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Well i went to my mom's classroom today and a teacher had an extra eclipse 6 so i took it. Well of course i went to scrub it and i did not realize that i was using the rough side of the sponge, the entire tank is now scratched So is there anything to do?

inside or outside?

there are products out there (kits) that can be used to remove scratches from acrylic, but they can never be used on the inside of the tank because they leave a chemical residue behind. if it's the inside, don't toss the tank, just use it for quarantine or breeding purposes instead of display.

I scrubbed it all over ugh i am so upset, those can be expensive tanks. I guess i can repair the outside and maybe it will clear up a little. It's 6 gallons, i was thinking i would just put endlers or something cute in there.

yeah it is a shame

try filling it with water too, I find scratches can look a LOT worse on a dry tank than they actually look wet. Once you get the tank set up with pretty fishies and decor to detract from them, the scratches might seem a bit less noticeable even.

Chain stores usually have CHEAP 5-10 gallon glass tanks (under $10 for just the tank) so if you already have the equipment then you just have an excuse to get a new tank. Get those endlers in the glass tank and use the scratched up 6 gallon for fry. ]

If you fill the tank and the scratches aren't completely unbearable, stick it on a dresser or something where you'll be the only one looking at it and get the endlers anyway. ]

I just went out and bought another 10 gallon so my mom won't let me buy another tank. I really like the looks of the eclipse so i am going to try to fix it up. If i do use the repair stuff, is it impossible to get it off of the inside of the glass even after tons of washing, etc?

No Hooktor there is not a way to get it off the inside once it is inside...

Fill the tank up and put it on your bedside table...this way it will be there to amuse you, and being that close to the bed the scratches won't be nearly as bad as far away And like was already said you would be amazed how unscratched or less scratched a tank can look when it is set up and running...My 20 long I'm sure is full of scratches, but when it is running who would notice, your eyes are then attracted to the fish in the tank and not the scratches

Then let this be a lesson learned...never keep anything that might harm your tank in the tank stuff...you would hate for this to happen with a huge tank

heidi

PS be extra nice to your mom and your own teachers as the school year ends. As tired of school as you are, so are us teachers...I can't wait 33 daysbut who is counting heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Thanks for all your advice! I am excited for the summer but at the same time i am sad for it to end, i am such a weirdo, but i love school, and i appreciate all my teachers so much! THanks for your help heidi!

Hooktor, you're not a weirdo...I usually am the one who starts crying the last week of school, and cries through the first week. I don't know what it is this year, but for the most part I am looking forward to the end of the school yearbut, there are some of my kiddos that I will truly miss, and they know who they are...hope the rest of the year goes well for you...heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Hey, Have you considering buying that stuff they use to repair eyeglass scratches on both glass and acrylic lenses? It comes in a little bottle with a wand and you just rub it on the scratches and away they are gone. I am not sure if you could use this on the inside or not, you would have to buy it and then contact the manufacturer to determine if what is it would leach into water. But you surely could use it on the outside of the tank anyway!
Also, I think there is a type of "polishing cloth" that eyeglass makers use that reduce visible scratches without applying any chemicals. You would do best to contact A)an Eyeglass specialist or B) Somebody in plastics - they may be able to recommend something you can do to fix it, perhaps they have a polishing machine and would polish it up for you.


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