So whats the best method for avoiding them ? I wipe down the outside and inside of my glass tanks all the time are there some products better than others that anyone can suggest
Keeping scratches and swirl marks off acrylic tanks
- Thread starter jaws7777
- Start date
I have noticed that acrylic tank get those things stuck on the inside more easily than glass tank..every 3-4 weeks I have to use the mag float with felt between to wipe down the tank. I brought a special acrylic clean to wipe the outside of the tank.. when I get home I'll send u a pic.. I have rays so inside the tank gets scratch so easily.
I wipe algae off the inside of the tank with my hand and a washrag cause I don't trust mag floats. I use Windex on the outside. I don't touch my acrylic tank. I don't let others touch my tank. I don't even like other people in the room with my tank, and when they do come in the room, I tell them to sit down on the couch so they can't reach out and tap on the acrylic.
I don't clean the inside of the tank if I have jeans on because I don't want the snap or zipper to touch the acrylic. I wear sweat pants or shorts when I'm gonna clean inside the tank.
I don't put animals in the tank that have a reputation for scratching acrylic -- no Plecos or Rays.
So, you see, I'm pretty paranoid about my tank. All that, and I still have some scratches. The ones on the inside come from egg crate dividers when I have fish I need to net out for whatever reason. I have a single scratch on the outside, I've never figured out where that came from.
So, when you make a divider for your acrylic tank, cut a slit in garden hose, and put it all around the outside of the egg crate and tie wrap it on there so it won't scratch when you put it in the tank.
I don't clean the inside of the tank if I have jeans on because I don't want the snap or zipper to touch the acrylic. I wear sweat pants or shorts when I'm gonna clean inside the tank.
I don't put animals in the tank that have a reputation for scratching acrylic -- no Plecos or Rays.
So, you see, I'm pretty paranoid about my tank. All that, and I still have some scratches. The ones on the inside come from egg crate dividers when I have fish I need to net out for whatever reason. I have a single scratch on the outside, I've never figured out where that came from.
So, when you make a divider for your acrylic tank, cut a slit in garden hose, and put it all around the outside of the egg crate and tie wrap it on there so it won't scratch when you put it in the tank.
Man I'm already starting to train them to not touch the tank especially my kids and mother-in-law the old lady swears that recognize her and her only freaking way to interact with them is to tap the glass I hate it
ragin_cajun
ragin_cajun
So many cleaning products can cause crazing and breakdown of the acrylic. From what I've read, Windex is one of them--fine for glass but not acrylic. For years, I've dipped a paper towel into the tank water and used it to remove dried water spots from the acrylic. Recent experience with my big tank has me rethinking using paper towels. The safest thing would be to use a microfiber cloth and water to clean the outside of the tank.
I love this car wash brush for cleaning inside the tank.
I don't know what you all do for cleaning tank walls inside just above the substrate. Seems that area would be difficult with possibility of trapping substrate between cleaning tool and the acrylic.
Bog standard acrylic as you guys already know, much to your frustration, is very prone to scratching. However, there are modified grades of acrylic which are, or claim to be, scratch and abrasion resistant, it has a special coating on one side. I'd have thought that acrylic tank manufacturers would make their tanks from this material?
On the mag float I sandwich this felt cotton between the 2 and I wipe the outside with this plastic clean which was recommended by my builder since 1-2 weeks the tank had lots of static build up.
On the outside I use microfiber cloth and novus, on the inside I don't know, I just recently got my first acrylic and have been wondering how you clean the inside without scratching. as of now my plan is rubber banding microfiber cloth on my normal glass scrubber
Agreed the only other thing that I used on the outside besides water was novus 1So many cleaning products can cause crazing and breakdown of the acrylic. From what I've read, Windex is one of them--fine for glass but not acrylic. For years, I've dipped a paper towel into the tank water and used it to remove dried water spots from the acrylic. Recent experience with my big tank has me rethinking using paper towels. The safest thing would be to use a microfiber cloth and water to clean the outside of the tank.
I love this car wash brush for cleaning inside the tank.
I don't know what you all do for cleaning tank walls inside just above the substrate. Seems that area would be difficult with possibility of trapping substrate between cleaning tool and the acrylic.
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