Acrylic scratch remover. What's the secret to success?

[Tom Toro]

After seeing Slapshot's beautiful glass display tank and finding out that this very clear, scratch free tank was actually Acrylic, I decided to buy the scratch kit he uses to give my 240 mess a last chance before I drop a grand or more on a glass tank. I don't have a clue of how to get started, so...

I just received the pentair acrylic scratch remover kit for my 240g. I'm most concerned with the upper 1" and the lower 2" or the 8' long tank. They are scratched and caked with coralline. I'm doing this with the inhabitants in, so I'm wet sanding. Not doing anything to the outside surface.

I'm just looking for the right way to do the job from people that have already done it or have seen it done. I looked on youtube and it was pretty vague and didn't show how to use the magnet to hold the sandpaper.

1. My sandpaper starts with a 1200. Should I go out and buy something coarser to get the coralline off? I had a guy try for 7 hours with plastic scrapers and he barely made a dent.

2. How do you get the sandpaper to stay on the magnavore evenly without coming off or slipping? Can't remember what he told me.

3. Is there a specific technique that works best or should I do the straight back and forth and then opposite straight back and forth for each section of sandpaper?

4. How will I know when I'm done with each grade of sandpaper? What will the acrylic look like after each stage? Should I see scratch lines or will it always be just foggy?

5. Any do's and don'ts that I don't want to overlook? Besides not using a circular motion.

6. If anybody's seen a link of a video showing how to do this, I'd really appreciate it.


Thanks for any help,
Tom

[AJ :)]

After seeing Slapshot's beautiful glass display tank and finding out that this very clear, scratch free tank was actually Acrylic, I decided to buy the scratch kit he uses to give my 240 mess a last chance before I drop a grand or more on a glass tank. I don't have a clue of how to get started, so...

I just received the pentair acrylic scratch remover kit for my 240g. I'm most concerned with the upper 1" and the lower 2" or the 8' long tank. They are scratched and caked with coralline. I'm doing this with the inhabitants in, so I'm wet sanding. Not doing anything to the outside surface.

I'm just looking for the right way to do the job from people that have already done it or have seen it done. I looked on youtube and it was pretty vague and didn't show how to use the magnet to hold the sandpaper.

1. My sandpaper starts with a 1200. Should I go out and buy something coarser to get the coralline off? I had a guy try for 7 hours with plastic scrapers and he barely made a dent.

2. How do you get the sandpaper to stay on the magnavore evenly without coming off or slipping? Can't remember what he told me.

3. Is there a specific technique that works best or should I do the straight back and forth and then opposite straight back and forth for each section of sandpaper?

4. How will I know when I'm done with each grade of sandpaper? What will the acrylic look like after each stage? Should I see scratch lines or will it always be just foggy?

5. Any do's and don'ts that I don't want to overlook? Besides not using a circular motion.

6. If anybody's seen a link of a video showing how to do this, I'd really appreciate it.


Thanks for any help,
Tom
I would be interested in hearing a good response to this question.

I'm going to start after mine soon, but will be going with a dry tank.

[slapshot]

I would be interested in hearing a good response to this question.

I'm going to start after mine soon, but will be going with a dry tank.

This is what I do. I take a piece of adhesive velcrow and put about a two inch square on the back of the sand paper. You have to use the one side, I can't remember which, but it will stick to the magnavores existing backing. Start with the roughest grade they give you. You will be surprised at how fast it removes the blemishes. Work in both a up and down stroke then switch to a side to side stroke. Work it until the blemish is gone. Eual up and down as side to side. Then start the process of increasing the grade until you get to finest there is. You should have to spend no more than a minute or so with each grade, after the initial rough one. Work in about a one foot by one foot area. When you are using the coarses grade try to remain consistant across the whole pane. Time wise that is. You don't want to change the thickness in one section without the other. You will have to frequently pull off the magnet and do the normal magnaove cleaning often especially with the finer grade. You will tell when it gets clogged up because it gets impossible to move.

That is basically it. Plexiglass is actually clearer than low iron glass. I do this a few times a year and I am always amazed at the result.

[Tom Toro]

Thanks Don. I forgot about the Velcro.

Do u think I should get a. Coarser sandpaper. For the coraline like 800 or will the 1200 do it? Its pretty thick.







This is what I do. I take a piece of adhesive velcrow and put about a two inch square on the back of the sand paper. You have to use the one side, I can't remember which, but it will stick to the magnavores existing backing. Start with the roughest grade they give you. You will be surprised at how fast it removes the blemishes. Work in both a up and down stroke then switch to a side to side stroke. Work it until the blemish is gone. Eual up and down as side to side. Then start the process of increasing the grade until you get to finest there is. You should have to spend no more than a minute or so with each grade, after the initial rough one. Work in about a one foot by one foot area. When you are using the coarses grade try to remain consistant across the whole pane. Time wise that is. You don't want to change the thickness in one section without the other. You will have to frequently pull off the magnet and do the normal magnaove cleaning often especially with the finer grade. You will tell when it gets clogged up because it gets impossible to move.

That is basically it. Plexiglass is actually clearer than low iron glass. I do this a few times a year and I am always amazed at the result.

[slapshot]

Let me look what my coarses are. It comes off crazy fast.

[Tom Toro]

Let me look what my coarses are. It comes off crazy fast.
O.k., I stuck the 2" velcro on all the sandpapers, dried and cleaned the magnavore. Tomorrow I clear out the area on the side and I'm going to sand my tank. I'll let you guys know what happened.

[slapshot]

Ok sorry that took so long. Just got home. My coarses is 1500. I would not go any smaller as that really cuts as you will see. Forgot to mention the motrin, take two before you start and one after. It will help with the sore arm. Lol Your gona love it!

[Tom Toro]

Well, I think this tank has gone too long without a good coraline scraping and the 1500 just isn't taking it off. So I tried a 800 and that was a cloudy disaster. I'll be doing the whole range of sandpapers to get that mistake taken care of. Looks like a racing stripe.

Glass is looking better all the time.

I am having some marginal luck with a Kent scraper and a metal blade, but I'm being so careful that 4 hours of sanding and 2 hours of scraping isn't giving me much results.

I think I'm going to call a pro and get a quote. If the price isn't insane, I'll have him do it. I'm too old for this. I might've even yelled some. O.k., a lot. Real bad words.

[AJ :)]

I does get pretty repetitive. Should be worth it in the end. :)

[carlitofish]

I take out scratches for people all the time out of plastic tanks. It is not hard. you can do it with the water left in. on the outside i would use the polish.

[slapshot]

Sorry Tom, Somethings are better off paying for and enjoying the show. By far my most dreaded job is coraline removal. Now I try to stay on it. Once you get it there you will be glad and it's easier to keep up with the paper.

[Flynnstone]

Sorry Tom, Somethings are better off paying for and enjoying the show. By far my most dreaded job is coraline removal. Now I try to stay on it. Once you get it there you will be glad and it's easier to keep up with the paper.
is there a fine grade sandpaper that you use to clean the tank weekly ?

[Tom Toro]

I agree with you on this one. I'm just lazier than most, lol. I agree, though. Once it gets clean, it'll be on my 'daily' list to go over the front pane and twice a week for the rest with the magnavore.

Truthfully, the light relatively new coralline came off with only about a hundred swipes of the first grade and I was able to clear it well with the other grades, but the older stuff was plating and like concrete. I was eventually able to chip around 70% off the front with the Kent metal scraper, but now it can really use a pro's touch.

I figure there's got to be a trick or method that's easier than what I was doing. I would think that once you got the 'feel', a young man with good shoulders could make a nice business out of it. I know I'd be a good customer.


Sorry Tom, Somethings are better off paying for and enjoying the show. By far my most dreaded job is coraline removal. Now I try to stay on it. Once you get it there you will be glad and it's easier to keep up with the paper.

[slapshot]

I figure there's got to be a trick or method that's easier than what I was doing. I would think that once you got the 'feel', a young man with good shoulders could make a nice business out of it. I know I'd be a good customer.

No trick....did you forget the advil part of the directions? :crying:

[Tom Toro]

No trick....did you forget the advil part of the directions? :crying:

I remembered and even threw some ice on both shoulders. lol!