# How to clean glass ?



## Deano3 (22 Jan 2014)

Hello just took down my 60f and various scratches in the tank I usually quote algae off with a card then use a scouring pad tool with a handle to scrape off the white line around top but maybe I got some algae trapped in at some point just wondering how you clean glass 



Thanks Dean


----------



## roadmaster (22 Jan 2014)

Warm water and vinegar work's pretty well.
Cerium oxide for scratches.


----------



## Sacha (22 Jan 2014)

Can you elaborate on how to remove scratches using Cerium Oxide? I have a big scratch I want to remove.


----------



## roadmaster (22 Jan 2014)

Sacha said:


> Can you elaborate on how to remove scratches using Cerium Oxide? I have a big scratch I want to remove.


 
Would mark the glass on outside so as not to lose sight of where the scratch is.
Apply the cerium oxide to the scratch with sponge or pad, and then use buffing pad on power drill or buffer to go with the grain of the scratch.
Then take warm water on sponge to remove excess cerium oxide and see if scratch is gone.
If not,,repeat.


----------



## Deano3 (22 Jan 2014)

We're would you buy that ? And also how do you go about cleaning glass on routine maintenance ?


Thanks Dean


----------



## roadmaster (22 Jan 2014)

Well,I think you could find Cerium oxide with help from google.(possibly Jeweler in your area).
I clean glass inside and out each week,along with glass top's with paper towel folded into fourth's.
If you are persistent,then not much to clean really.
Was the algae magnet's that were causes for scratches I have . Easy for sand,tiny snail's,to get under the magnet= scratches.
I have also just turned tank's around if scratches are not as bad on back glass,and then paint what was once the front glass.
Then,,can hardly tell there were ever any scratches at all.


----------



## Rob P (22 Jan 2014)

You mean clean the inside glass Dean? I used to muck about with scrapers/tools etc now just use a scouring pad (kitchen ones - foam one side/green scourer the other - note* some have cleaning chemicals in them "_I think" _so just plain cheapy ones). Just get my hands in the tank and wipe front/sides once/twice a week, then rear pane when I notice it's needing doing (2/3 weeks). 3 panes = 5 minutes max, all glass a bit longer cause rear is a pane (excuse the pun ).

The trick is doing it regularly so you don't get hard deposits, but yeh, just get yer hands in there


----------



## Deano3 (22 Jan 2014)

Do you use the scoring pad side or the foam side mate ? Thanks everyone for clearing thugs up


Thanks Dean


----------



## ian_m (22 Jan 2014)

Glass Scratch Removal, Scratched Glass Repair, Glass Scratches

Remove Glass Scratches. Glass Scratch Remover Kit. Glass Scratch Repair.


----------



## Rob P (22 Jan 2014)

Deano3 said:


> Do you use the scoring pad side or the foam side mate ?


 
Usually the scouring side mate but only needs a gentle wipe if doing it regularly, of course liek anything be careful not to trap stuff between the pad and glass


----------



## Andy Thurston (22 Jan 2014)

I haven't cleaned the glass in my 35l since the 15 november but if i had a rimless tank it might be a different story.
When i do clean it i use filter floss. In the big tank i use a stanly blade once every month or 2.
If the scratches aren't too bad use headlamp polish


----------



## James O (22 Jan 2014)

For the outside I use Nilglass.  I used this when I was a window cleaner on leaded windows.  Will remove week old sun baked bird crap. Should zip through the scum line around a decommissioned tank with some elbow grease.  It's easier to clean the tank regularly when it's running though....


----------



## plantbrain (22 Jan 2014)

You will need to spend a lot of time grinding the glass down, wear a face mask. Really deep scratches, this is not going to work. 

I suggest to clean the tank once it's broken down: clean razor blades, change them out frequently. 
Clean top to the bottom, then pull the plastic scaper away from the glass, wipe and then go top to bottom again.
Never side to side. Wipe any snails off the glass first.
Careful not to get any sand between the scraper and the glass as you near the bottom, if you do the top to bottom method, this will not happen.

Pads get snail shells, and bits of gravel caught in them.
This will scratch the glass later, so change those out often or do not use them except in the upper parts away from the gravel line. 
Silicone corner,s bleach for the broke down tank, Excel/H2O2 for the tank when fish are in it while doing a larger water change, take a toothbrush to it, preferably your wife's.


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke (22 Jan 2014)

Cat litter is also a glass killer. It's attracted to the magnet, probably the Iron in it. I use bank card and sponge for mine. Nice tip on the silicone, algae has got between mine. Something to remeber next time I break it down although I think next time I break it I'm going for a new tank.


----------



## plantbrain (23 Jan 2014)

AverageWhiteBloke said:


> Cat litter is also a glass killer. It's attracted to the magnet, probably the Iron in it. I use bank card and sponge for mine. Nice tip on the silicone, algae has got between mine. Something to remeber next time I break it down although I think next time I break it I'm going for a new tank.


 


George Farmer did a pretty good job keeping his tank pretty and cleans it up nice after each tear down.


----------



## Sacha (24 Jan 2014)

roadmaster said:


> Would mark the glass on outside so as not to lose sight of where the scratch is.
> Apply the cerium oxide to the scratch with sponge or pad, and then use buffing pad on power drill or buffer to go with the grain of the scratch.
> Then take warm water on sponge to remove excess cerium oxide and see if scratch is gone.
> If not,,repeat.


 

I want to remove a large scratch on the inside of the tank. The problem is, I am not able to remove the fish from the tank, not even for a few hours. So this will have to be done during a water change. Is it possible? Is cerium oxide harmful to the fish if it gets in the water?


----------



## roadmaster (24 Jan 2014)

Sacha said:


> I want to remove a large scratch on the inside of the tank. The problem is, I am not able to remove the fish from the tank, not even for a few hours. So this will have to be done during a water change. Is it possible? Is cerium oxide harmful to the fish if it gets in the water?


 
I cannot say,I have never used it other than on newly aquired used tank's before setting them up.


----------



## Andy Thurston (24 Jan 2014)

If its a big scratch you wont get rid of it.
Another abrasive powder you can use is aluminium oxide. If you do this at waterchange then glass dust and the abrasive will end up in the water. Headlight polish and glass polishing kits will more than likley contain ammonia too


----------



## ian_m (24 Jan 2014)

Sacha said:


> want to remove a large scratch on the inside of the tank. The problem is, I am not able to remove the fish from the tank, not even for a few hours. So this will have to be done during a water change. Is it possible? Is cerium oxide harmful to the fish if it gets in the water? Sacha, 39 minutes ago


There was a blog somewhere (??) where the guy removed serious scratches from inside his tank without removing all the water.

1. Drained 1/2 the water out the tank into a large bin.
2. Took as many fish as he could easily get out into the bin.
3. Lowered the water low enough to expose the scratch.
4. Covered the surface to the water with cling film taped to the glass where the scratch was.
5. Place kitchen towel on top of cling film to absorb water.
6. Polish like mad using suitable power tools.
7. Cleaned up, put fish and water back.
8. Done.

Cerium oxide is also used in walls of self cleaning ovens, so I would suspect it to not be too harmful to living things.

Found the link...
BAS ~ Removing Scratches From A Glass Tank


----------



## NatureBoy (25 Jan 2014)

those magnet cleaners are a nightmare...my experience with them is avoid, even if they do seem convenient, sooner or later something will get caught up in them and wham a big ol scratch glittering away at you.

I use a fresh stanley / razor blade and keep it specially for the glass, dry thoroughly after use to keep it in good nick, and examine the edge to make sure it is super even. Never got a scratch from this...so far so good....anyone else use these?


----------



## Wallace (25 Jan 2014)

NatureBoy said:


> I use a fresh stanley / razor blade and keep it specially for the glass, dry thoroughly after use to keep it in good nick, and examine the edge to make sure it is super even. Never got a scratch from this...so far so good....anyone else use these?



Yep, Stanley blade and a soft yellow sponge. 

Any dirt shows up against the yellow sponge, if the sponge doesn't get rid of it then the Stanley blade will. 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## NatureBoy (25 Jan 2014)

Wallace said:


> Any dirt shows up against the yellow sponge


clever, think I'll be doing that


----------

