anyone know how to buff scratches out of a glass tank

You might ask Brandon (Salty) - he bought our old 210 that had some scratches and I know he researched it but don't remember if he had any success or not.

 

I would try a windshield company.

 

Like safelight. If they will take on the responsibility of trying it.

 

Like safelight. If they will take on the responsibility of trying it.

 

Like safelight. If they will take on the responsibility of trying it.

 

Let me tell you that buffing out scratches in glass is a pain in the butt and takes a lot of time.

I tried to remove some light scratches in my daughter's car's windsheild last summer. They were from the previous owner who much have run the wipers in a sand storm or something. Some scratches were pretty deep, while others were barely noticeable to the touch (but oncoming headlights at night were like a fireworks show in front of your eyes, and not in a good way).

I got the appropriate glass polishing/compound as recommended by people in "the know" and the correct drill attachment and buffing pads.

After hours (about 2) of continual buffing, wetting (the glass gets VERY hot), and adding the compound, the fine "fireworks" scratches were gone, but the deeper scratches were as if I hadn't even touched them.

The total cost was something like $40 for a decent sized bottle of polish, 3 buffing pads, and the drill attachment. It helped a LOT, but not on the deeper scratches. I was warned ahead of time that if oyu can feel it with your finger nail, it probably won't come out. That was true.

My 120 has some scratches in the glass from the previous owner, and when there is water in the tank, you really can't see them, however the first place that algae wants to grow (actually, the ONLY place that it seems to want to grow) is right in those deeper scratches. A normal aquarium magnetic glass cleaner won't get in there. I have to take a razor blade to them every couple of weeks to scrape them out.

 

I'm actually going thru this right now too on my 180. Cerium oxide works with a lot of elbow grease on light scratches. Also read that diamond powder followed by cerium for deeper ones. From what I've read of you can feel it catch with your fingernail its next to impossible.
I removed several light scratches with the cerium oxide but it takes a while, 2+ hrs on a 2'x2' area with power drill w felt pad and the cerium slurry. Some still remain but a definite improvement. Gonna try the diamond powder when it gets here next week