Do starfire scratch as easily as acrylic?

[BreadmanMike]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14200146#post14200146 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 8BALL_99
Acrylic tanks also end up with nothing much more then port holes in the top bracing for access VS Glass tanks with very small Eurobracing or even Rimless. Neither of which you can do with Acrylic.

If you build the tank correctly, you can have it rimless or with eurobracing.

My tank is 3/4" all the way around except for the 1" back for the external overflow. It has a 5" Eurobrace and does NOT bow anywhere. Hardly a port hole.

 

[jimmy n]

My main problem with acrylic is shown in the picture above. You can almost never get "all" the corraline off of the edges and corners. That is a beatiful tank, don't get me wrong, but even in a barebottom tank you can't effectively keep the entire surface clear of corraline in the long term.

Now if you happen to like a sandbed in your tank, it's even worse. You get the rim corraline even higher.

 

[8BALL_99]

Thats also only a 48" cube. But sorry I should have said Most acrylic tanks end up with nothing more the port holes for access. Just look at build threads. I've seen hundreds of them on here and in person. Acrylic is MUCH more flexible so it needs MUCH more bracing and needs to be thicker compared to the same size glass tank. The fact that it is flexible is what makes it stronger and more shock resistant. But it also means it needs more bracing even more so on longer tanks. Its just how it is. Any Acrylic MFG will tell you this when your shopping for a tank.

But hey I'm not trying to knock those who have Acrylic tanks and are Happy, Great. But to me the issues with them far out way the benefits. I'm just trying to point out the issues I have with them..

 

[nickjj]

I have owned glass tanks before my current Envision acrylic tank and have scratched the glass on numerous occasions. I decided to go acrylic this time because of the clarity, strength and durabilty of it. At least if I do scratch it I can fix it. It has been running for almost a year and I have no major scratches or regrets at all.
You have to have a more careful cleaning routine and I find if you do it more often it takes less time overall. One of the best tools I use for cleaning beside my Tiger Shark magnet is a white 1/4" 4x4 nylon block. It is strong enough to scrape off the coriline but still soft so it doesn't scratch the acrylic.

If you decide on an acrylic tank buy one from a reputable manufacturer.

 

[hairyman1]

Nylon block huh. Never tried that. Cool. Where do you get those at?

 

[BreadmanMike]

Nickjj,

Did James send you that nylon block when you got your tank? He sent me a white block but I'm not sure what it was made of and am a bit nervous to try it out.

 

[nickjj]

Yes James sent me a couple of nylon blocks (I'm pretty sure it is nylon). It works great.

It is somewhat soft you have to use all the edges since it has a tendency to bow a little bit over time and not make complete contact with the acrylic tank. You can get right into the corners and get the coriline off.

 

[BreadmanMike]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14217279#post14217279 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nickjj
Yes James sent me a couple of nylon blocks (I'm pretty sure it is nylon). It works great.

It is somewhat soft you have to use all the edges since it has a tendency to bow a little bit over time and not make complete contact with the acrylic tank. You can get right into the corners and get the coriline off.

Sweet!
Thanks for the reply. I'll have to try it out this weekend.

 

[DaveMorris]

All glass can be scratched. Starphire glass most definately scratches easier than standard glass, but it is nowhere near as sensitive to it as acrylic. I also don't understand how a Starphire tank is more expensive than acrylic. My 300g Starphire was easily half the cost of an acrylic tank the same size. I also don't hear about seams failing on glass tanks anywhere near as much as on acrylic tanks. I think glass tanks last far longer.

And you just have to love how easy coraline algea comes off a glass tank when you clean it with a razor blade.

 

[dzhuo]

Where did you get your 300g starphire tank? I am in CA so it's local. PM me the price if you don't mind.

 

[chem-e]

I've had them all. Started with glass and wanted something clearer, so went to acrylic. However, it was a little too much work for me (having had a glass tank), so I ended up going back to glass, but this time low iron glass. It was a lot of money up front, but knowing that I'd have the tank for years to come, I caved in and bought it. No regrets this far.

 

[dzhuo]

you are even closer to me. I am in SF as well. Where did you buy your tank from?

 

[Plato]

I have a 375 72x30x36 with starphire front and sides, use a magflote scraper with no problems. I have a 275 72x24x36, I use a magnivor 10 to scrap but everytime I use a new pad as to not scratch that d--- thing. Go with glass if you want scratch resistance.

 

[cody3553]

well lets see aircraft windows are made of acrylic well military helicopters are on most and i have buffed out rocket blast with a sponge kit to a like new finnish same with tank so i went with the acrylic tank 300 gal like all hobbies wacth what you do

 

[nickjj]

I'm with you Cody...
My tank is in my family room where my two kids bring all their friends. That was one of the reasons I went with acrylic because it can withstand a lot more abuse than glass. Kids are kids and stuff happens.
Since my tank is 30" wide the only way to reach in at times is by laying on top of it which I do often without fear of breaking it. Could you do that with glass, just wondering?

One of the best suggestions that was given to me for cleaning an acrylic tank is to competely clean the outside of it first with Brilliance if you are using a magnet cleaner. Oh and change the acrylic safe pad on the inside often.

 

[DaveMorris]

Buffing scratches out on the outside of the tank is easy. What about on the inside where it is more likely to get scratched?

My tank is a Leemar 96x24x30 with Starfire on the front pane. Black back. Leemar is located in North San Diego and I got a super special deal on my tank which included the 15 holes drilled in it. I believe retail on it would have been about $2500 but that is purely a guess. I paid nowhere near that for mine.

 

[hairyman1]

Very fine wet sandpaper like they sell for acrylic scratch removal will work.

 

[nickjj]

Algae Free the makers of the Tiger Shark magnet cleaner sell an acrylic scratch remover kit for about $60. It allows you to safely remove scratches from the inside while the tank it is still running.

I haven't needed one yet but I have read it takes a little time and effort to remove scratches. It seems it works well from what I read and at least you have a chance to remove the them unlike with a glass tank where you are sol.