and he had quite a chuckle at my story and told me what I found out, the stuff is a polish for hard materials like glass or gems ...so save your money save your time turn that tank into a sump and buy a new DT!!!!!!!!!! Or learn the hard way like me....

[ThRoewer]

I would just cut out the scratched panel and replace it with a new one.

[Mikemanson]

Have you ever attempted that ???because you cannot just replace one single pane with out disassembling all the pains, because you would have to remove all the silicon on every piece, very difficult. Its hard just to scrape and replace the inside silicon let alone the silicon between the pains.new silicon does not adhere to cured silicon so when you try to put your seal together there will be leaks where old+new meet. the silicon between the pains are the bond that seals the tanks not the silicon you can see inside the tank that is just "extra" silicon for safety. Even still if it were that easy, which its not.. You again have to factor in the labor time and money once again its cheaper to buy a new one. Just my years speaking.. But try it tells us how it goes!

[Mikemanson]

Have you ever attempted that ???because you cannot just replace one single pane with out disassembling all the pains, because you would have to remove all the silicon on every piece, very difficult. Its hard just to scrape and replace the inside silicon let alone the silicon between the pains.new silicon does not adhere to cured silicon so when you try to put your seal together there will be leaks where old+new meet. the silicon between the pains are the bond that seals the tanks not the silicon you can see inside the tank that is just "extra" silicon for safety. Even still if it were that easy, which its not.. You again have to factor in the labor time and money once again its cheaper to buy a new one. Just my years speaking.. But try it tells us how it goes!

[codyreed29]

I have been restoring tank and removing scratches and selling them.

If you really want the tank restored be prepared to spend some cash.
If you buy all of the stuff your looking at least 200 dollars. Then your going to need to get some practice in on some glass buy a used aquarium in bad condition and start trying it out. Minium 3-4 days of trying practicing. Then you will be able to fix it.

Your best off finding a person or local company that has experience in doing this and can give you a distortion free repair.

The first tanks I tried on for practice was a 65 gallon I picked up for 20 dollars. its was in rogue shape. I did the repair and it left some distortion in the glass.

I have the tank setup as a freshwater tank and I can't even see the distortion with water in it. I kept because people will look at that and say no deal. Doesn't bother me at all.

I also have restored about tewn aquariums now and can do the repairs now without distortion. All look like new. Some scratches are literally impossible to get out if they are very deep.

But I can tell you one thing the tanks I do look 100 percent better than I get them and people buy them from me.

[Marshall7199]

i have a 90G tanks that I spend way too much time and elbow grease trying to remove scratches with cerium oxide. I first started on the deep scratches that would catch my fingernail but with hours invested along with a new electric buffer, it did not work. Then went to the light scratches..... it did help a little but wore me out. I am currently looking for a new scratch free tank.

[Mikemanson]

First of all when a scratch is in glass the bottom of the scratch Is the grade that the rest of the glass has to be brought to so deep scratches, the surrounding glass has to be removed to the depth of that scratch.impossible! There is no way you restore deep scratched glass if so you make a weak spot in the glass and there would be a distinct distortion where you did unless all is even then you have a sheet of glass where the integrity has been compromised.but any way you look at it its all a waste of time why spend a dollar to save a dime. Doesn't make sense to me yeah its great to diy but diy on something worth wild ! Tanks aren't that expensive consideratiing TIME and integrety if it is to you get a new hobbie this isn't model cars here. And I have a 220 set up for 15years and will be for the next foreseeable future, do you really want to risk your set up on some hack job to save a few bucks ....... To each his own!

[Mikemanson]

Aquariums are about pov and clarity its a visual thing why have a tank that you spend even 50% the replacement cost on refurbishing when you can just spend the money and buy a perfect picture..why have hd cabel with an analog TV.....