# Help! Acrylic tank refinish



## aleskiw (Jan 25, 2015)

I have a 75 gallon acrylic tank that I tried to refinish/buff due to some scratches. The owner before me must of used a scrubbing pad to clean the tank. I tried starting with 600 grit wet dry sandpaper. I started by hand and then used a hand sander but either way the acrylic doesn't look or feel like it is being sanded. Any suggestions on what I am doing wrong?


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## Fishtail76 (Oct 17, 2013)

I had a 55g acrylic tank that had been in storage for several years, it was also scratched up (mostly fine scratches). I used Novus scratch remover and it looks close to new. I was very happy with the product. It did take some sanding, using 400g on heavy scratches and working up to 800g and finishing with 1500g. Here is a link for Novus on eBay. I bought the 8 oz kit but only used about 1/4 of the bottles. I did some searches on YouTube and found some good info there too.


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## aleskiw (Jan 25, 2015)

The problem I am having though is that the tank doesn't seem like it will sand down. Maybe I will pick up some 400 grit and try that. I picked up some meguiars plastx which some people seem to have great success with. I just don't know why the acrylic wouldn't sand down with 600 grit. Confuses me.


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## Fishtail76 (Oct 17, 2013)

Not sure why you are having issues, the only thing I can think of is make sure you use plenty of water while sanding. I used a spray bottle, you don't want the acrylic to heat up.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVPw201VqSc


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## aleskiw (Jan 25, 2015)

See even in the video you can see the acrylic being sanded. I just tried with 400 grit and still won't and down like that. You can see the 400 make scuffs on the glass but nothing like that. I don't know if the manufacture put some kind of coating on it or something else. I don't know anymore. Last thing I could try is ordering Novus and see if that works.


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## Fishtail76 (Oct 17, 2013)

Any of the scratch removers/polishes are for taking out light scratches, heavy scratches need to be sanded until you get fine scratches (kind of a foggy appearance) then use scratch remover. Without seeing a closeup picture of your tank, its hard to picture what your dealing with.


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

Scratched headlights on cars can be buffed out using toothpaste and a paper towel.


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## Fadil13 (Jan 15, 2014)

King of DIY: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6-L0zvGWfY


Also I seen a similar video using meguiar acrylic scratch remover


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## joecrouse (Feb 3, 2014)

wet sand with 500 grit, then 800, then 1000, 1200, 3000, 5000 if you can get it then polishing compound. by the time you get to 5000 grit it will look CLEAR but as if you had a finger print on it or something.


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