How to Clear Up Acrylic

[Fatmike92]

What is the best way to clear up acrylic tanks and remove any small scratches?

 

[JGT]

Wet/dry sandpaper if tank is filled. Or acrylic scratch remover if tank is empty or on outside of tank.

 

[billyocean]

The 3 part novus works well on empty tank. Wet sand, keep stepping down to finer grains..then novus

 

[JGT]

The 3 part novus works well on empty tank. Wet sand, keep stepping down to finer grains..then novus

+1 for novus. Mighty magnets sells this as well as sanding kits.

 

[Fatmike92]

awesome! novus it is!

tank is empty. just bought it off someone and it just needs a little TLC

thanks for the responses!

 

[biecacka]

Do you recommend wet sanding the tank before the Novus?

corey

 

[JGT]

Depends how bad it is. I used just the 3 part Novus and it came out great. If you have deep scratches, wet sanding mat be needed first. With Novus, I also used a buffing pad on a drill. Much better, easier and faster than just by hand.

 

[mehaffydr]

If your wetsanding scratches start with maybe 500-1000 grit and then work you way to 2000 before starting with the Novus.

 

[casey012293]

If it’s full, what type of wet sanding is recommended on the inside? My Biocube is not great.

 

[mdb_talon]

If it’s full, what type of wet sanding is recommended on the inside? My Biocube is not great.

Unless it has changed in the last couple years i am pretty sure all biocubes are glass. Not really good solutions for removing scratches from glass that i have seen.

 

[Fatmike92]

Alright report back.

the novus worked great! And was very easy to use. I used novus 2 and then novus

I did it by hand but if you have a handheld buffer that would make it a lot easier.

I only had very small scratches and the acrylic looked “foggy”

cleared it right up.

thinking I might go back over it and use novus 3 this time.

 

[casey012293]

Unless it has changed in the last couple years i am pretty sure all biocubes are glass. Not really good solutions for removing scratches from glass that i have seen.

My Corallife Biocube is from years ago when they had Halides even. It’s acrylic, so my question still stands.

I haven’t paid close enough attention to whether new ones are glass, but everyone I know with one has an acrylic.

 

[mdb_talon]

My Corallife Biocube is from years ago when they had Halides even. It’s acrylic, so my question still stands.

I haven’t paid close enough attention to whether new ones are glass, but everyone I know with one has an acrylic.

Then it is most definetely glass and my answer still stands. The google machine can confirm.

 

[casey012293]

Then it is most definetely glass and my answer still stands. The google machine can confirm.

Still following for the fact that mine is acrylic.

 

[mdb_talon]

Still following for the fact that mine is acrylic.

Haha fine then treat it like acrylic the process is pretty simple. Make sure the glass is clean and no debris. Use high quality wet rated sandpaper. What grit you start depends on depth of scratches but usually 1000 is a good start. Progressively use higher grit up to around 4000 grit to get a good clear polish. Make sure to clean the area after each grit so none is left on the glass before you start the higher grit paper. If it were empty you could stop at around 2000 and use the novus polishing but cant use that in a full tank so have a lot more sanding to do.

FYI since all the biocubes are actually glass you are going to end up with a very cloudy surface using the approach that is used on tanks that actually are acrylic. However since it seems oceanic/coralife made a special acrylic one just for you maybe it will be fine.