# Polishing up Acrylic Aquarium



## Aug (Feb 25, 2012)

Hello All,

This is my first post on BCA, although I have been an aquarium entheusiast for at least 5 years now.

I have a beautiful 55 Gal Sea Clear Acrylic aquarium that I have had from when I first entered into the hobby.
Unfortunately between moves and setups of the aquarium, my Dad and I mistakenly cleaned the aquarium with scotch bright (the green stuff found on the opposite side of dishwasher sponges) 
not realizing that the acrylic would scratch that easily. We now have quite noticable swirls that make the aquarium seem dull.

we have already tried using Novus 2 and 3 with a car buffer and also by buffing by hand with litle success.

The aquarium is currently in use and fully stocked with 25 beautiful and healthy fish in cristal clear water, but the water seems dull because of the swirls in the acrylic.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can buff these swirls out of the outside of the aquarium while the fish are still inside. Any insight would be great, especially from fellow acrylic aquarium owners.


Thanks!


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## shady280 (Oct 17, 2011)

You have the correct polishing compounds but may need to wet sand with 3000 grit prior to polishing. If the scratches imbedded by your scotch Brite still don't come out you may have to try 2000 grit wet sand. Strange enough 3m sells a headlight polishing kit that has everything that you need meant for acrylic. It mounts in your drill and I've had great success with it. Hope that helps.


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## Aug (Feb 25, 2012)

Thanks shady! I'll give the 3000 followed by the Novus 2 and 3 a try. I was actually able to get my hands on a Micro Mesh kit this weekend. It has sand papers from 1800 up to 12000 going up in roughly 1500 increments. I'm not sure if I should use the kit as scotch brite leaves very fine scratches and it may not be necessary to start at suck a low grit and go up that high. I guess I'll try the 3000 and Novus first


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