Oblivionis
Member
I just realized this. What if a person has an electric plug in vehicle and the battery is drained? They're walking to work.
power out in aurora
- Thread starter 3seconds2live
- Start date
goby1kenobi
contemplating new tanks
We were out for ~18 hours. Power came back on ~2am.
Yep, some cars come with a free tow home but that doesn't get you to work.
I'm guessing I'll have power Thursday. In my neighborhood I've counted 3 down poles and a half dozen downed or broken wires.
3seconds2live
New member
well if anyone in the area still without power or a backup plan needs the use of a generator for minimal tank circulation lmk.
3seconds2live
New member
You still don't have power. Oh hell do you need anything?
MatthewJGrabow
In Memoriam
I found the reference that speaks on how fire used to be used to keep aquariums warm:
http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/articles/75
History of Fish Tank Materials
While keeping fish for both food and pleasure has been an interest documented to at least 4,000 years ago, keeping fish in aquariums is a much more recent development. Supposedly Madame Dubarry, a mistress to King Louis XV in France, invented the fish bowl sometime in the mid 1700s. In 1805, Robert Warrington is credited with developing the first sustainable glass aquarium.
During the Victorian period in England and in Europe, fish keeping as a hobby developed quite a following. At that time, hobbyists would use slate or steel bottomed tanks which were heated from underneath with flames! Their tanks were ornate affairs, glass enclosed in steel contraptions that were hardly waterproof.
These glass tanks often were "caulked" with a putty to try to help "waterproof" the tank. While continuously improved upon, aquariums didn't really reach a true period of innovation until the mid 1960s where glass framed tanks were replaced with glass sealed tanks. Instead of using metal to frame the tanks, glass aquariums were sealed together using silicone based adhesive.
By the early 1970s, acrylic tanks were being offered to the public. For most of the smaller size tanks, you'll find just as many glass tanks as you will acrylic tanks. But as you get into the larger size tanks, you'll find that acrylic is a most popular choice for most people because of its lighter weight when compared to glass.
Pros of Acrylic Tanks
We'll first cover the positive aspects of acrylic tanks. There are many reasons that people prefer acrylic over glass to house their fish. Compared to glass tanks, acrylic tanks are:
Lightweight
Crack resistant
Easier to cut holes into to accommodate plumbing
Can provide better views because of curved front corners
Can come in many interesting molded shapes
Provide better insulation
In terms of weight, acrylic tanks beat glass tanks hands down. Acrylic tanks are about half the weight of their glass counterparts. A 20 gallon acrylic tank weighs about 17 pounds, which is about half the weight that a glass tank the same size would weigh.
Acrylic tanks are more crack resistant than glass. Some brand name manufacturers even claim that their tanks are 17 times stronger than regular glass tanks. Acrylic tanks will resist knocks and drops much better than a glass tank could ever hope to. Related to that is how easy acrylic tanks are to cut than glass tanks are. If you should want to customize your tank to accommodate plumbing, you'll need special equipment to make cuts in a glass tank. Acrylic tanks are easier to customize.
Acrylic lends itself to more interesting shapes because of the way it can be molded. Besides the regular rectangular shape that we're all accustomed to, you can also find acrylic tanks in hexagons, pentagons, bullets (tanks that are curved on one side and square on the other, they resemble firearm bullets in this fashion), columns, round spheres; the list goes on and on. Some acrylic tanks have a bowed front (curved front corners) which gives an interesting view of the tank from the front.
If you're keeping tropical fish, you might be interested to know that acrylic tanks provide better insulation than glass tanks. Acrylic is a better insulator than glass. This may not matter if you have cold water fish but if you're keeping a tropical tank, you probably want to consider this factor. Acrylic tanks can retain heat 20% better than glass tanks. This, however, may not be such a huge plus in reef tanks where you don't want that much insulation (and have more difficulty keeping tanks cool).
Cons of Acrylic Tanks
Although Acrylic tanks have a lot going for them, there's always a flip side! The four largest cons regarding acrylic tanks (versus glass) involve:
Higher cost
Greater tendency to scratch
Chance of changing appearance over time
Need for increased support
Probably the biggest con that an acrylic tank will have to newcomers to the fish keeping business is cost. Acrylic aquariums will usually cost more than glass tanks for the same size. For example, your basic 20-gallon acrylic aquarium will run $130 to $140. A basic 20-gallon glass aquarium will run approximately $50. That's a big difference! You might find good deals on smaller tanks or bowls that are acrylic but overall, acrylic tanks will cost you two to three times the price that a glass tank will cost you.
Another issue that can arise with acrylic tanks is that they are easily scratched by cleaning objects or gravel. As long as you're careful when you're cleaning the tank, you should be okay. And just because you scratch a tank doesn't mean you have to scrap everything. You can buy scratch remover kits that do a pretty good job remedying the blemishes. Pentair Aquatics makes a popular one. You can buy it for about $23 from Doctors Foster and Smith. Novus Plastic Polishes is another highly recommended one. You can buy it from OceanProAquatics for about $28. The downside to making repairs to your tank is that you'll have to empty your tank to repair the scratches!
Another criticism about acrylic tanks is that they can yellow over time due to exposure to UV lighting. Watch for newer acrylic tanks built with UV stabilizers which are supposed to resist yellowing. Ask the manufacturer for what types of guarantees they may have about the tank yellowing.
The final criticism regarding acrylic tanks when compared to glass tanks is that acrylic tanks require support. While technically stronger than glass blow for blow, acrylic tanks will bow under the water weight and need support. Usually acrylic tanks will be encased in support stands which provide extra stability. The top bracing can impede your access within the tank. Glass tanks don't need extra support; they won't bow under pressure.
Although there can be plenty to recommend glass aquariums, the fact that acrylic tanks are so much lighter and crack resistant really make them a more practical choice today, as long as cost is not an issue. Also, with the way that acrylic can be heat molded and still be strong enough to hold water, you'll find acrylic tanks in interesting shapes that you won't find in traditional glass.
Common Sizes
When you go to buy your aquarium, you'll need to consider first your living space and the room you have for an aquarium. Most experts will tell you to get the largest aquarium for which you have space and that you can afford. At a minimum, you should go with a 10-gallon tank for a fresh water tank and 20 to 40-gallon tank for a marine aquarium. Here are common acrylic tank sizes:
Usually, you'll find acrylic tanks in the following sizes: 10, 20, 25, 29, 55, 75, and 90 gallons. When you pick tanks, consider that wider and longer are usually better than taller given the same volume because they provide more surface area (which promotes oxygen exchange - good for your fish)
Special tip: A 55-gallon tank is very popular but be careful about the dimensions. You don't want to shortchange your water to air surface area with too large a height to width or length ratio. For example, you'll commonly find that 75-feet and 90-feet tanks will have the same exact surface area, even though the 90-feet tank carries more water. This is another reason to reconsider any "new" molded shapes like the hexagon or column (which are much taller than they are wide). All things being equal you want a tank shape with the greater surface area.
Online Sources for Acrylic Aquarium
Here are some great online sources for acrylic aquariums:
Doctors Foster and Smith have a great web site with just about everything a generalist fish keeper could need.
AquariumSource stocks aquariums from 8 gallon BioOrbs to 870 gallon rectangular tanks. Hexagons, Pentagons, Bullets, and Half-Cylinders shapes are all available here.
FishTankStore sells Clear for Life tanks in a variety of shapes and sizes.
MarineDepot sells the VERY popular SeaClear Aquariums.
Petco also sells Marineland Eclipse tanks as well as SeaClear tanks.
******* is also another popular manufacturer for acrylic tanks.
http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/articles/75
History of Fish Tank Materials
While keeping fish for both food and pleasure has been an interest documented to at least 4,000 years ago, keeping fish in aquariums is a much more recent development. Supposedly Madame Dubarry, a mistress to King Louis XV in France, invented the fish bowl sometime in the mid 1700s. In 1805, Robert Warrington is credited with developing the first sustainable glass aquarium.
During the Victorian period in England and in Europe, fish keeping as a hobby developed quite a following. At that time, hobbyists would use slate or steel bottomed tanks which were heated from underneath with flames! Their tanks were ornate affairs, glass enclosed in steel contraptions that were hardly waterproof.
These glass tanks often were "caulked" with a putty to try to help "waterproof" the tank. While continuously improved upon, aquariums didn't really reach a true period of innovation until the mid 1960s where glass framed tanks were replaced with glass sealed tanks. Instead of using metal to frame the tanks, glass aquariums were sealed together using silicone based adhesive.
By the early 1970s, acrylic tanks were being offered to the public. For most of the smaller size tanks, you'll find just as many glass tanks as you will acrylic tanks. But as you get into the larger size tanks, you'll find that acrylic is a most popular choice for most people because of its lighter weight when compared to glass.
Pros of Acrylic Tanks
We'll first cover the positive aspects of acrylic tanks. There are many reasons that people prefer acrylic over glass to house their fish. Compared to glass tanks, acrylic tanks are:
Lightweight
Crack resistant
Easier to cut holes into to accommodate plumbing
Can provide better views because of curved front corners
Can come in many interesting molded shapes
Provide better insulation
In terms of weight, acrylic tanks beat glass tanks hands down. Acrylic tanks are about half the weight of their glass counterparts. A 20 gallon acrylic tank weighs about 17 pounds, which is about half the weight that a glass tank the same size would weigh.
Acrylic tanks are more crack resistant than glass. Some brand name manufacturers even claim that their tanks are 17 times stronger than regular glass tanks. Acrylic tanks will resist knocks and drops much better than a glass tank could ever hope to. Related to that is how easy acrylic tanks are to cut than glass tanks are. If you should want to customize your tank to accommodate plumbing, you'll need special equipment to make cuts in a glass tank. Acrylic tanks are easier to customize.
Acrylic lends itself to more interesting shapes because of the way it can be molded. Besides the regular rectangular shape that we're all accustomed to, you can also find acrylic tanks in hexagons, pentagons, bullets (tanks that are curved on one side and square on the other, they resemble firearm bullets in this fashion), columns, round spheres; the list goes on and on. Some acrylic tanks have a bowed front (curved front corners) which gives an interesting view of the tank from the front.
If you're keeping tropical fish, you might be interested to know that acrylic tanks provide better insulation than glass tanks. Acrylic is a better insulator than glass. This may not matter if you have cold water fish but if you're keeping a tropical tank, you probably want to consider this factor. Acrylic tanks can retain heat 20% better than glass tanks. This, however, may not be such a huge plus in reef tanks where you don't want that much insulation (and have more difficulty keeping tanks cool).
Cons of Acrylic Tanks
Although Acrylic tanks have a lot going for them, there's always a flip side! The four largest cons regarding acrylic tanks (versus glass) involve:
Higher cost
Greater tendency to scratch
Chance of changing appearance over time
Need for increased support
Probably the biggest con that an acrylic tank will have to newcomers to the fish keeping business is cost. Acrylic aquariums will usually cost more than glass tanks for the same size. For example, your basic 20-gallon acrylic aquarium will run $130 to $140. A basic 20-gallon glass aquarium will run approximately $50. That's a big difference! You might find good deals on smaller tanks or bowls that are acrylic but overall, acrylic tanks will cost you two to three times the price that a glass tank will cost you.
Another issue that can arise with acrylic tanks is that they are easily scratched by cleaning objects or gravel. As long as you're careful when you're cleaning the tank, you should be okay. And just because you scratch a tank doesn't mean you have to scrap everything. You can buy scratch remover kits that do a pretty good job remedying the blemishes. Pentair Aquatics makes a popular one. You can buy it for about $23 from Doctors Foster and Smith. Novus Plastic Polishes is another highly recommended one. You can buy it from OceanProAquatics for about $28. The downside to making repairs to your tank is that you'll have to empty your tank to repair the scratches!
Another criticism about acrylic tanks is that they can yellow over time due to exposure to UV lighting. Watch for newer acrylic tanks built with UV stabilizers which are supposed to resist yellowing. Ask the manufacturer for what types of guarantees they may have about the tank yellowing.
The final criticism regarding acrylic tanks when compared to glass tanks is that acrylic tanks require support. While technically stronger than glass blow for blow, acrylic tanks will bow under the water weight and need support. Usually acrylic tanks will be encased in support stands which provide extra stability. The top bracing can impede your access within the tank. Glass tanks don't need extra support; they won't bow under pressure.
Although there can be plenty to recommend glass aquariums, the fact that acrylic tanks are so much lighter and crack resistant really make them a more practical choice today, as long as cost is not an issue. Also, with the way that acrylic can be heat molded and still be strong enough to hold water, you'll find acrylic tanks in interesting shapes that you won't find in traditional glass.
Common Sizes
When you go to buy your aquarium, you'll need to consider first your living space and the room you have for an aquarium. Most experts will tell you to get the largest aquarium for which you have space and that you can afford. At a minimum, you should go with a 10-gallon tank for a fresh water tank and 20 to 40-gallon tank for a marine aquarium. Here are common acrylic tank sizes:
Usually, you'll find acrylic tanks in the following sizes: 10, 20, 25, 29, 55, 75, and 90 gallons. When you pick tanks, consider that wider and longer are usually better than taller given the same volume because they provide more surface area (which promotes oxygen exchange - good for your fish)
Special tip: A 55-gallon tank is very popular but be careful about the dimensions. You don't want to shortchange your water to air surface area with too large a height to width or length ratio. For example, you'll commonly find that 75-feet and 90-feet tanks will have the same exact surface area, even though the 90-feet tank carries more water. This is another reason to reconsider any "new" molded shapes like the hexagon or column (which are much taller than they are wide). All things being equal you want a tank shape with the greater surface area.
Online Sources for Acrylic Aquarium
Here are some great online sources for acrylic aquariums:
Doctors Foster and Smith have a great web site with just about everything a generalist fish keeper could need.
AquariumSource stocks aquariums from 8 gallon BioOrbs to 870 gallon rectangular tanks. Hexagons, Pentagons, Bullets, and Half-Cylinders shapes are all available here.
FishTankStore sells Clear for Life tanks in a variety of shapes and sizes.
MarineDepot sells the VERY popular SeaClear Aquariums.
Petco also sells Marineland Eclipse tanks as well as SeaClear tanks.
******* is also another popular manufacturer for acrylic tanks.
No power yet but my neighbor texted me saying they are working in our neighborhood. Thanks for the offer but we faired pretty well with amazing temps and no rain. Keeping a well stocked disaster kit really paid off
hansnfrans
New member
Finally got our power back on last night. Man, was that a PITA! Only lost one acan and 2-3 chalice frags.
mystery_reef
New member
hans, my power over here didnt even flicker. that's weird? glad to hear most things were ok.
