safe to take paint off back glass?

[hemmer]

I had bought my tank last year around this time and its a 45 gallon with customoak stand with doors that are spring loaded built in and canopy, 2 penguin biowheel 170 filters, heater, bubble stone, huge bag of crushed coral, and 60 lbs of instant ocean cause the guy used to own a fish store in mn. its a beautiful tank and i cant believe i got it for $150! but one problem he painted the back glass brown and i dont know what to take it off with or if its safe to do it. I scratched it with my key and it scratches clean but im not going to scratch it off incase of scratches on glass caused from it, so is there any way to take the paint off safely. I have inverts at the moment and would fumes somehow get into water and hurt them? I just want to know if there is a safe way to take off the paint.

[scubasteve]

not sure about using chemicals on it, if it were my tank I wouldn't just because I have always been leary about using any chemicals near the tank. To clean off stubburn salt residue that is really hardened on my glass top I have wet the glass and used a flat razor blade and gone over it. As long as you use a new blade and keep it straight you shouldn't have any scratching if it is glass. I and others use metal blades to clean the inside of the glass so its the same thing.

[Toirtis]

Agreed...a rasor blade is the only way to go....I have very successfully cleaned pain off a number of tanks in this manner, with no scratching.

[ReefRaff]

Definatly a blade. Did you dislike the color? I would put black or blue back on, if it were me.

[DeFeKt]

razor for sure
just pulled blue paint of one to replace with black
no scratches at all,

Matt.

[adnoh]

If your tank is glass and not plexiglass(acrylic) the razor blade should not scrath the surface of glass. Since glass is harder than metal, the glass dulls the blade. To make the paint removal easier have a spray bottle of water to lubricate the blade.

[vsnsofadrgn]

razor blade definately, go in downward motions as to not get anything in the tank, then paint with a roller, i just painted mine black and it looks GREAT!!

[hemmer]

thanks a lot, its a really ugly brown and darkens the tank way too much.

[oddie]

use muriatic acid and rubber gloves.wipe on scrape off done this many times with no ill effects you can get it at most any hardware store do a search on the web for removing mirror backing.hope this helps just dont get it on the seams of the tank use a razor blade and have plenty of them as they dull fast .take your time and you wont scratch the glass.

[oddie]

use a fan to dispell any fumes away from the tank