Glass or Acrylic

[jlem]

Originally posted by cincyreefer
if you have been around enough tanks then you will notice how much clearer it is on almost any tank.
I have never been around a glass tank that was more than a few feet deep. most tanks I have been around are 12-24 inches deep max and at that depth their is no noticable difference between glass and acrylic. I did look down the 6 ft lenth of my 125 gallon and I did notice that the far wall did have a green hue, but it was just as clear and the corals where just as clear inside the tank. If you did plan on viewing your tank lenth wise more than from straight on and where concerned about how the wall looked through the tank then acrylic is definately a better choice and well worth 3 times the cost.
Does working at a pet store with an auquatic deptment and helping probably 20 people set up glass and acrylic tanks count as enough tanks. Just want to be sure that I am qualified like you are to comment on aquariums.

 

[badkharma]

Originally posted by golfish
Its been up for almost 6 months. Why talk about the cost of a tank. My new tank cost 1200.00, the equipment probably cost 6000.00-7000.00, what's inside will be priceless. I'd kind of like to see it clear rather then through a bunch of scratches. The cost of the tank is really a drop in the bucket when you look at the WHOLE picture.
See that's the thing - I don't have any noticeable scratches when I look through it. If you're careful, you never will. And if a mistake is made, you can fix it, unlike glass (although glass requires a larger mistake ) And not everyone has the capital to spend 7000 on equipment - mine is more like 3500 - so to spend 1/3 of the cost on a tank - it's a pretty large part of the picture!! I do agree - what is inside IS priceless.

 

[badkharma]

Originally posted by jlem
You would have to have some really thick glass to notice a green hue while viewing your tank. I have owned probably ten glass tanks and acrylics up to 125 gallons and you cannot tell that one is clearer. Acrylic tanks bow more than glass and distort your viewing more than glass if you want to knit pick on unnoticable differences. Know matter how hard you try you will never keep an Acrylic tank looking as clean as a glass tank. Even if you buff it out monthly eventually you won't be able to buff anymore. I do agree that large acrylic tanks make more sense than glass tanks because of weight but for the average hobbiest that has 125 gallon tank or less glass is much easier to maintain, noticable just as clear and a whole lot cheaper. Glass tanks also disipate heat better which is what you want wiht the majority of reef lighting.
Of coure Acrylic manufactures are gonna make all these great points, but at the average tank size they just aren't applicable to any significant degree
All non-starphire (or other low iron) glass has green in it. It's the way it's made. I agree it is harder to see on thinner glass. You can't see it when you look directly at it, but you can if you look at an angle. Acrylic tanks do not bow enough to distort the image - and if they do you have other issues to worry about. Glass has a mirror effect - it is NOT in the same optical range as water - if you look at it pretty much straight on, it is nice, but start viewing at an angle and it distorts pretty quickly. Acrylic does not, because it's material is much closer to the optical range of water. I will agree that glass is much easier to maintain and in most cases cheaper - however, I think those benefits outweigh the risks compared to acrylic - it is much weaker and more prone to breakage and leaking. When it comes to temperature insulation - it may help dissipate heat if the outside air is cooler than it - otherwise it will add to it. Glass has very poor insulative qualities compared to acrylic. Your temperature can fluctuate a lot more with glass tanks if the outside temperature environment is unstable. But everyone has their preference, and is entitled to it. I just seek to point out the qualities between each and why I support acrylic over glass.

 

[tony detroit]

Originally posted by jlem
Just want to be sure that I am qualified like you are to comment on aquariums.

I'd say he's pretty well qualified.

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by Badkharma
See that's the thing - I don't have any noticeable scratches when I look through it. If you're careful, you never will.
Just one little problem....you don't have a reef tank
Originally posted by Badkharma
And if a mistake is made, you can fix it, unlike glass (although glass requires a larger mistake )
No, you can buff out scratches in glass. But here's the problem. Acrylic scraches and to get to those scratches you have at the bottom of your tank you've got to empty it. Again, you don't have a reef tank.
Originally posted by Badkharma
And not everyone has the capital to spend 7000 on equipment - mine is more like 3500 - so to spend 1/3 of the cost on a tank - it's a pretty large part of the picture!! I do agree - what is inside IS priceless.
again, you don't have a reef tank.. "so to spend 1/3 of the cost on a tank - it's a pretty large part of the picture!!" Yeah it is, remember, its a reef TANK or in your case a fish TANK

Originally posted by Badkharma

what is inside IS priceless.

[/QUOTE
agreed, that's why I went glass. I'd kind of like to see what's inside rather then look at a bunch of scratches.
Spare me the So Cal earth quake junk. I've lived right in the middle of it since 1959 and I've had glass tanks since 1983. The only time I came close to loosing a tank was when one almost slide off the stand. Glass, acrlyic or solid steel, it wouldn't matter then cause what's inside it gone.

 

[cmack]

I think I started a war...

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by cmack
I think I started a war...
Naw, where just playing...we're neighbors

 

[badkharma]

Yup, no war here. Golfish is cool - we just disagree on tank choices. I have used scratch kits before without taking anything out - no problems at all - you don't have to drain the tank to buff out acrylic scratches - and they work good, provided you have the patience to keep switching the grain paper and spending a few hours doing it. I won't deny that acrylic scratches much easier than glass - I'm just pointing out that the other benefits an acrylic tank provides over a glass tank is enough for me to choose it over glass. Golfish - what difference does the fact that my tank isn't a full blown reef tank make? I have 70 lbs of LR and a 2.5" LS aragonite substrate...a reef tank adds corals. Other than the fact that you might be adjusting stuff a little more often, I don't see why a reef tank would scratch more often then a FOWLR would...

 

[badkharma]

Ah that makes sense - although I do have significant coralline growth (it's on my powerheads, almost overtaken my back panel, etc., a reef tank would definitely generate more. I use a kent marine acrylic scraper (red plastic blade with black handle). It works awesome - I have never scratched my tank with it when cleaning the coralline. The only time I can run into some trouble is when cleaning with the pad - you gotta be super careful not to get sand stuck in the pad...

 

[craprap]

I just purchased a acrylic tank manly because of the strength. I have talked to people that have had glass tanks leak and other people that have never had a tank leak. I just finished putting hardwood flooring in the room that houses my fish tank, so I never want to take a chance with leaks. Also aren't there any cleaner fish, like snails, that can clean the viewing surface?

 

[cmack]

Other than scratchinig and price, are there any negative points about acrylic?
Also, how about the negative side of glass? Weight, seams, fragile?

 

[badkharma]

Yes, there are advantages and disadvantages to both. IMHO, I think the benefits of acrylic outweigh the costs compared to glass. But that's my opinion - others prefer glass. If you read the thread the advantages and disadvantages of each are mentioned.

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by chriscobb
I'm still in favor of acrylic though only because of the weight factor. I'm going to be around the 340 gallon tank size and that's alot of weight to be taking down steps into my family room.

Nahh, my buddy has a 360 glass and we've moved that thing about 6 times. He just can't figure out where to put it. It does take 6 people to move it tho.
You just need to make sure you can get to all areas of the tank with your hand if its acrylic. With glass you can use a real strong magnet to clean it. With acrylic, sooner or later the magnet is going to scratch your tank.

 

[badkharma]

I use the magnet on my acrylic also, you just have to go super slow on the bottom along the substrate or the sand will get stirred up into the pad which turns it into sandpaper...
For a tank as large as 340 gallon, I would definitely go acrylic, but I'm biased towards acrylic anyway. You'll definitely need around 6 guys to lift the tank, like golfish said. If you won't move it around much at all, then the weight shouldn't really be a factor, because you'll still need a few people to move the acrylic one anyway.

 

[tervman]

Originally posted by golfish
Nahh, my buddy has a 360 glass and we've moved that thing about 6 times. He just can't figure out where to put it. It does take 6 people to move it tho.
Does anyone have any specs on how much some of these glass tanks weigh? I am looking at a 240G from glasscages. It's just me and the wife in the house....and, although I'm not an old f**t yet, I'm no spring chicken either. However, there is really only one place in the whole house the tank would go, so it would not be moved much, if at all, once we got it set up.

 

[robchuck]

Originally posted by tervman
Does anyone have any specs on how much some of these glass tanks weigh? I am looking at a 240G from glasscages. It's just me and the wife in the house....and, although I'm not an old f**t yet, I'm no spring chicken either. However, there is really only one place in the whole house the tank would go, so it would not be moved much, if at all, once we got it set up.
With as much glass as they use, I'd estimate between 400 and 450 lbs. empty. You'd probably want 4-6 people to move such a beast.
This estimation is based off of All-Glass Aquarium's technical information for their 210 gallon aquarium. That tank is listed at 343 lbs. empty, and is constructed of 3/8" glass with plastic bracing. Glasscages would likely use heavier 1/2" glass for the tank. They also use 1/2" glass for top-bracing and an ******** bottom bracing on larger tanks. Also, take into consideration that they use glass for the overflow boxes if you plan on adding those.

 

[tervman]

Originally posted by RobChuck
With as much glass as they use, I'd estimate between 400 and 450 lbs. empty. You'd probably want 4-6 people to move such a beast.
:scared:
Geesh....I guess I better get some friends that are younger than me. Either that, or drive over to the Falcon's training camp, and see if some of them want to earn a few extra bucks.

 

[golfish]

Originally posted by chriscobb
Golfish I see your point, but explain how you get 6 people carrying a tank down the stairs (6) stop on a landing and continue on down another 7 steps????
that's not my problem, I guess the same way you'd get the 4 people to stop carrying the acrylic tank Be carefull, you might scratch it on the way down the stairs

 

[badkharma]

Har har.

 

[golfish]

There's another plus for acrylic...when one of your buddy's drops the tank it wont break...well, it probably will even if its acrylic but its just another plug for acrylic.
Hmmm:thinking: :thinking: :thinking: I know 100's of people here in So Cal and through out the US. I'm trying to think of one that has an acrylic tank.. You guys almost have me convinced:thinking: