Acrylic tank repair

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natalia
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 8:36 am

Acrylic tank repair

Post by natalia » Mon Sep 20, 2010 10:31 am

Some time ago I acquired an acrylic tank. Now it is time to put it to work and I have a few questions for the experts.

The tank has been used as a reef tank and has a lot of calcium deposits. What is the best way to get rid of those without damaging the acrylic?

It also has a number of big and minor scratches that I would like to remove. What would be the best way to do this? There are several scratch-removal products available. Which one would be the best?

Finally, the tank has been empty for a year. I was told that it never leaked. I had inspected all the seams and I do not see any obvious problems (although I am not an expert). Given that the tank is rather large, I would like to put some additional sealing agent to bond all the seams, just as additional precaution. Is this a good idea? How to do this?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I did not figure out what is the right forum for my post, but the tank is for my yo-yo loaches.

clint
Posts: 162
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 1:53 pm
Location: watertown, Wisconsin

Post by clint » Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:58 am

For calcium deposits, stains use straight vinegar. Vinegar is a mild acid and will remove the stains.

As for the scratches, i know some online places like fosters/smith have acrylic scratch remover kits, i don't know which would be better. One could just use various grits of sandpaper, but you would have to be experienced in this and have access to micron sandpapers which are hard to find.

As far as the seals go i'd just fill it in a safe location and let it sit a few days to see if it leaks or not. Resealing a tank is a labor intensive proposition, as you have to cut out the old sealant and replace with new silicone. You can't just go over it all.

djoneser
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 12:23 pm

Post by djoneser » Tue Sep 21, 2010 2:28 pm

Lemon juice, on a sponge or paper towel, or vinegar, both work on calcium deposits. Sometimes you may want to actually soak a towel or sponge and just leave it in place on the area in question.

For scratches, that can be a lot of work, I do have an acrylic and was able to buff out some, but its not fast. Get a kit for sure, will include what you need for the worst scratches.

Acrylics don't get sealed with silicone. They are bonded by special acrylic solvents that actually fuse the pieces together.

Fill the tank somewher safer (garage, back porch) and test it that way, normally you will never need to reseal an acrylic tank. You may want to look up "acrylic crazing", to see how an acrylic tank can fail, but its not common.

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