glass polishing

[thor]

Can anyone help me with info on getting scatches and blemishes out of glass the easy way ? I realize I would have to empty my 125 gal. but need guarrentee that the polishing technique would work PLEASE HELP

[Marx]

none really.. there is a jeweler compound but really really heard to get and expensive.. but thats about it..

[mseguin]

I'm assuming you mean the inside. If it was just the outside, we sell something for hockey visors which is supposed to work quite well for taking out scratches.

[Nelson]

I'm assuming you mean the inside. If it was just the outside, we sell something for hockey visors which is supposed to work quite well for taking out scratches.

Quite some time ago I posted the same enquiry but didn't receive any suggestions.  Now I'm assuming this hockey visor repair suggestion would only work on acrylic tanks..or do you think it could it work on glass tanks as well?

[mseguin]

I think it would work on glass too, its supposed to work on eyeglasses as well. Basically it fills in the scratches. For a large tank, the stuff could be quite expensive, and I have no idea about its toxicity.

[Nelson]

Where can I pick up some and do you have an idea of cost?

[mseguin]

You can get some at Figure 8/Hockey 1 on Industrial Rd. It's called Fog Zero, and I believe it was $20 for a container about the size of those lip balm containers you use ur fingers in. (if you know what I mean) You might want to research it a bit to make sure its safe, and give them a call first, we were pretty low last time I saw.

[Nelson]

You can get some at Figure 8/Hockey 1 on Industrial Rd. It's called Fog Zero, and I believe it was $20 for a container about the size of those lip balm containers you use ur fingers in. (if you know what I mean) You might want to research it a bit to make sure its safe, and give them a call first, we were pretty low last time I saw.

Thank you...I'll check it out.  I'll also post the results.

[Nelson]

You can get some at Figure 8/Hockey 1 on Industrial Rd. It's called Fog Zero, and I believe it was $20 for a container about the size of those lip balm containers you use ur fingers in. (if you know what I mean) You might want to research it a bit to make sure its safe, and give them a call first, we were pretty low last time I saw.

Thank you...I'll check it out.  I'll also post the results.

Looked into the product msequin and it's not used as a scratch remover but primarily as an anti-fogger.  Also got the word from M&T Glass..if you can feel the scratch with your fingernail it can't be repaired/removed!

[mseguin]

Yeah its primary use is as an antifogger, but also to remove scratches. But its quite possible it may not work on scratches as deep as you say.

[dannypd]

Use wax, I'm not sure the exact brand/thickness, but it should do the trict visually.  Also, it's safe for fish.

[dpatte]

i brought this topic up a long time ago. Don't some amateur astronomers grind their own telescope mirrors. In effect they grind the glass. It seems to me that whatever they use could be used to remove scratches from glass and hense scratches from the insides of aquariums..

[pegasus]

Don't some amateur astronomers grind their own

Yes , it's long and tedious.  thanks but no thanks.

[Nelson]

i brought this topic up a long time ago. Don't some amateur astronomers grind their own telescope mirrors. In effect they grind the glass. It seems to me that whatever they use could be used to remove scratches from glass and hense scratches from the insides of aquariums..

You're right Dave but I believe you need specialized equipment, i.e. buffer with various grinding/buffering pads and grinding compound -and likely a skillset that I personaly don't have.  My neighbour is an out-of-control, observatory in the back yard, amateur astronomer (very much like us with fish-only worse!)  I'll discuss it with him and pass on any helpful tips/advice.  

I definitely must find a solution - I have a wicked 3/4 inch scratch on the "public" side of my built-in that's driving me crazy!!

[gvv]

Don't some amateur astronomers grind their own

Yes , it's long and tedious.  thanks but no thanks.

Actually the main problem there is to get desired curvature of the lens/glass.
But I should agree, it could be more cheaper to by new tank (for relatively small) than to start with polishing :?
Maybe it is better to ask those who are making tanks, I mean "All-Glass", etc? For Acrilic tanks I saw some info on the manufacture sites, for glass - I don't remember.
Or there are some places in Ottawa that repairs windshield glass scratches...
Regards

[slickshooter]

Why not just take the tank to a glass shop? Speedy auto glass or something....they fix windsheilds and such do to flying rocks. Its not that expensive from what I remember. A small crack will eventually become a big one

[TR]

Hi thor
Regarding your glass situation, Marx is really not far off.  The other solutions mentioned that they use in hockey ect..won't solve it.

I could say that it depends on the depth of the scratches but then you face the age factor of the scratches and the glass.

I learned about this only a few years ago.  I met a fellow at a auto
glass auto center and he had an aquarium in a corner in the shop.

So of course I had to ask and he explained to me he was going to see if he could smooth it out and resin the cracks.

So then he showed me the tank and it was pretty bad with some fairly deep scratches, providing that the scratches are exterior not interior.  He then explained that in most cases its not what people refer to as glass polishing that solves scratches.

If you took your car and hit the windshield and theres a small crack and you took the car in immediately they can actually apply a polymer resin that fills and seals the crack together, and the results would be succesful.  

But if you took the car with the same crack, but brought it in much later, say.... a few weeks or maybe even a few days.  What happens to the crack is that it starts to deteriorate and the crack whitens then becomes weaker and more difficult to seal .

So in the case of an aquarium, age also plays an important role so depending on the severity of the scratches and its age its not always the polishing that cures it, it's filling the cracks too.

They used to sell a buffer solution at Big Als some time ago but, honestly Thor glass doesn't cost nowdays as much as it used to years ago so maybe save yourself the aggrevation and just replace it if its really that bad.  Or simply make the clearer side the front of your aquarium and put a backing in the back to hide it.

I dont know if this helped or confused you more lol. And sorry for making a novel out of this folks.  But i know these things do happened in our hobby so maybe this could be useful to share.

              Take care Thor
                    TR.