Acrylic VS Glass?

fareforce · #1 04/05/2007, 08:29 PM

I am planning yet another reef tank. This time it will be approx. a 180 gal in wall display (8x2x2). What is better acyrlic or glass. What are the pros and cons of both?

BurntOutReefer · #2 04/05/2007, 08:44 PM

Glass....overall...easier to clean, less prone to scratch....less prone to "bow".....JMO

fish2 · #3 04/05/2007, 08:46 PM

i think acrylic shows better,you dont have to worry about leaks.but you breath on it wrong and it scratches,pricey.glass less exspensive easy to clean.

tunerX · #4 04/05/2007, 09:12 PM

Acrylic seems to be more clear than glass.

Acrylic is lighter than glass almost twice as light. A 180 from AGA is about 300lbs empty. An acryllic with the same dimensions is about 150.

Glass is cheaper.

Glass is easier to clean.

Acrylic scratches easier than glass. Live rock tumbling during setup can cause big scratches.

atvdave · #5 04/05/2007, 09:50 PM

if you go with Acrylic you may not want to use this company.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1069088

fareforce · #6 04/05/2007, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by atvdave
if you go with Acrylic you may not want to use this company.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1069088

WOW!! It took me awhile to read all of that, but after that I will never buy from CFL!!!

Also, after reading everyone's "problems" with acylic I think I will go glass... I have never had a problem with glass tanks, and I havn't heard a compeling reason to go acrylic. The glass tank I am looking at is starphire, so the clarity isn't a good enough reason to go acrylic..

Thanks all for your help!!

0 Agios · #7 04/05/2007, 11:31 PM

Acrylic is safer

E-A-G-L-E-S · #8 04/05/2007, 11:35 PM

Starphire scratches easier than standard glass.

cuttle killer · #9 04/06/2007, 12:34 AM

if it were just fish, id think acrylic.

But since your going Reef id do glass, it saves a lot of cleaning hassle w/ worrying about scratches. And doesn't ware as bad over time. Especially as its "in wall"

good luck

Tony44 · #10 04/06/2007, 01:51 AM

Glass

0 Agios · #11 04/06/2007, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tony44
Glass

Yeah glass and one morning we are gone see a thread " EMERGENCY I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AN THERE WAS LEAK"

Fermat · #12 04/06/2007, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fareforce
I am planning yet another reef tank. This time it will be approx. a 180 gal in wall display (8x2x2). What is better acyrlic or glass. What are the pros and cons of both?

Just to nitpick... 8'x2'x2' would be 240 gallons. 6'x2'x2' is 180.

newreefbishop · #13 04/06/2007, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 0 Agios
Yeah glass and one morning we are gone see a thread " EMERGENCY I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AN THERE WAS LEAK"

Both have their pros and cons.....Personally glass is more forgiving, the only true benefit I see in acrylic is its weight. I have seen more acrylic tanks fail, and leak, and bow.....than glass tanks. but onc again just my opinion. I personally am in the midst of planing a 250 gallon custom braceless starfire tank. I thought of acrylic for a nanosecond, but when you think of how delicate it is, and how often you see euro-braces fail, and how easy it is to scratch.....I was like NO WAY!!!!! The fact of the mater is after 5 years side by side......the glass tank will look better.But once again its just my opinion.

fareforce · #14 04/06/2007, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fermat
Just to nitpick... 8'x2'x2' would be 240 gallons. 6'x2'x2' is 180.

HAHA.. Good catch.. I input the wrong dimentions.. The tank will be 6x2x2.. The stand (built in/cabinet) is 8' long. I will have a utility sink tucked in the cabinet. =)

Quote:

Originally posted by 0 Agios
Acrylic is safer

I'm not sure about this. From everything I have read, acrylic will bow over time. I have also heard about more acrylic tanks failing than glass. Glass tank may leak, but that gives you a chance to remove livestock. Acrylic just bursts, and it is all over.. I know this isn't always the case, but mostly it is.

I have desided to go glass since this will be built into a wall, and be a full reef tank..

Thank you everyone for your help! =)

0 Agios · #15 04/06/2007, 02:55 PM

ok.................... don't come back and tell me I didnt warn ya.

Fermat · #16 04/06/2007, 03:05 PM

I seem to recall some TOTM from awhile back used a special type of glass that cost more than standard glass, but was stronger, allowed more light to pass through, and had a closer refractive index to NSW (I think). Anyone know what I'm talking about? I think if I was building an in-wall tank, I'd spend the extra for the good stuff, if such a thing existed.

SptfireXIV · #17 04/06/2007, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fermat
I seem to recall some TOTM from awhile back used a special type of glass that cost more than standard glass, but was stronger, allowed more light to pass through, and had a closer refractive index to NSW (I think). Anyone know what I'm talking about? I think if I was building an in-wall tank, I'd spend the extra for the good stuff, if such a thing existed.

Low-iron glass.

FWIW, a decently built acrylic tank is much stronger than glass and much less likely to "break." Why? Because glass is held together by silicone, whereas acrylic tanks are melted together at the seams. It is also more aesthetically pleasing unless you're going with a rimless low-iron glass tank.

Since you did say the tank you're looking at is starfire I'd say go for it. Best of both worlds IMO. Clarity of acrylic, resistance to scratching of glass. Can't beat that.

Just don't say that acrylic is an inferior medium, because thats far from the truth.

fareforce · #18 04/06/2007, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SptfireXIV
Low-iron glass.

FWIW, a decently built acrylic tank is much stronger than glass and much less likely to "break." Why? Because glass is held together by silicone, whereas acrylic tanks are melted together at the seams. It is also more aesthetically pleasing unless you're going with a rimless low-iron glass tank.

Since you did say the tank you're looking at is starfire I'd say go for it. Best of both worlds IMO. Clarity of acrylic, resistance to scratching of glass. Can't beat that.

Just don't say that acrylic is an inferior medium, because thats far from the truth.

Im not saying acrylic isn't any good, but I have heard nothing but problems with most tanks. This is probably more of the manufactures problem. Most of the problem tank probably dont have the correct thickness of acrylic.

Is there a difference between starphire, and low-iron glass? I want something strong, and where it is a build in it doesn't matter if it has a rim. It wont show anyways..

I was actually thinking of having it made where the bottomg is sch80 pvc, and routed out for the glass to sit in. I dont know much about this though.. does anyone else?

SptfireXIV · #19 04/06/2007, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fareforce
Im not saying acrylic isn't any good, but I have heard nothing but problems with most tanks. This is probably more of the manufactures problem. Most of the problem tank probably dont have the correct thickness of acrylic.

Is there a difference between starphire, and low-iron glass? I want something strong, and where it is a build in it doesn't matter if it has a rim. It wont show anyways..

I was actually thinking of having it made where the bottomg is sch80 pvc, and routed out for the glass to sit in. I dont know much about this though.. does anyone else?

Starfire is just a fancy name for low-iron so that they can charge more for it

Its the same as calling a cutting board Starboard for bare bottom tanks.

PVC bottomed low-iron glass tanks are sexy.

atvdave · #20 04/06/2007, 10:16 PM

just a quick question.. How do you keep coralline off a acrylic tank with out.

1. scrubbing it every day with a acrylic safe pad?

2. scratching the hell out of it trying to keep the coralline off?