Acrylic versus glass

[JoeW]

Which do you prefer for a 400 gal tank?

[john37]

acrylic

[Ramble On Rose]

glass

[JoeW]

Thanks, John and Rambler:

I know that there are many issues to be considered. One that I am focused upon is the matter of scratches. I have had a glass 265 gal for the last 5 years, and it has some unsightly scratches, which I want to avoid in the next tank.

I am torn between another glass tank that is more resistant to scratches, hoping to be more careful than I have been with the current one, or an acrylic tank from which I can buff out any scratches that do occur.

Joe

[Ramble On Rose]

Do you plan on having a sand bed? Will you have front access to the tank (or will it be an in wall)?

[chriscobb]

I say glass....Glass is much more scratch resistant than acrylic.....I've never put scratch in a glass tank though....You can possibly buff the scratches out but think that would be a major chore to do

[pondfrog]

Tough call, I personally would go acrylic, unless you can get a good starphire glass tank. I would never go normal glass for a show tank of that size. I really think anyone who has seen the difference in clarity and color "pop" would agree.
The scratching is NOT as big a deal as most make it out to be.
Steve

[hsvtoolfool]

#10) Acrylic vs, Glass

[paulpp187]

i say acrylic much harder to break but easy to scratch personally i have had glass but now i have acrylic and prefer acrylic.with a tank this large i would say acrylic

[LynusAnn]

all our tanks had been glass, up 'til our new 300gal which is 1" thick acrylic. It does have a few scratches in it now b/c when we were aquascaping the rocks fell, but it's so much easier to buff out the scratches than it would be if it were glass...and it is so much clearer than our glass tanks...I think from now on if i have the choice, i'll always go w/ acrylic b/c it simply looks nicer.

[Rod Taylor]

Is it possible to get acrylic with thin (1/8th inch) glass laminated to the outside / inside of the front panel?

Safety glass and bullet proof glass are both combinations of glass and plastic.

[JoeW]

Thanks for the replies.

Rambler, my current tank is in-wall and does have a DSB. Hence the scratches.

My planned 400 gal will also be in-wall, but I am hoping to have better access to the front panel. Moreover, I am going bare bottom. So, maybe I am worrying about scratches too much. But the ones on my current tank are very unsightly, at least to me.

On the subject of access, my current tank is recessed, which gives it a nice look, and I am planning to do the same on the new one. I can clean most of the front panel with a magnet cleaner from the display side, but the (still visible) edges have to be cleaned with a scraper from the work, or wet side of the tank. This can be a little tough. Does anyone else have this problem? One thing that has helped me is a magnet cleaner that I bought from Oceans Motions with a scraper/razor that protrudes forward from the body of the cleaner. Any other suggestions?

Rod's suggestion intrigues me. Also, I understand that there is a type of scratch resistant acrylic. Does anyone have experience with it? A while back I talked with someone at Aquart and am considering buying a custom tank from them. A scratch resistant panel adds to the cost. Additionally, apparently while more resistant to scratches, this type of acrylic is not scratch proof and when scratches do occur, they cannot be buffed out.

Any and all input on these issues is greatly appreciated.

[JoeW]

Thanks, Tool Fool:

I just read your link, and it is very informative. Are you saying that if I go with an acrylic tank, I will never be able to keep it entirely free of scratches and that I will have to drain it and resurface the viewing panel every several years?

Joe

[hsvtoolfool]

Originally posted by JoeW
Are you saying that if I go with an acrylic tank, I will never be able to keep it entirely free of scratches and that I will have to drain it and resurface the viewing panel every several years?

No! I think it's wise to accept the possiblity before buying an
acrylic tank. Likewise, you should accept the increased risk of
400 gallons of salt water on your floor if you buy a really large
glass tank. Neither is guaranteed to happen. Granted, acrylic
scratches are much more likely than a disasterous failure in a
well-built glass tank. But I can live with and easily repair minor
dings in acrylic. A catastrophic failure in a 250-gallon tank is
totally unacceptable to me.

You can keep acrylic tanks scratch-free with care, and I've
made plans to do exactly that...

#1) I'm single with no kids. I stay that way just to keep my new
acrylic tank scratch free. Sorry ladies, my mind is made up.

#2) I will never acess my tank from the front. My tank is much
too tall for that anyway. But I also hope to avoid the careless
"rough denim haze", "belt-buckle gouges", and "button scrapes"
which occur over time.

#3) I'm building a magnetic cleaner that will hopefully avoid
internal scratches. We won't know if my ideas work until I test it
over time. Regardless, buying large neodynium magnets off Ebay
to build your own cleaner it much cheaper than store-bought,
especially when you're looking at 1-inch thick acrylic. But those
large magnets are seriously, scary dangerous!

#4) I will avoid certain grazers like limpets, urchins, and large
snails. People have reported their rasping teeth left trails in
the acrylic.

#5) I plan to use a 400W MH Luminarc III to keep SPS. I've read
that coralline doesn't like harsh light. I hope this will discourage
coralline at least at the top half of my front pane.

Finally, you don't have to drain the tank to fix acrylic scratches.
Here's some info on that topic...

Fixing acrylic scratches

PS - I was just kidding about #1. I'm actually a homely computer
nerd who smokes Fuente cigars and drives an old Honda. Not
exactly a chick magnet.

[Psyire]

I had scratches on my acrylic sump before I even got it into place. I'm glad I went starphire glass for my main display.

[TheCoralReef731]

I would go for acrylic, just for the fact that it is much easier to drill.

[Mantis]

I had an acrylic tank for 13 years, my new 400 is 3/4 low iron glass.

The glass tank is so much clearer, it's hard to believe. The acrylic tank (after 13 years) had so many small scratches, it was hard to see through it, and I was extremely careful.

If this is something you plan to have for a long time, go glass. There is no easy way to remove coraline from an acrylic tank, trust me I've tried everything.

Aquarium Obsessed is where I got my new glass tank, and it's truely the nicest tank I've ever seen constructed, it looked good even without water in it

[camaro03]

They both have their advantages and disadvantages it depends what it more important to you

[mike89t]

Here is some good info on maintaining an acrylic Aquarium:

Acrylic aquariums are attractive because of their unique properties; clarity, strength, and versatility. However, they do require special care during cleaning.


Support
ALWAYS use a solid surface to support your acrylic aquarium. Use of a perimeter support stand will lead to sagging and undue pressure on the seams. Use of a perimeter stand will void your Tenecor Warranty.


Cleaners
DO NOT use any product which contains AMMONIA, ALCOHOL, or ABRASIVES, such as Windex, Comet, Ajax, or other commercial cleaners when cleaning an acrylic aquarium. Use of such cleaners will cause the acrylic to permanently lose it's clarity. A soft cloth and water, or a polish made specifically for acrylic, should be used for cleaning.


DO NOT expose acrylic to paints, varnishes, turpentine, or their fumes. Exposure to these chemicals will cause crazing and loss of clarity.


For regular maintenance Tenecor recommends cleaners that are specifically designed for acrylic, such as Novus® and Plexus®. Many other cleaners contain chemicals which will penetrate the pores in acrylic and cause damage which shows as fine lines or haziness. Plexus® aids in the removal of fine scratches and abrasions and will actually help protect the acrylic from accidental exposure to harmful chemicals.


Cleaning Aquariums With Bleach
On occasions where a complete cleaning is required, such as a change from saltwater to freshwater or after prolonged storage, the use of chlorine bleach can be very effective. A half gallon of bleach mixed with 20 gallons of water or more is great for sterilization and is perfectly safe for acrylic.


Polishing Clothes & Sponges
Acrylic should always be cleaned with a good quality soft cloth. Special polishing clothes are available from Tenecor and are the best guarantee of a lasting finish. As a substitute, a soft cotton cloth or high grade paper towel can be used occasionally. DO NOT use commercial grade paper towels or newsprint.


DO NOT use coarse sponges or pads to clean acrylic aquariums. If you do use a sponge or pad, make sure it's designed for use with acrylic aquariums.


Removing Calcareous Algae and Diatoms
Some aquarium growths, such as calcareous algae and diatoms, are very hard and can be difficult to remove with standard cleaning pads. Simply use a plastic card such as a credit card, drivers license, or plastic putty knife to scrape growths from the acrylic. Using the edge will transfer more pressure to the growth, reducing the work, and because the card is still relatively soft it won't damage the acrylic. Several scrapers designed specifically for use with acrylic aquariums are now commercially available.

[danielcherian]

I'm still not convinced that all that added stress/care is worth the extra cost of an acrylic tank. But then again, that's just my opinion.

[Fliger]

Originally posted by danielcherian
I'm still not convinced that all that added stress/care is worth the extra cost of an acrylic tank. But then again, that's just my opinion.

I agree. If you can't afford low iron glass, go acrylic. Green glass is just plain ugly when you get to a certain thickness. Why set-up a five digit display and discolor everything with green glass. Here are a couple pix of a 150 that I had with low iron on the front/sides, and regular glass on the bottom.

This one you actually are looking thru 2 panels of starphire and it's clear, but look at the bottom!!! Imagine looking at a buncha SPS or a $100 fish thru that.



This one is from above the tank, looking thru starphire on the left.

[olemos]

Has or does any one build a acrylic tank with the front in glass?
Is this something possible or mite be a problem ?

[danielcherian]

I'm not sure acrylic and glass bond well together; however, I've heard of people using acrylic baffles held in place with silicone in glass sumps before... But I have to doubt that would be feasible in an actual aquarium.