Preventing scratches on glass

[Blinky]

Wondering if anyone has any tips for keeping glass scratch-free. I just set up my 65g, and discovered today there's a scratch near one corner - I have no idea how it got there, I've been really careful (one of the things I can't stand looking at is a scratched tank - it's like listening to a sqeaky filter, drives me nuts).
I bought a special glass cleaner, the kind that's magnetic. I make sure there's nothing between the pad and the glass (don't want to use it as an etching tool!) but it seems that somehow I missed something, and the result is a 1.5" line I can't get rid of :(.

[christopher1260]

I will never use a magnetic glass cleaner again. It seems that no matter how careful you are, there will always be a little grain of sand or something that hangs on and ruins your tank. I use a credit card (actually a Kroger Plus grocery card:)) to scrape the inside of my tank. I'll take a wet arm to avoid the scratches.

[Slappy*McFish]

You should see the glass on my 55g tank :rolleyes: scratches all over the place.

[Blinky]

I will never use a magnetic glass cleaner again. It seems that no matter how careful you are, there will always be a little grain of sand or something that hangs on and ruins your tank. I use a credit card (actually a Kroger Plus grocery card:)) to scrape the inside of my tank. I'll take a wet arm to avoid the scratches.
A wet arm is totally fine with me! A credit card doesn't scratch? I'll dig out my old student card and see how that works then - I'm terrified I'm going to ruin this tank. It's still so new, the last thing I want to do is scratch the heck out of it.
Thanks for the replies :D
I was just sitting here grumbling inside my head that the thing cost $18.99 and now I'll probably never use it again - how silly is that? The tank was far more expensive, and keeping it nice is more important than making use of the glass cleaner!

[artemis]

Even better than an old credit card are the blue plastic "fake" credit cards that come in those Discovery Card pre-approved credit card offers. They have just the right combination of flexibility and hardness to make a really good algae scraper, and unlike a real credit card, they won't delaminate.

(Who'd have thought junk mail could actually serve a useful purpose? :D )

[Swimfins]

I was wondering why the glass scratched so easily. I'd think you'd have to really do something noticeable to scratch it. Or was it already scratched? I pull out my lava rock cave, I'm never too careful and sometimes it clunks the glass but no noticeable scratches. Could your tank be acrylic? Someone told me there are different qualities in aquarium glass, thickness etc...

I just figured if it holds water it works for me.

Hospital card works as a glass cleaner too, if you have an old one. ;)

[Matak]

I have used my magnetic glass cleaner for over a year now with no scratches whatsoever, but that is just my case. If you are thinking of throwing it out, I'll come and pick it up :) - I live in the GTA too.

Ask Slipknottin about this. He mentioned some household products (like toothpaste) that conatain a certain product (cerilium?) that can be used like a polish to take out scratches.

[Kasakato]

I am in the GTA too. If you dont want it I can take it off your hands.

[Blinky]

Sorry to dissapoint you guys, I'm not ready to get rid of it - this is a brand new tank! The scratch in question is small, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't accidentally doing something that would cause more. I'm starting to wonder if the scratch was there when I got the tank, and I just didn't notice it until now.
My old 45g has some fine scratches, but that's because I used the wrong type of sponge to clean some really tough algae off the glass - I had to learn the hard way, and now I'm a bit paranoid!

Swimfins - it's a Perfecto glass tank. I can vouch for the fact that it's not acrylic, I helped carry it ;)

Kasakato & Matak - I'm selling my old 45g, stand and sliding glass top, feel free to make me an offer :D
I put an ad in the classifieds - I've got filters, plastic plants and gravel too.

[Kasakato]

Ya right Im out of space and money.

[Swimfins]

You should keep your old tank, put it ni storgage, who knows, it might come in useful later.....

[Matak]

Kasakato & Matak - I'm selling my old 45g, stand and sliding glass top, feel free to make me an offer :D
I put an ad in the classifieds - I've got filters, plastic plants and gravel too.Actually, I was reffering to your mag glass cleaner. As far as a new tank goes, I think that I will build my next tank from fibreglass.

[Blinky]

*Slaps self on forehead*
Of course you meant the glass cleaner, that makes MUCH more sense!
I think the polishes are for acrylic, but I'll check it out, thanks :D

[Matak]

Sooooooo, still giving up on the magnetic glass etcher? :o

[Blinky]

I actually used it yesterday - very gingerly - and didn't see any problems. It's so darn convenient, I want it to work, but I'm pretty nervous about it. If I decide to get rid of it I'll let you know :D

[Matak]

Found this page (http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/elements/58.html) about cerium. Scroll down to the section on "uses". If it sounds interesting, contact Slipknottin about what products contain cerium.

[Blinky]

That's amazing! Thanks so much! :D
I did some further research on it (and glass polishing in general) and it wouldn't be too hard to remove scratches from a tank. I'd have to have everything out of the tank for at least a day or two, but that's what Rubbermaid containers are for!
*happy sigh* I love this forum :)

[happychem]

Toothpaste can work on small (by which I mean shallow) scratches. It contains fluoride which is used to etch glass, but is in small quantities so you can use it to remove tiny amounts of surface glass to smooth out the scratch. If it's a deep gouge though, forget it, nothing's gonna do the trick. All polishers work by stripping off surface layers to level the glass off with the scratch, thinning the glass too much is worse than the scratch itself.

[bartman]

I use an acrylic cleaning pad between the glass and the mag cleaner. If it wont scratch plastic, then glass should be ok. The inside of my mag cleaner is like velcro and holds it well. Just be carefull at the gravel line.

[Matak]

I agree with Bartman, keep the magnet away from the gravel. I find that some of my gravel will stick to the magnet and small granules can scratch the glass.

[Blinky]

I use an acrylic cleaning pad between the glass and the mag cleaner. If it wont scratch plastic, then glass should be ok. The inside of my mag cleaner is like velcro and holds it well. Just be carefull at the gravel line.

Now THAT is a smart idea! I've been using the magnet very carefully, and it seems fine, but maybe I'll grab an acrylic cleaning pad just to be safe. The small magnet cleaner I have for my 10g says it's safe for acrylic, but the larger sizes were glass-only, the store didn't have the acrylic-safe type in a size large/strong enough for a 65g.
I find my bristlenose seems to enjoy munching near the gravel line, so I let him take care of the bottom inch or so of glass :D

[Dwarfnut]

One suggestion would be to remove any jewelry off hands and wrists before allowing them to enter the tank. I've seen more than one scratch caused by a ring rubbing the glass!

Bill C.

[bartman]

Now THAT is a smart idea! I've been using the magnet very carefully, and it seems fine, but maybe I'll grab an acrylic cleaning pad just to be safe. The small magnet cleaner I have for my 10g says it's safe for acrylic, but the larger sizes were glass-only, the store didn't have the acrylic-safe type in a size large/strong enough for a 65g.
I find my bristlenose seems to enjoy munching near the gravel line, so I let him take care of the bottom inch or so of glass :D


Thanks Blinky, but I have to admit it was not my idea. There is a brand out there (high end) that has replacement pads for either plastic or glass. :bowing: When I saw what they were doing it was a big DUH!!! Now I can use that super industrial magnet and really get some muscle into that stubborn algee. I still am afraid that the darn thing will come right through the glass. :sad .

One more trick for ya is to use cloth diaper on the outside with some cleaning / polishing fluid and presto your cleaning both the inside at out at the same time!!!! Now if I can only get my design for the self cleaning filter funded, we can enjoy our tanks more .....

[Matak]

I still am afraid that the darn thing will come right through the glass. :sad . Man, it is so hard to get those two magnets to ease together gently. When they do slap together, it sends a shockwave through my tank.

Any techniques?

[Blinky]

I wouldn't call it a technique, but I do try to coax the water half over to the side with the outside half and then move the outside half away, letting the inside part drift closer to the glass - I only put the outside part back on the glass when the inside one is as close as possible, and this avoids a huge wave but the magnet still makes a loud 'clap'.

[bartman]

I guess my technique would be keep the outside magnet away from the glass and pull the magnet down into the water about 3 inches below the surface and bring the outside magnet to the inside one....

[NikkO]

Happychem- How do you apply the toothpaste to the glass? Is it just like applying wax to a car? There's a bunch of tiny scratches from my mag float that are on a large area of my tank and they're not on the inside, so then its easier to do. I've even tried p
uting a paper towel on the outside magnet to prevent it but it still happened.

[Matak]

Happychem- How do you apply the toothpaste to the glass? If it is anything like the polishes we use to clean the fibreglass molds at work for fibreglass parts, then I would just use a clean, slightly damp, cotton cloth, like an old t-shirt.

About that acrylic cleaning pad. Is it an aquarium store item? Or just a Scotch Brite pad?

[happychem]

That's exactly it, just like a polish. It'll only help with small scratches by smoothing away some of the upper layer, it won't help with deep gouges. Worked wonders on my watch a few years back, looks like it's time again...