I'm in deep PLEASE HELP!!!!!

Gundo5000 · #1 08/24/2006, 07:02 PM

Okay, so I maintain a local nightclubs tanks. There is one 250G and 2 150 cubes on the corners. I took a friend to help me cleen them today. Well, all three tanks are acrylic. We cleaned them up, then noticed multiple scratches. They were very dirty and had a lot of coraline spots so we really had to scrub. Anyways, we scratched the hell out of a few spots. The club owner is a real stickler about scratches and hoenestly, I feel as if he might make me buy them because of these scratches. They're not that deep but noticible up close. The owner is currently out of town and gets back Sunday. I know I will get a disturbing phone call the moment he walks in the door. I really need some help. I am DESPERATE here. Does anyone have a proven method of removing scratches from acrylic without draining the tanks???????? They're really not that deep. Removing the water is really not an option. I guess it would be a last resort. I hate to place the blame on my buddy but I personally know better. It's my fault none the less and the repracusions are all on me. This guy is really hard to reason with. Any suggestions?

***PLEASE HELP ME***I'M DESPERATE***

Thanks,
Alex

t-bone2 · #2 08/24/2006, 07:19 PM

wow sorry dude wish i could give you some good advice but i cant

Gundo5000 · #3 08/24/2006, 08:06 PM

No prob t-bone, at least you feel my pain.

I'd really appreciate any info I can get from anyone.

KH971 · #4 08/24/2006, 08:26 PM

Post in the do it yourself forum, the people who work with acrylic should be able to help

PrivateJoker64 · #5 08/24/2006, 08:36 PM

Haven't tried this, but check it out.

URL=http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_maintenance_scratch_removal_kit_pentair_aquatics_rainbow-lifegard.asp?CartId=]Scratch remover[/URL]

Says you can use it underwater.[

PrivateJoker64 · #6 08/24/2006, 08:36 PM

Hmmm... the link didn't work. Copy and paste will tho...

BeanAnimal · #7 08/24/2006, 08:45 PM

To properly fix the problem, the tanks need to be drained and sanded/buffed. You could call a qualified manufacturer and ask for their best advice. My money is that it will be exactly the same. You can try http://www.championlighting.com/home.php?cat=655 but I am not sure how many people have had much luck with anything more than microscopic stuff.

MY advice would be to think long and hard about your line of work and your qaulifications. I am not being mean, just realistic.

You took on a job that you were unable to do correctly. There really is no excuse for something like this. It is what it is, you made a HUGE error. If "you" knew better, then your employee also should have. You WERE on site, it's not even like you sent a guy who you assumed had proper qualifications and he let you down. Honestly, if it were me, I would ask you to pay for my tanks or their repair. If you refused, I would have a judge tell you to pay for my tanks or the repair. If the coraline was that bad, why was it not kept in check? These and many other things are certainly what the owner is going to be thinking.

I surely hope that your not in business without insurance. You are messing around with tens fo thousands of dollars worth of equipment and livestock. Your have the potential to do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. If you don't have insurance... well you shouldn't be in business. Are you prepared to lose your house or car to pay for a guys fish tanks or flooded building? Do you have a signed contract spelling out exactly what your tasks are and the expectations that the customer should look forward to? Does it explain the risks such as scratched Acrylic and/or potential loss of property as hazards of the work you perform?

If you do this as a favor or side job, then again, you really need to think about the legal ramifications of your actions and what you expose yourself to.

Sorry to be so harsh. I just know most people don't tell the truth when it has the potential to make somebody feel worse.

What should you do? Well an honest person would tell the owner upon his return. A dishonest person would try to avoid the problem and blame it on somebody else. The outcome may or may not be the same. Your chances of the guy not noticing are likely slim. So do you want to face the music after being honest or dishonest? You may end up several thousand poorer either way, but with or without some honor and dignity left. It is up to you in the end.

BeanAnimal · #8 08/24/2006, 08:50 PM

I guess I should add that you may want to hire this out. If you try to fix the scratches yourself, you have the potential to make the problem that much worse and the overall cost to repair the problem that much more.

Freed · #9 08/24/2006, 08:51 PM

YOU DO NOT NEED TO EMPTY AND DRAIN THE TANK. Get some wet dry sandpaper starting with approx. 800 grit. Go back and forth horizontally over the area and the surrounding areas several times until you have a fine haze going on around the scratched area. Move up to 1200 grit over the same area until you have a good haze going on. Take yourself some 1600 then 2000 then so on and so forth until you don't see any scratches at all. You can affix the sandpaper to a good algae magnet with a rubber band or two. This is tried and true just trust me on this. You will be amazed at the outcome if you do it right. Crystal clear.

BeanAnimal · #10 08/24/2006, 08:53 PM

Freed is there a brand of paper that you prefer? And BTW alguno... I do feel very bad for the situation you are in. It really sucks when you mess something up and know that there is no easy way to fix it. Just be glad that it is not a life threatening mistake (other than your own maybe!).

Bean

Freed · #11 08/24/2006, 08:55 PM

I got mine at an auto body store. Don't know the brand but I would say any brand that doesn't have some sort of material that would react with salt water. Don't know what they use on the sandpaper but no ill effects in my tanks after doing it several times over the last several years.

Freed · #12 08/24/2006, 08:56 PM

Actually I think it was 3M that I got. Alot cheaper than those buffing "kits" they sell at on line fish stores.

BeanAnimal · #13 08/24/2006, 09:01 PM

A lot of paper is aluminum oxide... something I think I would stay away from. I am not sure what comes in the buffing kits. I do know I have seen several tanks where people have "tried" to sand out scratched and ended up making more of a mess. It's like anything, It take the right hands I guess.

nmprisons · #14 08/24/2006, 09:42 PM

if you use a buffing kit, make sure you read and follow the directions precisely. they can be used when water is in the tank and they work, but it is not an easy job.

Freed · #15 08/24/2006, 09:45 PM

Follow my directions and you will be fine.

OrangeKoi · #16 08/24/2006, 10:23 PM

"YOU DO NOT NEED TO EMPTY AND DRAIN THE TANK. Get some wet dry sandpaper starting with approx. 800 grit. Go back and forth horizontally over the area and the surrounding areas several times until you have a fine haze going on around the scratched area. Move up to 1200 grit over the same area until you have a good haze going on. Take yourself some 1600 then 2000 then so on and so forth until you don't see any scratches at all. You can affix the sandpaper to a good algae magnet with a rubber band or two. This is tried and true just trust me on this. You will be amazed at the outcome if you do it right. Crystal clear.

__________________
Freed"

Do you think the sponge sanding pads would be really good for this if they come fine enough? They would not "dig" the way regular sandpaper does. Also, they would not disintigrate so much either.

Freed · #17 08/24/2006, 10:32 PM

I am sure they would work but you would have to do alot of "hands in the tank" scrubbing unlike if you would use the magnet you can stay on the outside of the tank and see what you are doing and the progress you are making.

Gundo5000 · #18 08/25/2006, 01:00 AM

Thanks guys, Beananimal- I realize this is my problem and should have been prevented from the start, but the fact of the matter is that it has been done. Sure, I take full responsibility and put the blame on no-one else, but I have an obligation to fulfill. I need to fix it myself. Hoenestly, I would pay someone a few hundred dollars to fix it but I know that will not happen. I'm screwed in this situation. It is my responsibility and I messed up. This is why I have turned to reefcentral. I really need help. I am not agianst "hands in the tank fixing" at all. I will do anything to fix the problem. The ideas expressed in this thread are great, and I will take them into consideration. If anyone has more suggestions, please help me. I do not plan on being dishoenest, I would rather fix the problem before it becomes one. Like I said I'm desperate, I need all the help I can get. I appreciate all the suggestions and look forward to new ones.

Thanks,
Alex

Gundo5000 · #19 08/25/2006, 01:02 AM

BTW, hands in the tank scrubbing is not a problem. Please help me.

Gundo5000 · #20 08/25/2006, 01:18 AM

Also, these tanks are insured. If the problem persists it will not come directly out of my pocket. I will probably loose the accounts as well as others, through word of mouth around town. I realize it is my problem, I'm turning to reefcentral for help. Please help.

Cuby2k · #21 08/25/2006, 01:44 AM

Whoa, Bean! A little hard on the beaver !

Rik James · #22 08/25/2006, 02:41 AM

I spent a couple summers working in a body shop when I was younger. 2000 grit sand paper was the last grit we used before buffing out the paint. I wouldn't think acyrilic wouldn't be too far from that, in that you would need to buff it with a rubbing compound after sanding it. Atleast if you wanted it ti come out lokking like new. I don't see how that could be done with water in the tank.
I would personally recommend emptying out the tanks into some rubbermaid containers (you should have these or some equivalent if you are into tank maintenance) and then sand and buff. Most all sandpaper has aluminum oxide or some metal in it. I won't even put my hands in the water if it hasn't been long enough since I had soap on them, I'm for sure not putting sand paper in there.
I am however a newby to SW so, what the hell do I know.
Good luck!

Freed · #23 08/25/2006, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Freed
Follow my directions and you will be fine.

Rik James · #24 08/25/2006, 02:59 AM

Can you please explain to me how sanding acyrilic with 2000 grit sandpaper does not leave scatches? You are providing this guy with direction and no factual information to back it up.
Just trying to understand here thats all.
Maybe it has to do with sanding in salwater or sanding underwater? I don't think it would be much different than wet sanding which requires buffing.
Please provide some explanation on how this works. I might like to try it if I get an acrylic tank some day.

Freed · #25 08/25/2006, 03:07 AM

No factual information? I have done this several times and learned about it years ago from garf.org I don't understand why you are being so judgemental. Sanding acrylic with anything will leave scratches depending on how fine the sandpaper is. 2000 grit leaves hardly an inkling of ever being scratched. Finer results in less noticeable scratches still. Try it and then repost your findings please and let us know the factual information you come across.