Acrylic or glass?

[Manta1]

Hi

Been planning a 200gal systemised reef and was pretty much set on Deltec/Aquamedic. Lately a british company has been marketing Tenecor systems.

I know acrylic is more popular stateside so are they to be recommended?
Is scratching still a major con or are there ways around this?

TIA 8)

 

[Len]

I eventually decided to go with glass for my 176 gallon tank. Acrylic is lighter, more transparent, and more "customizable" then glass, but I didn't want to deal with the scratches nor the potential fracturing from lots of halides over the tank. After all, this tank will likely be in service for the next decade.

 

[Unarce]

The scratches drive me nuts in my acrylic tank. I'd like to go glass next time, but the fear of leaks gets my wife worried. I've heard of some companies working on double-layered tanks (acrylic outside - glass inside), but I don't know how far we are from that.

I'd go with low-iron glass on a 200g. It makes a huge difference on how the light passes through.

 

[Anonymous]

THat is the major drawback to acrylic, is the scratches..which too drive me nutz..I wont own large acrylic tanks..I have a small .68gal acrylic and i can see the scratches...drives me batty...And Len, You are doing ILL TEMPERED SEA BASS in that 176 arent ya :twisted: :wink:

 

[Entacmaea]

Reefnutz- I noticed you are also in Northern California- I'm shopping for a new tank in the next three months and am weighing the earthquake factor- I'm in SF. I think I will be in the 90-120g range. For this size, do you think that glass is still safe/practical? I have never had acrylic, only glass, and I think the scratches will drive me crazy too, especially since this tank I think we will run for a number of years. But then again, scratches are better than cracked glass and a wet floor during the next quake...

 

[spsmike]

Heres a nice break down in table style.
http://www.saltcreep.com/forums/faq.php ... vs_acrylic

 

[Unarce]

Reefnutz- I noticed you are also in Northern California- I'm shopping for a new tank in the next three months and am weighing the earthquake factor- I'm in SF. I think I will be in the 90-120g range. For this size, do you think that glass is still safe/practical? I have never had acrylic, only glass, and I think the scratches will drive me crazy too, especially since this tank I think we will run for a number of years. But then again, scratches are better than cracked glass and a wet floor during the next quake...

I'd like to test how well the "abrasion resistant" acrylic works in spsmike's link.

Considering that the usual shake would do no worse than shift some rock and splash some water around in a 120g, I'd probably just go with glass. If it's a tremor that can move, shift, and crack a large tank, chances are, the tank's going to be the least of your problems.

 

[Jolieve]

I have a 75 gallon acrylic tank. Acrylic is very pretty, and the rounded corners on the front make for a nice contemporary look to the tank itself, but the scratches are a huge problem. Having acrylic nails and working in an acrylic tank is interesting because if I swipe my hand the wrong way, I could end up scratching the tank. (Hard to believe, but I have done it.)

The good news about acrylic is that scratches are relatively easy to repair, but glass doesn't scratch as much.

My next tank will likely be large enough that I won't have a choice but to go with acrylic. Glass will be too heavy, but if I had it to do over again, I probably would purchase a 75 gallon glass tank, as opposed to an acrylic one.

J.

 

[Anonymous]

I know acrylic is more popular stateside so are they to be recommended?

Actually, I doubt this is true. Everybody I know uses glass.

 

[Manta1]

Thanx guys, consensus seems to suggest glass is better overall.

 

[Anonymous]

For some reason scratches have never been a problem for me with my acrylic tanks. I have a 200 and a 125g with no scratches. Just be careful when you are cleaning and moving things.

 

[KNYHUS]

I currently have A 90 gallon acrylic tank replaced my 90 glass. Was skeptical at first but was very frusterated. The reason I was replacing the glass tank was because it was starting to leak at the seams. (seperate) And I have seen this happen to other tanks, plus the new acrylic tank was reef ready. Now as far as the scratches go Yes they happen I actually think you can be to careful. My wife decided to clean some alge off the tank I had an acrylic safe magnet cleaner, however she got to close to the sand bed, picked up a grain of sand well you no the rest. Recently tore it down to move but was able to remove all scratches. The tank is like new agaion. I have been told they can be removed with the water in the tank as i can possibaly see do to the fact i wet sanded mine. I will never go back to glass.

 

[spsmike]

I currently have A 90 gallon acrylic tank replaced my 90 glass. Was skeptical at first but was very frusterated. The reason I was replacing the glass tank was because it was starting to leak at the seams. (seperate) And I have seen this happen to other tanks, plus the new acrylic tank was reef ready. Now as far as the scratches go Yes they happen I actually think you can be to careful. My wife decided to clean some alge off the tank I had an acrylic safe magnet cleaner, however she got to close to the sand bed, picked up a grain of sand well you no the rest. Recently tore it down to move but was able to remove all scratches. The tank is like new agaion. I have been told they can be removed with the water in the tank as i can possibaly see do to the fact i wet sanded mine. I will never go back to glass.

When you have to worry about one little grain of sand then its not worth it.

 

[yellowfiji]

For some reason scratches have never been a problem for me with my acrylic tanks. I have a 200 and a 125g with no scratches. Just be careful when you are cleaning and moving things.

How do you avoid scratches on your acrylic tanks?

 

[Anonymous]

After living through the catastophe of having my 58g oceanic tank leak from one of the seams, there was no way I was going to get another glass tank. I had my 69g acrylic tank custom made. I now rest easier knowing that tank will not fail. Scratches can occur, but I am careful about the cleaning. I also love the clarity!

mitch

 

[Anonymous]

I have had a glass tank before. They can and will scratch. One there they are mostly permanent. I set up my first acrylic tank a few weeks ago so I have yet to encounter any scratches, which I'm sure will happen over time. I like that I "should " be able to buff them out if I need to. I'll just have to see how this tank looks after 7 years and 3 moves to compare.

 

[Manta1]

Hmmm.... :roll: lots of diff opinions, what to choose......