help with tank scratches...

[saintb]

Hey all,

I just bought a used 6 ft long 150 gallon fish tank (w/ wet/dry filter, pump, lights, etc). I was planning on building it into a new partician in my basement to house it. I was quite excited to find one of this size in my area (for the right price).

FYI I'm a saltwater/reef newbie, but I also have a 45 gallon tank with goldfish (for just over a year).

Unfortunately, I'm having some buyers remorse because once I arrived at the sellers I was told that the tank had some scratches on the back side. I bought it anyways, but did not realize how deep the scratches in the glass were until I got it home. I am very bumbed. Sick. Sick. Sick. As a goldie-only owner I did not understand the magnitude of the problem.

Not surprisingly his coral had been cutting into the glass for a whille. The scratches are pretty deep. Most are in the middle, but there is another small patch of them in the corner (The scratches are deep enough to be felt with my fingernail).

The scratches are only on one side of the tank, so it would not be a big deal if the tank wasn't going to be seen from both sides. But I was planning on having it in the wall between 2 rooms.

In the daylight it is not very noticible, but I imagine once there is water in it, and bright lights above, that the scratches will stand out. Uggghhh.

I'm looking into glass polishing services because I am pretty sure that these scratches are deeper than the diy kits will repair. Hopefully that works.!!??!?!?!?

Any thoughts...?!?!?! Please help!?!?!?

I may have to live the scratches or have to resell it at a discount (and take a loss) if I cannot have it buffed.

Thanks in advance,

-saint brendan

The glass is 3/8'' thick. Would buffing out the scratches comprimize the strength of the tank? Or create a visual anomilee?

 

[mr_X]

i bought a used 125 from a guy who had massive turtles in it. when i got it home and cleaned it up real good i noticed a ton of scratches on the sides of the glass(guess he wasn't trimming those little fellas' toenails).
anyhow, when i filled it with water...i couldn't see a single scratch. did you view it with water in it yet?

 

[Blazin__]

i use a scratch removal kit, i install windshields at work and once and a while gotta take out a scratch with a buffing pad.. works on minor scratches but is fairly expensive for a good kit with the buffer and everything you need check out ebay for glass scratch removal.

 

[IceMan0124]

you buy a brand new tank, and chances are you'll put on few scratches on it before you get it going, its just the nature of the beast, and after several cleanings,growth etc, when you berak it down it will look like its been in a warzone, Mr.X is right, clean it good, rinse it better, being a 150, put it where you want it to stay, and fill her up, throw a light on it, and I doubt the scratches will be highly visable, they will be there, and odd viewing angles will make them stand out more, but with glass especially, water seeps into the scratch, pretty much masking it from view from straight ahead viewing angles, look at almost any tank thats been established awhile, scratches cant be helped, and for the most part, the deeper the scratch, the easier it is to hide, as it more readily fills with water, and once you have it stocked with interesting critters, the eye wont be drawn to the scratches any how, unless they are on the outside of the glass

 

[saintb]

Tremendous. Thanks for the advice.

I am a bit neurotic (sp?).

I will fill it tonight. Fingers crossed.

-saintb

 

[IceMan0124]

good luck

thats a full shot of my tank, pardon the mess, still have a long ways to go in getting it back the way I want it to be, but the reason I'm posting is my front glass is riddled with hundreds of scratches on the inside,if it was drained it would look like absolute junk, due blade cleanings, haphazard rock installations, magnet cleaners that happen to get a bit of debris trapped inbetween, scratches are a pain, but inevitable, you started out scratched so at least you feel the pain of putting the first gash in it

 

[saintb]

thanks for the pic, Iceman. You're right, the glass in my tank looks tolerable with water in it. The scratches are visible (especially from the scratched side), but it will not be the focus point once there are cool fish inside. And like newly scuffed sneakers I can now relax and not worry about the next scuff. Thanks!

Right now I am debating what to do with this tank. I am planning on building into a new dividing wall (which has many additional concerns), but I'm not sure weather to go freshwater, salt, or reef with it.

I have another 45 gallon tank with 10 year old gold fish in it... so I am looking to do something different with this one.

I am leaning towards a reef tank, as long as the cost is reasonable and it will allow me some matainence free days once it is up and running. IE, I travel for work on occassions and sometimes am forced to leave my fish for 2 days without food/cleaning. The peeps on the goldfish message boards claim this is resonable if only done occasionaly to the goldies, and is usually better than trusting someone else to feed them (in which they often overfeed). Is this ever the case for salt water tanks? Or is the ecosystem considerably more fragile (strict daily water testing, etc)?

The used tank came with lights (Two 6,500K Metal Halide Lamps (175 Watt) and one 10,000K Metal halide lamp (175 Watt), the transformers, and Two VHO lamps (60"+ flourescent), a Little Giant pump, an Americal wet/dry filter (w/ bio balls), a heater, and a couple of powerheads. So, I feel I'm on my way towards a Reef tank....!?!?!?

I am guessing I would need a skimmer for any kind of salt water tank. I also read here that bio-media is not in fashion for salt water tanks anymore. What would use the wet/dry filter for then? And would I need and kind of chemical filter (carbon, etc)? Or other filter to suplement?

Are there any other issues to consider when deciding the direction of this tank? Electricity costs? Smell? Noise (the Metal Halide transformers are loud and it appears the skimmers can be too)? Frequent water changes (more or less than freshwater)? Etc?

I know this is a lot of questions, but feel free to pick away at part of it if any of you have the time or expertise....

THANKS

-saint brendan

 

[mr_X]

1. water changes have been the same since i went reef, from my freshwater tank. (i do 15% every 2 weeks)
2. as long as the cost is reasonable? well. a reef tank costs what a reef tank costs, and a freshwater tank has it's cost. what do you figure is reasonable? i can tell you that i cut every corner possible, and my reef has costed me many times what the freshwater did.
3. electricity costs are certainly more. but the beauty of a reef, is unsurpassed.
4. tank inhabitants are generally alot more money in a saltwater setup, but they are so much nicer in my opinion.
5. yes, it's good to have a skimmer. i like having one. takes alot of crud out of the tank.
6. i test my water about every 3 days, unless i see something fishy
7. if your water tested good before you left for a 3 day trip, and you didn't have a large amount of fish, and had your lights on timers, and an auto sump top-off, i think you could pull it off.
8. you'll need to do alot of reading about what you plant to keep in the tank before you decide on what lighting, what flow rates ...yada yada yada...you will want in your tank.
9. all this said, i have been a freshwater tank owner for 20 years and a reef owner for about 3 months. i love my new reef tank. i wouldn't EVER do freshwater again knowing what little i know now.