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Acrylic questions

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Bluefool, Dec 6, 2010.

  1. Dec 6, 2010 #1
    Bluefool

    Bluefool Inactive User

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    OK.....
    So my monster 300 is my first acrylic tank.  When I read that they "scratch easily" I didn't worry too much about it.
    Then comes the $300 magnavore that will fall into the sand at least twice every time I clean the tank, no matter how slowly, how I have the magnet oriented...etc etc.  Since its a 48" deep tank on a tall stand, fishing it out every time with tongs isn't going to happen....and each time I take it to the top, I get lovely scratch marks on the inside of the tank.  1 1/2" Acrylic means nobody out there makes a floating magnet that will handle that thickness.
    On the outside of the tank, I:
    1.  Wash carefully, so I don't add more scratches.
    2.  Wet dry sandpaper the scratch with 600.
    3.  Repeat with 800.
    4.  Repeat with 1000.  I now have a perfectly smooth surface that is white and cloudy.
    5.  Buff using a random orbit sander with a polishing pad and acrylic polish.  Keep buffing.  Still not done.  Buff some more tomorrow. Still not done.  Buff a bit the next day too.
    6.  Use a mild soap and water mix to clean the last of the polish off.
    This leaves me a flawless surface, but man is it a ton of work.
    My problem is the *inside* of the tank tho.   Now that the outside is perfect again, you can *really* see those scratches on the inside.  I figure my sand paper will get rid of the scratches, but how in the heck do I buff it clear again with water in the tank? 
    My Wife told me just now: "Our next tank will not be acrylic."  The only important part of that sentence to me is "Next tank" /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif.
     
  2. Dec 6, 2010 #2
    mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    Bluefool. I do not have an answer to your question but. LOL I can not wait too see your next all all glass rimless starfire tank.
     
  3. Dec 6, 2010 #3
    FishBrain New London

    FishBrain Expert Reefkeeper

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    I have absolutly zero experence with acrylic but have read posts on RC that people are cleaning their acrylic tanks with magic eracer pads and it will remove small scratches.
     
  4. Dec 6, 2010 #4
    IowaDiver West Des Moines

    IowaDiver Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Ask Floyd R Turbo. He has a good post on buffing out acrylic.
     
  5. Dec 6, 2010 #5
    Bluefool

    Bluefool Inactive User

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    Yeah, I've looked at those rimless ones; I really like the ones that overflow the entire tank.....alas, we have cats and dogs both, and that looks a bit too much like an open air filter for pet hair /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif.
     
  6. Dec 6, 2010 #6
    Guest

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    This may sound a bit crazy but you could purchase a "dremel extender" (Lowes or the like) and attach it to a dremel and use it- they are not all that expensive and work extremely well. Or you could buy a flexible drill extension and chuck it up into a drill and go that route, or, drain the water level down.
    I do all my scratches with a dremel- speaking of which, I have a few I need to get rid of this week end- dremel time on sunday. /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif
     
  7. Dec 6, 2010 #7
    IrishStock

    IrishStock Inactive User

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    LOL What he said...there is not a single time in my mind that I could imagine cleaning a large/xtrlarge acrylic tank.  Glass scratches...Acrylic totally scratches more.
     
  8. Dec 6, 2010 #8
    Sponge Marshalltown, IA

    Sponge Expert Reefkeeper Vendor

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    I have had my 135g acrylic tank for 10-15years. It's been so long I forgot when I bought it [​IMG] Just did the first resurfacing ever on it this summer. We didn't buff ours, just used very fine grit from a company here in Iowa. I am sell 112g acrylic if you want another [​IMG] tee hee
     
  9. Dec 6, 2010 #9
    Sponge Marshalltown, IA

    Sponge Expert Reefkeeper Vendor

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    Here's a link to what we used:

    https://micro-surface.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=nc-78-1&Image22.x=14&Image22.y=8
     
  10. Dec 10, 2010 #10
    Bud West Des Moines, IA

    Bud Loves Bacon Website Team Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member Vendor

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    tibbs2 thanks for the props. I can't even remember where I posted a thread about acrylic resurfacing. Probably incorporated into the Taki thread on RC and AA.

    I resurfaced the entire front and 1/2 of the sides of the 180 at Taki in Urbandale while I had it empty in April/May. It had 2 foot long scratches in a vertical zig-zag pattern all across the front. I researched it quite a bit and read that you can sand out scratches on the inside with water still in the tank, but you have to drain the tank below the scratch line and find a way to capture the dust so it doesn't get into the water, because it is supposedly not good for the tank inhabitants. Honestly, I don't know how you would do even that. You pretty much have to drain the tank IMO. It took me 2 weeks working a couple hours a day at Taki. I did 400/600/800/1000/1200 until I figured out that once you get past 800 grit, it's pointless. I ended up buying a 3-stitch buffing wheel from True Value and an plastic/acrylic polish from the Woodsmith Store and buffing the rest of the fine scratches out, a technique which I HIGHLY recommend. Using a high-speed drill and that buffing compound completely erased the scratches, much quicker that an orbital sander I'm guessing, but that would probably be a good last step/finish. Also I used the anti-static stuff as a last step. If you look REALLY close, you can see really fine scratches, but you have to look REALLY close. From the outset, that tank at Taki looks brand new, especially compared to what it used to look like (except for the bottom inch, which is covered by substrate anyways)
     
  11. Dec 10, 2010 #11
    Bluefool

    Bluefool Inactive User

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    Thanks folks!

    All the research I've done says to get the inside ones right, you pretty much have to drain the tank. *sigh*.
     

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