Acrylic tank is fuzzy, need some help

Polish

Polish

You like Dags?
May 18, 2008
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FW-IN-USA
I just got a 110g tank that is Acrylic and well, it is funked up.

Click to see thread with pics

The inside of the aquarium is all hazy, as first I thought it was just the water or that it would clear up but nope. It's all funked up. Now that I have some wood and such in it I can tell it's bad, much worse than I thought. It is like looking through a foggy window. I do not know why it's like this, I am guessing it's because of the device he used to clean it. It was this long brush with a white pad on it, that is not soft. I've researched on what to do to fix scratches but it seems like the inside is just one big scratch. I am going to try and do the sandpaper deal. Do a spot with 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000 etc inside and see what that does. From what I have read it should help out some, I hope. Any thoughts or ideas?
 
sounds like it needs a good buffing. I've heard you can use the headlight buffing kits sold at car parts stores as well.
 
Problem is, the tank is full right now. So I don't want any chemicals that may mess my water up. :(

I'd drain it but fish are in it because another tank had a mystery PH crash and Ammonia spike last night so I had to put them before I could do any work on it. The water tests perfect though in the new tank.
 
Ah I didn't realize it was still full. If it were me, I would empty it for any work needing to be done, even if it meant relocating the fish to a rubbermaid tub for a while. Even sanding/buffing the acrylic is going to put a lot of dust into the water column, even if you don't use chems.
 
Ouch I didn't know it was such a big job. I thought I could just sand it down and be done. Sounds like it will need more than that. I'll grab some 1500 &2500 tonight though and just do a small spot to see what happens before I invest in a bunch of products and a buffer. Thanks.

If anyone else has anything to add please do, especially anyone with experience with acrylic.
 
Sanding with water in it is not gonna work.... You need to buff the entire tank.

As mentioned buffing a tank is a real pain I would look for someone to do it for you. I have 2 55's and 1 75 all in the same boat.
 
Nah, I don't pay anyone to do anything. I'll DIY forever.

How come I can't sand underwater? I read of someone who did it without any issue. He stated the dust was gone in an hour and didn't harm anything.

I tested a small spot with 1500 grit and it made it worse (But that is good). It means I am sanding through the haze that is there. (I think)

I am going to get some higher grits tomorrow and see what that does.
 
You are putting a pwowdered plastic into your water column go you think that is a good Idea?

By the way the cost of the stuff to buff a tank correctly and the cost of having a pro do it were not that far apart and I don't have to spend the 9 hours of my life doing it. At least in my area that was what I found.

Buffing compunds were around $65 that were aquarium safe
Sand Paper $15

Guy said he would do it for $120 so that would be like paying $5.00 an hour labor....
 
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