Are you using acrylic and are you happy with it?

****I just noticed you're only getting a 215, if that's the case just get glass. I thought you were getting a larger tank.

I would just get an Oceanic 215 RR, they are very nice tanks and fairly cheap. Don't even worry about it and get the glass tank for something in that size glass is more practical.****





I've owned many, many glass tanks and owned many acrylic tanks. and for tanks over 300 gallons I will go acrylic simple as that. Yes Coraline this and that but I neglect my tank for weeks and can pull all the coraline off with a Kent ProScraper without scratching the tank. And to avoid these problems simply pass a GOOD (Magnavore) magnet along the acrylic twice a week to avoid these problems. If you are not a careful person and are anal about scratches then go with glass.


I've owned the following acrylic tanks.
720
375
380
And my current tank a 600 Gallon.

I've owned in glass the folowing size tanks and some multiple of the same tanks:
240
200
180
150 Square
110
92 Corner Bowfront
90
75
75 Breeder
55
50 Breeder
40
36 Corner
29
12 Aquapod
10

If you do end up getting a glass tank just don't get EuroBracing it really sucks, you can't lean over it since it will break, and any well made acrylic tank 3/4" thick or more can support your weight leaning over it without breaking.
 
Last edited:
z28 thanks for the tip about the euro...I dont think you had enough tanks yet. :)

by chance you dont have a 68z28 you want to sell, do you?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8654936#post8654936 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kelhuffman


And acrylic tanks crack too and warp over time. They have not proven to be more durable than glass in my experience. My 100G sump tank is warped on the top. The 55 Tru Vu I had cracked all down the corner after some years.
Click to expand...

acrylic tanks cracking is a bunch of BS. If the tank is built properly & the stand is also made properly the tank will last a very long time. My last acrylic 240g was 11 years old & looked like new with zero warping :) My old 70g was over 17 years old & it also looked as good as new. I have seen some acrylic tanks built poorly & they fall apart as quickly just like poorly built glass tanks :)

The type of acrylic is VERY important in how scratch resistant the acrylic is. Crappy acrylic will scratch VERY easy & at a minimum use acrylite GP. My present 260g is made of acrylite AR which is less prone to scratching then plate glass!

However.... for a 215g.... like others stated just go with glass.

I have also used numerous galls & acrylic..... acrylic gets my vote when the tanks are large
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8661549#post8661549 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by viggen
The type of acrylic is VERY important in how scratch resistant the acrylic is. Crappy acrylic will scratch VERY easy & at a minimum use acrylite GP. My present 260g is made of acrylite AR which is less prone to scratching then plate glass!
Click to expand...
While I would definetly agree with you on the remainder of your post, even I would have to argue this. All standard acrylic scratches just the same as any other acrylic, extruded scratches the same as cell cast. By any metric from hardnesss to IZOD notch teasts - all acrylics are *very* similar.
I would *never* recommend using AR acrylic for aquaria - esp reef tanks. AR material has essentially a micro-thin layer of glass coating on it. It actually will scratch easier than plate glass, less prone than regular acrylic but definitely easier than glass. The huge downside to AR material is that if/when it does scratch - it is absolutely irrepairable as you cannot buff out the scratch as the base material and coating are two completely dissimilar materials.

James
 
Another downside of acrylic to add to the list, annoying bracing. Makes it more of a PITA when you have a tank taller than 24in.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8662190#post8662190 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Acrylics
While I would definetly agree with you on the remainder of your post, even I would have to argue this. All standard acrylic scratches just the same as any other acrylic, extruded scratches the same as cell cast. By any metric from hardnesss to IZOD notch teasts - all acrylics are *very* similar.
I would *never* recommend using AR acrylic for aquaria - esp reef tanks. AR material has essentially a micro-thin layer of glass coating on it. It actually will scratch easier than plate glass, less prone than regular acrylic but definitely easier than glass. The huge downside to AR material is that if/when it does scratch - it is absolutely irrepairable as you cannot buff out the scratch as the base material and coating are two completely dissimilar materials.

James
Click to expand...

interesting :) I am only basing my info off of what a friend has told me, he works with a few acrylic tank manufacturers & installs their tanks for them. He has always told me that certain grades of acrylic are better then others. Maybe he was referring to their actual strength???

Is AR's scratch resistantcy better then normal acrylic? I was told at least as good as plate glass but who knows :) My aquarium is made of AR however I purchased it because it was CHEAP! When it was being crated up to ship to it's owner a screw chipped the acrylic thus a cheap price! There is no way I would of payed the extra cost for AR. Like you, I like having the ability to remove scratches but the price was right :)
 
Thanks again everyone for the intersting info!! Does seem to be a consesus though that a tank size i am looking at 180-215 range that glass would be fine. I do have another question which to increase my responses i will start a new thread regarding the overflow location.

Again thanks for the responses!!
Ben
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8662934#post8662934 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by viggen
interesting :) I am only basing my info off of what a friend has told me, he works with a few acrylic tank manufacturers & installs their tanks for them. He has always told me that certain grades of acrylic are better then others. Maybe he was referring to their actual strength???
Click to expand...
For our purposes, the only difference between different sheet acrylics (extruded, continuous cast, & cell cast) is their respective molecular chain lengths, commonly referred to as molecular weight. Extruded acrylic has a very short chain length ~75k units, continous cast is ~600-800k units, and cell cast is ~1.2m units and up. What this essentially refers to is the material's solubility & ability to handle stress. Materials with shorter chains like extruded cannot handle the stresses that cell cast can without crazing (essentailly failing).

Is AR's scratch resistantcy better then normal acrylic? I was told at least as good as plate glass but who knows :)
Click to expand...
The coating is considered "Abrasion Resistant", I don't know of any mfr who calls their material "Scratch Resistant" - just to be clear :) Yes, AR material is more abrasion resistant than "normal" acrylic but a razor blade will still play havoc with it. We most often use it for displays and windows that get cleaned often and are subject to much "touching" such as museum displays and bank windows. If cleaned daily with paper towels or newspapers, normal acrylic will show the affects of this fairly quickly but AR coating will resist this. There is also a good amount of chemical resistance to the coating so is used in labs for as well as windows/guards.

Don't mean to hijack :)

James
 
Acrylics.... thanks a LOT for that info :)

I meant to add craze in my post when I mentioned strength :)

speaking of hijacking...... what do you use/suggest to clean a acrylic tank? Is there a certain wax that you suggest?
 
no wax, Brillianize (first choice), Novus1 or Plexus. Most plastics distributors will sell at least one of these.

HTH,
James
 
I finally made a decision on acrylic!! specs may change to a little larger, but at the moment it is 72Lx27Wx24H.

Thanks to everyone that offered their opinion and experiences.
 
Have fun. Be anal about cleaning it and be anal about keeping your magnets clean. Scratches are a pain. I'll never to acrylic again but I'm lazy and don't want to worry about it!
 
I use meguires plastic polish and cleaner on the outside, it is made for acrylic airplane windscreens. On the inside, once a week I use the acrylic kent scraper for harder deposits. At the bottom (by the sandbed) I just push down and lift the scrapper off on the way up to avoid getting sand trapped under the blade and scratching the pane, every other day I aquamop the inside to keep clean The whole process is about 1 hr a week on a tank that size.
 
Just a note on my acrylic experience.

I really stressed when I got my first few scratches, but learned to live with them as you could only see them when close up. After a year, I had a snail (yes snail) make a ton of tiny scratches that could be seen from across the room.

I decided to try and take the scratches out using micromesh (3200, 4000, 6000 and 8000 grit). I was amazed at how easy and quick it was. I was able to fix most of the scratches in my 375gal tank in just an hour or so of work using only 3 square inch pieces of each grit.

I'll never worry about scratches in the future because I know that I can fix them - talk about a relief. I eally wished I had tried this method earlier, I wounldn't had been so anal about the tank.

Art
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8745054#post8745054 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefboy1
I decided to try and take the scratches out using micromesh (3200, 4000, 6000 and 8000 grit).
Click to expand...

Where did you get your micromesh at ??
 
Thanks for con't updated info on experiences and maintainence of the acrylic. I am looking forward to getting the tank...My guess it will be finished around the end of January. I think the only part of this ordeal i am not looking forward to is the day of the switch from my 120. I will probably do the same thing i did when i switched from my 65 to 120, which is do lots of water changes on the days leading to the switch and save as much of the water i can to get the new tank started. Biggest headace will be moving the sandbed over.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8746706#post8746706 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by asnatlas
https://www.micro-surface.com

Your link has a typo ;)
Click to expand...
Ah, the comma - I always forget about that.

Ben,
Prolly not the best thing one coud do, but I always started a new sandbed when I transfering my tanks. I figured the risk of releasing ammonias was just too high.

Hope all is well,
James
 
Thought about new sand, but what about cycling ... i only have a day to make the switch!
 
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