Best way to clean acrylic?
- Thread starter Curtis72
- Start date
slief
RC Sponsor
There are no sure ways to insure you don't scratch the inside of the tank. I use a Might Magnet scrubber which is similar to the Mag Float. Same concept. I use the MM cleanig pads and their algae sleeves. I also use their Algae Dozer pads which are made for calcareous algae like coraline. The key is being careful if you have a sand bottom and paying close attention to the pad. The sleeves that go over the pads are very helpful in keeping bits of sand away from the acrylic when you get sand caught in the pad.
The good news is that acrylic, unlike glass is very forgiving and you can remove scratches from inside the tank even when the tank is full. It just take the right grades of sand paper and some elbow grease along with a good strong magnet scrubber. My acrylic display is over 20 years old now since I had it made and it still looks damn near perfect after all this time. I've polished it inside and out with a full tank and the scratches are far and few and easily removable. Glass tank owners can rarely say the same.
I use Mr. clean magic erasers- original without scent or bleach. I just use my hand and clean the inside of the tank with them. I discard after several uses. As Slief said, just be sure not to pick up sand with them. I also use a Kent plastic scraper if corraline is built up.
Slief, what grit wet sandpaper do you start and finish with to polish the inside of the tank?
Slief, what grit wet sandpaper do you start and finish with to polish the inside of the tank?
pmrossetti
Active member
Clean often so it doesn't build up too much.
Yeah I was thinking about just not using a magnet scrapper and just getting some algae pads.
http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Clean-Eraser-Cleaner-Cleaning/dp/B004D42H5K
So you just use these and they clean mostly everything off? but that's good to hear that you can sand out the scratches, this is my first acrylic tank so I was kinda freaking out a bit about scratching it but imo its worth because its already so much more clearer then my old glass tank.
Yes just those. I use them every few days and then once every two weeks use the plastic scraper down by the sand. Just be careful and when u do notice a scratch don't get upset about it. It's going to happen so remember to minimize them as much as possible until time to polish.
