acrylic - can you clean without scratching?

[allenk]

I am looking to buy a new tank. However, I can't decide whether to go acrylic or glass. I keep hearing about how acrylic scratches so easily. So, how do you clean an acrylic tank without scratching? I assume using a razor blade is probably out. Anybody have some guidance on this issue?
I am mainly looking at acrylic for the issue of weight when trying to lug it in the house. Since I am looking to go with a 180, I figured a glass tank would be just too difficult to move without an army of helpers.

 

[alix2.0]

they make special mag floats and stuff for acrylic but they wont remove some tough algae like coralline or some thick green crap which you will have to scrape... you can use a credit card instead of a razor but you still might scratch it if you arent careful.

 

[mdk16]

I have a 120 acrylic that I love. You can't beat the clarity and appearance. The problem is that if you look at it the wrong way it scratches. I use only acrylic safe cleaners, magnets, cloths etc. Still scratches. Some fish will even scratch it. The good news is that they are very fine, hardly noticible and can be repaired at some point. I don't know if I would buy acrylic again.

 

[forcrz6]

From all the reading I have done on Acrylic vs glass. I would have to say no. There is no way to avoid the scratches in a fish tank. Between your sand rocks fish snails filter feeders and Bottom movers. your Acrylic will get Sand blasted By your pumps, Marked by snail shells, Brushed up by fish and bottom movers. So on so forth. I read to many articals saying the same thing. Acrylic is more work than glass and is not as resilient.

 

[kjr_trig]

I have a 240 acrylic, yes they scratch easily, but there are products available to help clean as the above posters stated....Where I try to be careful is with setting my LR so it will not fall easily as this could create bad scratches. Also be careful that the magnet doesn't get a piece of sand or hard debris in it as that will lead to a scratch. The larger the tank the more I recommend acrylic, its far stronger than glass, has stronger seams and is clearer.