I scratched my glass!

GlassReef

Got Reef
Premium Member
I managed to put a fairly bad scratch in the front pane of my display tank. :(

I know they make a product for eye glasses that is supposed to make scratches, in glass, invisable - don't remember were I saw it. Anyone have any experience, with anything, along those lines?

Thanks.
 
There have been various products over the years- more for fresh than salt. Mainly they needed a dry tank to be used- and they never worked well. I would consult your local glass shop and see if there is anything they have. I know some of the windshield crack guys use a kind of super glue. I have a couple tanks that are pretty scratched up - the owners insist on black sand which is real bad for scratching- I mention it to the staff from time to time and none of them notice- just that the reef is beautiful. I think the point is- you have to kind of ignore it if you can- people wont notice it if the tank is bumpin- kind of like a scratch on the car/bike.
 
Very sorry about your scratches, they can be heartbreaking when they happen. One piece of sand and a magnet glass cleaner can do horrible things to a pane of glass I have learned firsthand.
 
I bought new 90RR a few months ago that had some scratches that went unseen during the in store inspection. The biggest factor is depth. If you can catch your nail on the scratch, you're done. I have 4 or 5 faint vertical scratches that I plan to deal with after I break down the tank due to an upcoming house move next year.
I bought this buffer
http://www.eastwood.com/glass-polishing-wheel.html
and some cerium oxide. I'll give it a shot and if they don't come out or the glass is distorted, then I'll have a 90 gallon sump.:furious:
Most people will say live with it or replace it. If it is already set up/established, I would leave it alone.
 
There's this stuff I bought at Kragen's that fills in cracks on a windshield that I used for my car... It semi makes it invisible if you use it correctly... Don't know how safe it is for a fish tank though...

I too have two fairly big scratches I just recently noticed on both the front and back of my 60R... I must have done it when moving some rocks around... :(
 
i do know the feeling...when i bought my 55 used, it was a SW qt and had scratches all over from rock work that was leaning against the glass...

we notice because we look at them a million times a day... most other people. "wow...look at nemo!!!!!"

once in a while someone does notice...and i just tell them..."thats what happenes when sharks attack" :)

dont fret...its what inside the tank that matters
 
Sorry, I should have mentioned - the scratch is on the outside. That's why I thought there might be something to make it (almost) invisible. :)
 
Yeah, call the glass window guys. They have some special resin they apply/sand/buff out scratches. Won't make it go away completely but much less noticeable.
 
Its the first of many, just deal with it like I do... The worst ones are on the inside because algae grows in the scratch and makes it much more noticeable. My tank is a hexagon so I can rotate it to get the best "front" but it is very old so there are many scratches.
 
Out of curiosity... a scratch shouldn't cause any problems should it? I.e. water pressure eventually weakening the glass... the scratch turning into a crack... etc...? I mean as long as the depth of the scratch isn't that bad...
 
If the scratches catch your fingernail as you graze over them..... the polish probably won't work.

You can try another coat to see if that helps. If not you can always just wash it right off.
 
How did you scratch it? I want to make sure I don't do it. I thought it was practically impossible to scratch glass?
 
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