Acrylic Cleaning products

[nzafi]

Does anyone have suggestions on good products for cleaning acrylic aquarium? Looking for the following types:
1) cloth that can be used for cleaning/wiping down the outside of the tank for basic cleaning
2) liquid/cleaning agent for cleaning the outside of the tank
3) product for cleaning the inside of the aquarium. For example, to remove algae build up

pacu mom I think you provided this before but couldn’t find it.

 

[JK47]

Outside = microfiber and Novus #1. It’s just a cleaning agent and surface prep. Will keep acrylic looking new.

 

[pacu mom]

Inside - I love this car wash brush from WalMart. Super soft bristles, has a rubber bumper around it so there is no possibility of scratching the acrylic.

For a tall tank on a stand, this bigger brush with telescoping handle will do the job. It has the same soft bristles and rubber guard.

 

[Dloks]

you could’ve easily use the search bar but microfiber towels are the way to go I mean it’s used on million dollar cars, yachts and whatnots since forever. Windex and microfiber man keep it simple don’t over think it lol and a magnetic algae scrubber rated for acrylic tanks or a pleco for the inside. Lol you can even use a sponge from your filter to scrub algae it literally smears right off

 

[nzafi]

Dloks just paranoid and heard too many horror stories about scratching acrylic. For example, many folks have said not to use the magnet scrubber because if anything gets stuck between that you don’t see you have a problem. Plus I was told pleco will destroy acrylic.

 

[pacu mom]

A quick online search will turn up numerous articles against using Windex on acrylic. According to the articles, Windex can cause acrylic crazing and cloudiness.

 

[nzafi]

Before more folks bash this thread, I created it to get a response from two people. Pacu Mom and JK47. The reason being lots of suggestions are listed in the search that ruins acrylic because too many people without experience open their mouths.

Thank you for your response.

pacu mom you don’t happen to have a brand name on that telescoping cleaner do you? My tank is only 30in deep but need something that will keep my hand out the tank and can reach across the 4ft side of the tank

 

[pacu mom]

I'll see if I can get a name. I have to get another one. ... my big tank upgrade has taken so long, I started using the big brush to wash my car. I got them at WalMart.

 

[Dloks]

A quick online search will turn up numerous articles against using Windex on acrylic. According to the articles, Windex can cause acrylic crazing and cloudiness.

When I had acrylic tanks it was recommend to get the Ammonia free version of the Windex. Have personally been using Windex on all my tanks without any cloudiness or crazing on glass and acrylic for over 10 years. Just my two cent

 

[Dloks]

N nzafi i understand, when I first bought my tank I thought hey I’m gonna go bare bottom with no substrate and 1/2” thick glass all around thinking it’ll be fine, nope my stingray decided another and made scratches with their mouths lol. All I’m trying to say is..... life happens and scratches are inevitable. I’ve too also heard stories “oh don’t have pleco with rays, don’t have pleco with acrylic tanks. 10 years of experience told me those people one never had a pleco or two exaggerate. But I’m sure it happens just not as often as people say