Acrylic versus Glass

[AcroSteve]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6875365#post6875365 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gary Majchrzak
I don't buy that for a second.
Customer preference might be acrylic, but there's no way somebody that takes care of reef aquariums for a living prefers acrylic over glass.

I have to agree with Gary on that.

Maybe if they just move them around, they would prefer them. They may like them for the sales$ too, but not the maint.

 

[paulpp187]

tank is 96x24x25 1/2 cell cast acrylic with some beefed up bracing on top there are only 3 openings on top maybe 15x15 inch holes

 

[anthworks]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6875365#post6875365 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gary Majchrzak
I don't buy that for a second.
Customer preference might be acrylic, but there's no way somebody that takes care of reef aquariums for a living prefers acrylic over glass.

I agree with Gary as well. My two year old Acrylic tank is a pain to take care of I wish I had gone glass. At first it looks great but after a couple of years no matter how hard you try it will get scratched. Scraping with the plastic scraper is hard work.

 

[Black71gp]

h

 

[asnatlas]

My 600gal (96x48x30) from Will at AO is build from 3/4" Diamante Low Iron Glass, I will only own glass for my displays...

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I'm too passionate about this subject so I'm going to exit this thread now. If anyone has ever taken care of glass and acrylic reef aquariums for several years, they'll know what I'm talking about.

 

[Bax]

I am going low iron glass as I can't spend this much money on a tank and system and then look at scratches.

 

[JoeyK@OCMD]

My latest tank is the first and last acrylic tank I will ever waste money on. (a very costly mistake).

 

[Creetin]

I have always owned glass tanks, and like them, But they can be scratched too. Then your left with something you cant fix.

 

[monkeyreefer]

i went acrylic as there was no way in hell i was going to get a glass tank into my basement that was 96*30*24

 

[JackRent]

I have a 32 inch door and a walk-out basment so getting the tank into the basement shouldn't be a problem. I cleaned my 58 gallon glass tank last night and I think I am going with glass. It didn't even appear that bad and the amount of scraping was more than I would have ever imagined for the slightly impaired clarity of two months without a good scraping. I am becoming convinced that scratches would drive me nuts. An honest assessment of how often I move stuff around is swaying me to glass also.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6892642#post6892642 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by monkeyreefer
i went acrylic as there was no way in hell i was going to get a glass tank into my basement that was 96*30*24

My glass 96x48x30 went down into the basement via the stairs... I did hire pros since it was so big...

96x30x24 would have been easy to get down into the basement even if it was via stairs with local club members helpââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦

 

[Delsfishes]

Ive had both glass and acrylic. I've had 2 glass tanks bust on me not a pretty sight clean up and loss if corals and fish. I have now a 187 acrylic yes it does scratch but even with scrathes looks alot better then glass also you ever tried removing a scratch form a glass tank they do scratch also and cannot be buffed out. If you decide to do a close loop system very easy to do on a acrylic tank very easy to drill the holes for the bullkheads. either way both have the pros and cons but from my experience I will always go with acrylic.

hope this helps

 

[monkeyreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6894586#post6894586 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by asnatlas
My glass 96x48x30 went down into the basement via the stairs... I did hire pros since it was so big...

96x30x24 would have been easy to get down into the basement even if it was via stairs with local club members helpââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦

maybe down your stairs, but not mine. You must have one hell of a stairwell. the door opening at the bottom of my stairs is only 30", and its 7' 10" to the wall across from it. It took some finesse, but we got it down scratch free.

 

[asnatlas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6902519#post6902519 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by monkeyreefer
maybe down your stairs, but not mine. You must have one hell of a stairwell. the door opening at the bottom of my stairs is only 30", and its 7' 10" to the wall across from it. It took some finesse, but we got it down scratch free.

Nope, just a standard stairwell (House built in 93)...

Click for pics of the move...

 

[Wade2185]

This is too funny. I am battling with the exact same question right now. I have been back and forth too many times to count. I want glass because I do not want to deal with scratches. On the other hand I am finishing my basement and by the time I am done I will have about $20,000 into the basement with out the cost of the fish tank. If a glass tank broke on me I would detroy my basement. For that reason I am looking at acrylic. Also, glass is so heavy I did not know how I was going to get the tank in the basement (96 X 30 X 24). But after seeing the post above from asnatlas I now think I can manage it. The winch was a great idea!

 

[huskerreef]

240 gallons of saltwater all over my hardwood floors,carpet and into my basement. 1 week of loud blowers and moisture extractors hooked to my floor and somewhere in the neighborhood of $7500 in damage and lost corals and fish=new acrylic for me. Sorry but the piece of mind of not repeating my disaster is worth a few scratches here and there, especially when you go big. Just my paranoid two cents worth. Very helpless watching water run out onto the floor at a high rate, need more towels.

 

[olemos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6913576#post6913576 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by huskerreef
240 gallons of saltwater all over my hardwood floors,carpet and into my basement. 1 week of loud blowers and moisture extractors hooked to my floor and somewhere in the neighborhood of $7500 in damage and lost corals and fish=new acrylic for me. Sorry but the piece of mind of not repeating my disaster is worth a few scratches here and there, especially when you go big. Just my paranoid two cents worth. Very helpless watching water run out onto the floor at a high rate, need more towels.

There are many of threads here of acrylic that cracked just like glass and if you do a search, you will find even more on, " My MHs melted my tank"
This could go both ways, just make sure your tank is level and well supported and there should not be a problem.

 

[kwl1763]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6879028#post6879028 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bax
I am going low iron glass as I can't spend this much money on a tank and system and then look at scratches.

Amen is all I'll say!

 

[tacocat]

If your MH melted your tank or cracked your center brace, you planned poorly IMO.

I have acrylic, and the scratch thing sucks, but it is realtively easy to avoid. You have to stay up on your maintenance, or setup your tank so that algae maintenance is only minor.