UltraWhite vs Starphire?

[luminary]

Can anyone comment on the quality differences between the UltraWhite and Starphire brands? I'm getting quotes on a custom tank and need to know what the optical properties are like between the two brands of glass.

[luminary]

Someone's gotta have an idea?!?

[luckyfish]

I can only comment on what I have been told by an aquarium builder. These are just different brand names used by differant companies to denote glass that has been cooled while over a large magnet that pulls the iron down (out). Hope this helps but you may have already been aware of this.

[Xjinn]

i would bet money that low iron glass is low iron glass is low iron glass

-steve

[luminary]

That's my thoughts as well, but I've read a couple of (unsubstantiated) comments on here that suggest otherwise. It didn't seem as though the people making those claims really had any direct knowledge.

[scubadude]

Its been a while since I studied the types of glass but when I was studying them It was referred to me as Opti White not UltraWhite, however maybe Ultra White is a newer upgraded version of Opti-White?!? :confused: What I was told was that Opti White had the clarity of starphire but also brings out the brilliance of colors in corals a bit more, I was also told that when you get longer tanks that the glass would look a bit contorted from the Opti White.....Ya know those full tank pics of Bowfronts that makes it look like your looking through a magnifying glass? Thats what I picture....I didnt want the obtrusiveness from taking pictures so I opted for no Opti White. I was told the best way is to see a picture of a long tank w/ corals and SW already in it b4 you decide to buy a tank w/ opti white but at that time it was new on the market and being seriously considered to be a recalled glass. Ill try and get the pics I had of the sample glass. HTH and doesnt just confuse you more.....Wat size tank you fixin to have built Matt?

Rocky

[luminary]

The Ultrawhite (http://www.guardian.com/en/na/gp_001018.html) is the glass that www.glasscages.com uses. I did a quick look and OptiWhite is from yet another manufacturer.

The tank is going to be 60Lx36Wx20H. It's going to be a see through tank in this wall:

http://www.liquidchaos.net/photography/newhouse/P6290095.jpg

I've gotten a quote to do it in acrylic from John. Shopping around for a glass quote now. I'm a bit hesitant about going acrylic mainly because I've never had one before.

[scubadude]

I notiece the ultra white has TM all over it
Do you know if this Ultra white is made by PPG (Pittsburgh Plate Glass)? If so they are the same ppl that made what im thinking was called the opti white. Ask your manufacturer if he has some pics of tanks filled w/ water made of this type of glass....be very interesting to see some good pics of the glass in action. Not just samples of the glass...it can look alot different when it is filled w/water.

Is this gonna have a CA reac (sps in system?) on it? If so I would stay away from acrylic Matt....cuz it will grow coralline algae on the panels which means alot of scraping and im sure you have heard that the acrylic will scratch much easier than glass....Just my 2 cents bro...sounds like a pretty nice setup and all avenues should be considered.

[ReeferMac]

Dunno the difference, but....

I bought a "Starphire" tank from InterAmerican (no, not going to debate that one, that's just what I was sold).
I broke one of the braces, and replaced it with a piece of "Lo-Iron Glass" from a local glass shop. There is a difference in appearance between the two glasses... not drastic, it's very minimal, but... I can see a difference. I would try contacting PPG directly, and talk to them. Be very frank w/ your tank builders, and ask exactly WHAT glass they are selling you (ask for manufacturer part numbers to corroborate w/ PPG, don't take any kind of marketing term at face value - salespeople lie).

- Mac

[Jamesurq]

Here's the spec sheet on optiwhite:
http://www.pilkington.com/resources/optiwhite.pdf

Here's the spec sheet on starfire:
http://www.ppg.com/gls_commercial/default.asp

You make the call.

[Jamesurq]

essentially identical information

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I can only comment on what I have been told by an aquarium builder. These are just different brand names used by differant companies to denote glass that has been cooled while over a large magnet that pulls the iron down (out).

:lol:

Low iron glass is, I believe, made by starting out with low iron raw materials before melting, not by sucking iron out with a magnet. :D