Best way to get scratches out of acrylic???

[Mike O]

I recently purchased a 125g acrylic tank that has some scratches. The front and side acrylic is minor scratches, but the bottom has more significant scratches. What is the best way to fix these scratches? I want to do it before I start the tank.

I was thinking about getting my orbital sander out with some high grit sand paper (800, 1000, 1200, 1500 progression).

 

[albano]

Why do you care about the bottom scratches?

 

[Mike O]

Why do you care about the bottom scratches?

I’ll be running a bare bottom. Regardless, I want to fix the scratches on the front/sides, so I figured while I’m in there to do the bottom too

 

[Heart of Dixie]

I refinished a 150 using progressive wet sandpaper up to 2000 grit and an orbital sander. After that I used Novus 3, then Novus 2 polish on the inside with a Cyclo Orbital polisher. The outside the same except I also put Novus 1 on by hand. I maintain the outside with Novus 1 every couple of weeks.
Make sure that you use a bright light for the small scratches are hard to see.

 

[NatD]

Yes. Same. High grit sandpaper for the deep scratches, plus Novus 1 and 2. Worked like a charm. Definitely use the orbital polisher — unless you’ll find hours and hours of polishing to be therapeutic

 

[Aardvark1134]

Put a black textured mat in the bottom and it does 2 things for you
1) No more scratches that you can see
2) Since you are going bare bottom it lets your corals attach and spread on the bottom easier

 

[Mike O]

Put a black textured mat in the bottom and it does 2 things for you
1) No more scratches that you can see
2) Since you are going bare bottom it lets your corals attach and spread on the bottom easier

Any recommendations on brands? Any pics?

 

[Auto-pilot]

Any recommendations on brands? Any pics?

Hey man I work with airplanes and work with acrylics and polishing out scratches and have a couple of recommendations for you. Use wet sandpaper and a soft sanding block, If you use a heavy grit of sandpaper to get rid of the scratches step up the grits slowly . If you use 150 grit you will want to use something like 250 and you will need to make sure you have sanded it enough to remove your 150 grit scratches. If you don't get the 150 grit scratches and work your way up to 1000 grit you are going to have to start at 250 again and start over. Once you get to like 2000 grit you might want to get a buffer pad on it with a cutting finishing polish fluid to really get it clear and not cloudy.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Sanding is gonna be your best bet but I just did my 112g tank with novus 1 2 and 3. Took 2 people 2 hours using cordless drills with polishing pads on them. It's not perfect but I'm very happy with the results

 

[DiZASTiX]

Don't use an orbital sander. Use progressively finer grit, but use perpendicular motions every higher grit. For instance, if you start with the coarsest grit, and use downward motions, then on the next grit, use left or right motions, then down again on the grit after that. Do not use circular motions, or you'll create a haze.