Using Sand Paper on Glass

[nagukush]

Hi Friends,

Hope all is well !

Just wanted to request you friends to kindly guide me if it is ok to use a fine grade of sandpaper on the front glass ( on the inside ) to remove the deposits etc to make the glass clear...

Will it scratch the glass or will it be ok Friends ?

I actually also have a scratch removal kit for Acrylic Tanks and it came in with diffferent grades of sand papers - can I use those on the glass? Any ideas friends ? The hardwater stains on my front glass are very stubborn and it makes the water look un-clear... any ideas friends ?

Please guide and help me here...

Regards and Care
Kush

[Rbishop]

I wouldn't.....

[FindingBlemo]

I'm your friend. :) :) :)

Hahaha, and I wouldn't do it, play it safe, friend. :)

[ODPILOT]

NO SANDPAPER of any type. Anything you use will scratch the glass.

[nagukush]

Friends, then please guide me on how do I remove these hardwater stains from the front glass - its making me really upset as no matter how clear the water is it makes it look milky and cloudy...

[nagukush]

Its a 7 Feet - 212 Gallon tank and the Bracing sturcture is such that I cant reach all of the front glass with the blade. The Hood also limits my reach around the front glass -please guide me Friends... Also I have never used Blade on glass,so it will be great if someone can kindly guide me on which blade and how to use it...

[RDTigger]

Vinegar soaked scrubbie....after using a blade to scrape if it is that hardened.

Vinegar is safe and will help dissolve some of the calcium.

[FasterShrimpo]

Vinegar, a razor blade and tons of elbow grease.

[haynchinook334]

Really......No sand paper.!!!!

It's the best way to clean glass. 1000grit sand paper would do the trick. I have done it for ever on cars with hard water deposits rain marks and what not. IT WORKS....

Wet sanding....try it on a piece of glass if you don't want to try it on the tank.

[glenngreen]

rubbing compound also works better than the vinegar. Of course, tank must be empty for that. Glass has a hardness of 6 (on a scale of 1 - 10). Anything with a hardness lower than that (rubbing compound is 4) will not scratch the glass. I dunno what 100-grit sandpaper is rated at, but wet would be the only way to go.

[Flamfish]

there is a painters tool, a long handle for razor blades, for scraping paint off windows. should be able to reach with that.

[CWO4GUNNER]

In my experience vinegar, and any other over the counter liquid calcium remover will remove minor hard water deposits the only problem it take days and weeks of rubbing & scraping rather then hours.

There are 3 major levels of water stains:
(1) Simple water stains that are on the outside from spill overs or short term exposure. These can be removed with vinegar with some hard rubbing over a short period of time.
(2) Embedded mineral deposits can only be removed with abrasives that are harder then calcium / magnesium but softer then glass OR harder then glass provided the abrasive is so fine that the scratches to the glass are microscopic and appear perfectly clear to the naked eye. For this there are glass buffing compounds you can buy, or what I use is Turtle Wax Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound which has a soluble paste made up of very fine volcanic ash, also a glass so its about neutral with glass.
(3) Glass damage from years of exposure to oxidizing air/water mixed minerals where the minerals actually replace the top layer of glass, and or scratches. All of which can only be repaired or removed with abrasives harder then glass starting with such things as course sand paper and working your way down to progressively finer materials until it is polished out.

[nagukush]

Friends, I have this Acrylic Scratch Removal Kit - http://www.marinedepot.com/Rainbow_Lifegard_Acrylic_Scratch_Removal_Kit_72000 _Tank_Cleaning_Kits_for_Saltwater_Aquariums-Lifegard_Aquatics-RB1551-FIMTCK-4-vi.html

Can I use the pads that came with the Kit ? If something can be safely used on acrylic, then should'nt it be safe for glass too ?

I want to use these pads because I can insert it into the inside Algae Magnet and clean the glass from outside. Other wise I'll have to lift the heavy hood off to access the glass...

Kindly guide me...

[CWO4GUNNER]

If in doubt use your glass hood as a test bed, that's what I always do with new glass abrasives I want to try, and yes I have successfully used sponged sand paper to clean glass without scratching it (after testing).

[nc0gnet0]

Lime away or CLR rubber gloves and a green scrubby.