Campbell's 120x36x30 In-Wall FOWLR

ccampbell57

Premium Member
After much deliberation and finally completing the design of the basement, I have decided on a 10' tank for my display.

The issue now is I have to decide between glass (using a Starfire front) or acrylic.

I want to hear from the Pro's on this one.

I am really leaning towards the acrylic due to the weight and ease of moving it to the final resting place, but I do like the fact that I can "beat" on the glass and it wont scratch.

Any thoughts?
 
at that size either one will be heavy as all hell, I would lean toward glass but for a FOWLR since it will be low light, so you wont have much algea growth to worry about scraping off...so its a toss up.
 
I don't know about being a "Pro", but I'd go with glass hands down. My big tank is acrylic and I don't care for it tbh. I would recommend 10'x36"wx30"h if you haven't decided on size yet. That will be the size of my next big tank, if not even a 12'er. Will this be an addition or a replacement?
 
I would go acrylic personally ccampbell57 . I have worked with alot of big tanks (my own and my customers) and acrylic is the way to go. If your careful and dont get rocks in your algae pad or scrapper you wont scratch your acrylic. Also acrylic can always be buffed out with water in the tank and not harming anything. If the glass gets scratched, then your stuck with it and I have seen some very beat up glass tanks...

Also if glass tanks get torqued certain ways the silicon seam can pop and on a 600 gallon tank I wouldn't risk that happening...

All my big tanks are acrylic. A 75 gallon, 150 gallon, 180 gallon, and a 300 gallon. The only glass tanks are the little 24 aquapod and a 30 gallon QT tank.

Thanks Erik
 
Thanks for the replys guys. I am at a toss up here.

JMC - the tank will be a 120x36x30 acrylic or a 130x37x31 glass. The acrylic will be made by Tenecor and the glass will be glass cages. It will replace my current 180g. I will have around 3-400 more gallons of water in line with the DT.

I am leaning towards the acrylic due to the fact that there are so many more ways to customize the overflows and returns on it. Plus after talking with the support agent at glass cages he was telling me that the 130" tank would be approximately 1600lbs!!!!!! That would be more than 16 people @ 100lbs each!

He also scared me a little about glass saying that with such long pieces any movement in the stand or bowing will cause the seams to pop and that could be devistation
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12924234#post12924234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ccampbell57

He also scared me a little about glass saying that with such long pieces any movement in the stand or bowing will cause the seams to pop and that could be devistation

Thats exactly what I would be afraid of!

Thanks Erik
 
That is a big tank for a basement. Make sure you address moisture issues. BTW, glass is my preference. It is so easy to scratch a tank that big.
 
Very nice. I look forward to keep an eye out on your thread, especially when it come to your livestock list.
 
i would go acrylic....i have the same size from tenecor....acrylic is alot stronger than glass at half the weight....it does scratch but can be fixed unlike glass.....i just got a 1300gl 18ft tank that was so scratch u couldnt see thru it....after 5 hours of sanding it looks brand new.....u cant do that w/glass
 
I have decided on acrylic. Mainly due to the configuration of the overflows and the weight. It is going into a basement and I have 3 large vents going outside from the fish room behind the tank.

MM949 - how do you like the tenecor tank? This is where I am going to get it from. I am getting a smoking deal on it.
 
i would do glass.... would just make me feel better. what is some of the equipment that youplan to use? what skimmer?
 
It may be a little while before we get a response...

...Chris is Boss Ballin' in the Hamptons...
 
Hey chris..My tank is made bye ******* as well.It is a smaller tank of course but i have been happy with the quality.I would buy glass for my next tank because i have learned the hard way that i cant help but scratch this thing and although it can be buffed out it in not exactly easy.I do however understand wanting to go acrylic with such a big tank.
 
Oh man...i forgot that I even started a thread on this already...

I will update the progress today.

The basement is almost done...pictures to come
 
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