[APD] RE: Deposit or Etching?

["Steven Pituch" <spituch at ev1_net>]

Rachel,

Have you considered not using cover glasses on your tanks?  Open glass tanks
allow for the beauty and efficiency of emergent growth.  However your lights
would have to be compatible with this configuration.  All my lights (cheap
flourescent, MH, halogen, tungsten) are hung from the ceiling.  I buy my
tanks now without cover glasses, and put the money into other accessories.

If you want cover glasses, I would recommend that you scrape the glass you
have with a razor and just use them.  You will get slightly less light into
the tank and it will be more difussed, but they are certainly usable.
People have been living with this situation for many years.  You can use the
stuff they use to clean shower glass doors.  I do believe with a lot of
soaking and some elbow grease, it may put a gloss back on etched glass.  (Be
careful it is strong stuff).  But it will come back.

If you pay for new cover glasses I think they will just dull like the old
ones.

This is a reason I won't ever buy an Oceanics tank again with those wide
glass center supports.

On cleaning pads, I buy the white ones certified for use on acrylic tanks.
I have never had them scratch a glass tank.  I would never use the blue ones
certified to clean glass tanks. I have a heavy hand, and they feel too
sharp, and I believe people have scratched glass with them.

Steve Pituch
http://users.ev1.net/~spituch/a.html

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