Acrylic reef tanks?
- Thread starter Fourstars
- Start date
top shelf
New member
I've only ever owned glass myself. Acrylic tanks are stronger but cost more to buy. They are also lighter then a comparable sized glass tank. They scratch much easier than glass but the scratches can be removed much easier from acrylic than glass. They are clearer than regular glass but you can also get starphire and while not as clear as acrylic it's a huge improvement over regular and doesnt scratch as easily.
It just comes down to your personal preference and what you expect from a tank. Im personally not opposed to acrylic but I do love my starphire tank.
It just comes down to your personal preference and what you expect from a tank. Im personally not opposed to acrylic but I do love my starphire tank.
top shelf
New member
Smatter does add some more good points that I missed, from what I've heard the trick is to not let it get hold on the panels. Sometimes easier said then done. Just more to add to the decision making lol
As for sca I love my tank, been set up just over a year and haven't had an issue yet. I highly recommend getting a solid stand and sealing the hinges though. I have the composite board one and while I haven't had any issues I think I'd sleep better at night knowing it was solid. The hinges have rusted pretty good though.
I don't think cleaning an acrylic tank is as time consuming or daunting as people make it. I use the regular cleaning pads from mighty magnets for standard cleanings and the "dozer" pads once a month for coralline algae. The coralline algae comes off quite easily, and I can get my whole (very large) tank good as new in ~5 minutes. Sure I've accumulated a few scratches here and there but my plan is to sand the inside of the pane (also using the mighty magnet) if the scratches ever start to really bother me. Maybe in a year or two. And if I did happen to get a scratch right in a key viewing idea I'd probably sand it out right away, but that hasn't happened yet.
Of course size matters in this whole debate. I've got a very large tank, 350 gallons, and at a size like this I think acrylic's advantages are really valuable. Sure it scratches more easily, but it is significantly lighter, stronger and more impact resistant. All very relevant since I live in an earthquake zone and a catastrophic failure for this size tank would honestly be dangerous. Oh, and acrylic is super easy to drill if you want to make any changes to it.
On the other hand, I've got a plenty of smaller tanks around and they are all glass. To me it depends on the size, the cost, and the quality of what you are getting.
Of course size matters in this whole debate. I've got a very large tank, 350 gallons, and at a size like this I think acrylic's advantages are really valuable. Sure it scratches more easily, but it is significantly lighter, stronger and more impact resistant. All very relevant since I live in an earthquake zone and a catastrophic failure for this size tank would honestly be dangerous. Oh, and acrylic is super easy to drill if you want to make any changes to it.
On the other hand, I've got a plenty of smaller tanks around and they are all glass. To me it depends on the size, the cost, and the quality of what you are getting.
homer1475
New member
+1
My SCA is just about 2 years old and I opted for the MDF stand. While I have no complaints about the tank, the stand is still in good shape, just a bit of swelling at the edge where some water has spilled out of the sump. The hinges I have replaced due to rusting in a couple months.
I would also sleep a bit better if it were solid wood. :thumbsup:
top shelf
New member
Not to hijack this thread but can I ask where you got your hinges? Did you get them direct from SCA or is it something I can get from the local big box hardware store? I haven't looked into either yet but would really like to replace them and take proper precautions this time around to prevent rusting.
Fourstars
New member
Not to freak you out, but my son had a tank stand in my basement made of MDF, and the tank failed. The only thing we could find, is one of the legs had swelled. The fracture originated from that corner.
d0ughb0y
Active member
you can get the hinge from ebay or amazon.
search for full overlay kitchen cabinet hinge. make sure the hinge in the listing picture looks the same as the hinge on your cabinet.
I bought them a while back from ebay for like $7 for 2 pairs (4 hinges), replaced it when I was trying to refurbish the used 45g SCA tank stand, but figured to just build a new one from plywood. The water damage was too much.
From a woodworking perspective, MDF is weaker than both solid wood and plywood in all applications, and significantly weaker compared to each of their various strengths (solid wood in vertical compression, plywood for lateral support). And when MDF gets wet, forgot about it. Solid wood and (properly graded) plywood are fine getting wet as long as you let them dry out.
The benefits of MDF are the price, and the fact you get a smooth consistent surface that is easy to paint. It is certainly strong enough to be used as a stand, but it will have a lifespan. Eventually the finish will break down, water will get in and the MDF's strength will go away.
If you take a stand made out of solid wood with plywood bracing, or even just properly made out of plywood, it will basically last forever unless you are actively trying to destroy it.
top shelf
New member
Awesome, thank you! I'll give Amazon a look.
