Acrylic vs. Glass Tanks???

I'm no pro but I know one draw back with Acrylic, scratches, scratches... carefull with the wipes and cloth you use. Pro... can be drilled anytime, light weight and you get those sweet rounded corners instead of sharp corner.
 
Glass bro, in my opinion Acrylic sucks. Scratches to easy and remember if your getting a tank and this is your first go big. 90 gallons or bigger. Trust me you get anything smaller then that your going to want to upgrade later on. Also with a good skimmer.
 
there are scratch remover kits you can get my 120 is acrylic and its very time consuming to do but it looks like new when your done if you do it right i've got a 4 year old had to do it a few times
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15072540#post15072540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by falconerr
there are scratch remover kits you can get my 120 is acrylic and its very time consuming to do but it looks like new when your done if you do it right i've got a 4 year old had to do it a few times
Click to expand...
ok cool. thanks
Well, this one I got was like new no scratches either. AND I only paid $35 cause the person just didnt want it anymore. So, I figure its pretty good deal because of the price alone :)

Thanks again guys.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15072339#post15072339 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wickedfish
Glass bro, in my opinion Acrylic sucks. Scratches to easy and remember if your getting a tank and this is your first go big. 90 gallons or bigger. Trust me you get anything smaller then that your going to want to upgrade later on. Also with a good skimmer.
Click to expand...

Ya, I know what you mean, my first tank was only a 10gal, then I went to 30gal, now to 55. I got an AWESOME deal on it though so I figure its worth it just to at least try it :)
I read somewhere online that big glass tanks are harder to move with and My husband and I are military so I figured too that acrylic might be better since we move quite often.

I guess we'll just have to see. :)
 
By WaterKeeper
As any manufacturer of acrylic tanks will tell you, acrylic tanks beat glass tanks hands down. Acrylic tanks:

Weigh less than glass
Are stronger than glass
Appear more transparent than glass
Have no seams to leak
Are much easier to drill than glass
Can be molded into unusual shapes
Are better thermal insulators than glass
Help preserve the world’s ever-dwindling supply of silicone
With all these merits, we have barely scratched the surface of the marvels of an acrylic tank. Well, hush my mouth; did I say "scratched"? Sadly, acrylic tanks are scratched more easily than a three-legged horse in the Kentucky Derby; easily enough that this flaw outweighs most of their other positive qualities.

Sure, you say, "I'll be really, really careful," but the sad truth is that even the most carefully managed acrylic tank is going to scratch over time. We all think about major scratches that occur when a piece of live rock is dragged across the acrylic’s surface, but most of the scratching is far more subtle. Particles of fine sand get sucked up by powerheads and propelled into the sides of the tank. Using a magnetic scraper crushes calcium deposits contained in coralline algae into a fine abrasive powder. Kids slide their silver teething rings across the outside of the tank.

Over time, micro scratches in the tank give it a dull, cloudy appearance. One of the main reasons for choosing acrylic is its clarity, and this haze does not enhance that image. Also, the glass aquarium manufacturers are not blind to the fact that standard glass is just not as pleasing to the eye as acrylic. To counter this, they now offer tanks made from low iron float glasses. With brand names such as Starphireâ"žÂ¢, OptiWhiteâ"žÂ¢ and UltraWhiteâ"žÂ¢, these tanks avoid the greenish cast that standard glass imparts due to its iron content. This really levels the playing field.

I've heard mixed results on using buffing kits to remove scratches from acrylic tanks. Some people believe that all they do is trade larger scratches for lots of smaller, micro scratches, creating an overall haze. Touring various threads on Reef Central, you find many acrylic tank owners saying that their next tank will be glass. Not so with glass tank owners, who rarely want to change.

In addition, some of the other arguments against glass are also somewhat overstated. A 100-gallon glass tank, when empty, weighs about 180 lbs., and the acrylic only about 80-85 lbs. Still, when both are full of water, they end up weighing over a half-ton, so a hundred pounds here or there is not a big issue. Glass tanks do have seams, but leakage is unlikely in a quality tank, and usually occurs when you do something foolish, such as trying to move a full tank. The silicone in used glass tanks that have been stored dry can also degrade over time, but they can be repaired. On small tanks, those 20 gallons and under, the acrylic's insulating ability will help to control temperature swings. In larger tanks this effect becomes fairly moot as the water itself provides thermal stability.

True, standard glass tanks are cheap, but if you are considering acrylic, you probably can afford to get a low-iron glass tank. It is worth the extra money and really doesn't cost much more than acrylic.

Overall, I tend to be biased toward glass.

Now, I am sure that some of you will chose acrylic, especially if you plan on an exotically shaped tank. You can't have those with glass tanks. What's that? Well, you tell your glass blower friend to make you a 150-gallon glass tank shaped like the Pillsbury Doughboy, and tell us how it works out. Brother! Anyway, the choice is yours, and I will let you decide.
Click to expand...
 
Definitely go with glass if you have to opportunity when you upgrade again. I have two acrylic tanks that I had gotten for free and I absolutely hated it.
 
Acrylic tanks only suck if you don't pay attention to what you are doing. That being said... since we're in the New to the Hobby forum, and if this is your first tank... I would not recommend acrylic.

I have an acrylic tank and love it... but no one in the house is allowed to touch it, a magnet cleaner will never go near it, and I keep my acrylic safe cleaning supplies within reach... so I'm not tempted to accidentally use the towel I have slung over my shoulder to wipe a drip off one of the panes.

If you're leaning towards a custom tank, I personally would look at Starphire glass.

Good luck :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15072339#post15072339 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wickedfish
Glass bro, in my opinion Acrylic sucks. Scratches to easy and remember if your getting a tank and this is your first go big. 90 gallons or bigger. Trust me you get anything smaller then that your going to want to upgrade later on. Also with a good skimmer.
Click to expand...

+1

Staphire Glass Tanks look the best hands down for clarity and color
 
untill you get obsessed enough to get outside the realm of 'normal' sized tanks (by that I mean 300 gallons and under) I would say stick with glass. Once you get past that mark, unless you find a deal, the cost of moving/shipping or having built in place becomes prohibitive for most..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Sandbed depth question
Replies
9
Views
329
Guygettnby
Guygettnby
A
55 gallon tank can be drilled?
Replies
15
Views
1K
wvned
wvned
E
4x2x2 Acrylic reel tank and stand for sale
Replies
4
Views
268
ebe
E
A
Choosing a Canister Filter for 55-gal Saltwater — OASE Biomaster Thermo 600 vs EHEIM Classic
Replies
4
Views
1K
vlangel
vlangel
S
200 Gallon Mixed Reef - Rock Questions
2
Replies
20
Views
574
wvned
wvned
Back
Top