glass or acrylic

mrw1125 · #1 03/17/2006, 07:52 PM

Im planning a 180-240 gallon fowlr and i was wondering wich one would be better in the long run. Also would like to add that i move every two years and would need the one that would hold up better.

Johnic · #2 03/17/2006, 10:30 PM

Acrylic would hold up better than glass if you are going to be moving it around every 2 years...glass would not hold up as well, the joints might flex and leak after time.

hdtvguy · #3 03/18/2006, 01:30 AM

Well I have never owned a acrylic tank before! Glass tanks are heavy and a pain to move trust me had a 240g and had to move it! If you say you will be moving every 2 years I would say go acrylic. It is so much easier to move around weight wise. But be aware acrylic is very easy to scratch but it can be buffed out with a lot of elbow grease!

marrone · #4 03/18/2006, 10:01 PM

It seems if your going to move around that much you could just sell the tank and get a new one. The cost and time of cleaning out the tank and moving it would be offset by the difference between what you sell the tank for and the new tank.

Also if you go with an acrylic tank you need to worry that it's going to get scratch in the move and probably has scratches already. This way you get a new clean tank.

woodywoo · #5 03/19/2006, 12:14 AM

IMO Glass is good for a FOWLR because most people want triggers and puffers. But if you don't want those then Acrylic is the way to go.

supernareg · #6 03/19/2006, 05:41 AM

acrylic hazes over time, glass stays crystal clear. i'll NEVER go acrylic again.

buldog · #7 03/19/2006, 07:09 AM

The acrylic should not turn yellow or change in clarity, unless it is exposed to paint fumes. If the acrylic for the tank is not U.S., then it might turn yellow over time. My 7 year old tank is as clear as the day I bought it. It has even been exposed to a little paint fumes.

LRS078 · #8 03/19/2006, 07:36 AM

I'm way partial to glass but if you think there is any possibility you will have any puffer (or trigger, but certainly ANY puffer) go glass. A puffer can trash an acrylic tank in moments. If you can afford to sell/buy don't, hire movers w' insurance....

If you there is never going to be anything with teeth or a beak in there then you can go acrylic.

That said, just picked up a used 140 gal Odell glass tank that is nearly 20 years old and is nicer than anything I've seen for sale (oceanic/all glass/etc) lately so if its a quality tank to start with age favors glass.

What do you plan on keeping in the tank?

marrone · #9 03/19/2006, 08:13 AM

I've had my acrylic tanks for about 4 years and they're are as clear as the day I got them, also acrylic is way clearier then glass even the starfire glass that some people use. Because it was so clear I was able to use less lights, even though it was a much bigger tank, height was an additional 1', and the tanks looked brightier and it actually glowed.

One you go acrylic from the look of it you'll never want a glass tank again.

By the way you can stratch glass also and unlike acrylic you can't take out the scratches.

mrw1125 · #10 03/19/2006, 02:17 PM

thank you all for the input i was going to have a puffer and triggers so i think ill just stay with the glass. The tank is going to be built in the wall so more than likely when somone buys my home they will want the tank anyway. I had no ideah that a puffer or trigger could mess up a acrylic tank

marrone · #11 03/19/2006, 02:31 PM

Puffers differently will put scratches into the glass but I have large triggers and not one of them every put a scratch into the acrylic. Probably because my tank is large they're never have to go close to the front glass and start biting the glass, like some triggers do. Also they're well feed.

LRS078 · #12 03/19/2006, 04:03 PM

Why puffers and acrylic are a bad combo...

viggen · #13 03/19/2006, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by supernareg
acrylic hazes over time, glass stays crystal clear. i'll NEVER go acrylic again.

Like someone else stated if it hazes it was built wrong & also possibly made of crappy materials. I had a acrylic tank for 12 years & it was 4 yrs old when I purchased it & it still looked like it was brand new!!!! My last 240g was yellow & full of scratches but it was not built properly & turned yellow less then 2yrs after it was made. But the price was CHEAP & it was a temporary tank for me.

My present 260g is made of acrylite AR which is a scratch resistant acrylic which is actually harder to scarth then a glass tank. I just have 1 trigget & fortunantly he isn't someone who likes biting the tank because like the pic above shows puffers can scratch tanks & so can triggers. That being said if I scratch my AR tank then just like glass the scratches cannot be removed

I have had numerous glass & acrylic tanks & I definantly prefer acrylic. You just have to be CAREFULL!!!!

My next 525g FO will be acrylic

jjcrim · #14 03/19/2006, 04:40 PM

bump

randt122 · #15 03/19/2006, 07:12 PM

if your are really anal about scratching your tank, then get glass. Acrylic tends to scratch better than glass but is lighter.

paulpp187 · #16 03/19/2006, 07:40 PM

viggen where did you get your tank? and how much more was it compared to just a reg acrylic tank.

sschafer · #17 03/19/2006, 08:35 PM

Can anyone recommend a good custom Acrylic tank make in the North East? I know Envison Acrylic is supposed to be really good, but I'm hoping to avoid the shipping expenses from the West Coast if at all possible.

Thanks,

Steve

viggen · #18 03/19/2006, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by paulpp187
viggen where did you get your tank? and how much more was it compared to just a reg acrylic tank.

I got a killer deal on the thing... it's 6ft x 32 x 30 (or something like that) & I purchased it from a friend of mine actually. He does a lot of the big installs for aqua art & also for ostrom mfg. The tank I have was chipped when it was crated up thus they built a new tank for the guy & I picked it up new for $600

This is wactually how I purchased my last new tank... also a little chip in the front & I saved a LOT on that to!!! Anyways... to my knowledge, the AR acrylic is a $500-600 option on this tank!

http://www.aquartaquariums.com/
http://www.ostrommfg.com/index.html

These shops are both located around Columbus Ohio & do great work.

hope it helps

jjcrim · #19 03/19/2006, 09:56 PM

Glass

jjcrim · #20 03/19/2006, 09:57 PM

no maybe acrylic

king1522 · #21 03/19/2006, 10:06 PM

I own an acyrlic tank. I have a Oceanic glass on order and never plan on an acyrlic again. I moved my acyrlic from Corpus Cristii, TX to Jocotepec Old Mexico. One year later, I moved it from Mexico to Dallas. It held up well, but the scratches are terrible. I tried to remove them when in Mexico with an aqcrylic scratch remover. Worked like the devil on it, but was not really satisified with the results.

Don

mrw1125 · #22 03/21/2006, 09:05 PM

bump