freddyk Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Hi I am getting back into the hobby and I have a 140 gallon acrylic aquarium with the usual scratches. Does anyone have any experience with buffing a large aquarium? Am I crazy to think I can buff 72" by 24" and not just make it worse? Would I be looking at 5 or 15 hours of punishing labor or worse? If anyone has any horror stories I would love to hear them. If you think it is not all that hard I would love to hear that as well. If there is someone in town that does this kind of thing for money I might be interested as well. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stylaster Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 First thing to check for on a used acrylic tank is make sure there is no crazin between the bonds. (fine lines that look like mini cracks in the acrylic) if there are those can be a point of failure and imo would not be worth using that tank. As for the polishing point if you use novus that works well and a buffer on a drill will get the job done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheClark Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 I did a 240, my current DT. 4x4x2' cube. It was tough. Scratches were significant, I actually started with 600 grit sandpaper! Worked my way up to the thousands (cannot remember which one). Finally finished with Novus 2. In the end it was like new but plan on some sweat equity for sure. My biggest learning was not to use an electric sander. For whatever reason those left deeper scratches. And do not move onto the next grit until you remove the scratches from the previous. Once the novus 2 went on it was like a choir of angels from heaven singing... It was all worth it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyk Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 Thanks guys I will do a close check for some crazin. It is my old tank that I have not used in at least 7 years. Overall it sounds possible if I sand it by hand until I hear the angels 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 I have done it. man oh man is it some work. buy a lot of sand paper and just as clark said. start around 600 or so. The most important thing is to COMPLETLY wash the tank when you switch grits of sand paper. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyk Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 Thanks. That sounds like some solid advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 yes. it is very very very important. wash it twice! all you need is one spec of 600 grit left on the surface and then you start sanding away with 1k grit. and sanding and sanding and sanding... then MUTHA' TRUCKER! there is one deep groove in a squigly line. It can be done in a single long night. I use a bosh clamp.on sander?? not the velcro discs.. the sander where you clip on the sandpaper. That way you can use the finer grits that are not available in discs. After 1k i use water and dawn while sanding. (400 of its REALLY beat up)>600>1000>1500> light amount of 2000. then heavy and light scratch removal cream on harbor freight buffer. one last bit of advice. if you have a deep scratch, dony just bury the sander into it, you have to feather it out and sand a bigger patch down than just the scratch. If not, it will create a divot that will create a visual anomaly (kind of like a magnifying glass).Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyk Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 Thanks so much for that information! I am going to try it next week. I will let you know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BabelFish Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 With a 72" face, I'm pulling out the Variable Speed Rotary Polisher, I have a Dual Action. If you use a straight rotary be careful on burn in. Take a tip from a guy with a detailer background. If you use a disc sander of any sort and are worried about leaving hot spot type of scratches, the kind that Clark and others mention; then error on the side of larger disc with lighter pressure as opposed to smaller disc with heavier pressure. good luck Freddyk! Cant wait to see it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyk Posted January 12, 2018 Author Share Posted January 12, 2018 Thanks BabelFish I have both a sander that uses the clip in approach and a sander with the velco pads. I was planning on taking the advice above and going with the one with the clip in paper and light pressure. I can't wait to see it either 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyk Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 Ok so it it is quite likely that I am lazy. Actually though I have decided to not rehab my aquarium because when I set it up in 2007 I over engineered the closed loop and put WAY too many holes in it. This new tank will have to last and I just did not want to have a bunch of questionable patches in a built in wall tank. So I just threw down and called Envision Acrylics. I am going to rehab the old 140 gallon for an outdoor aquaponics garden or some other hair brained project. Thanks again for the advice everyone and it is totally ok if you call me lazy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodus Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 I don't think that's being Lazy, I think thats probably the most feasible decision. Taking on a polishing job of that magnitude is a ridiculous amount of work, It all comes down to how much you value your own time or enjoyment for some. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddyk Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 Thanks Exodus. Could not have said it better myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Exodus has a really good point, but you are still lazy! lolSeriously though, acrylic is easy to work with but man oh man, it takes some SERIOUS work to get scratches out. I am still trying to give my son up for adoption after he went to town on the 120 I built for him. Tank was flawless. Was.... looks like a G.D. street cat fighting arena now. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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