Starphire or not?

[cali_reef]

Someone asked me how to tell if a tank is built with Starphire glass or just plain old glass. Look for blue on the edge!!

Here is one of PPG product guide that shows the difference pretty well.

http://www.ppg.com/en/newsroom/news/Documents/EdgeColorGuide_4pg.pdf

I also have a picture in my cube tank thread that shows the different colors for 12mm thick glass. Just because someone "sold you" a starphire tank, it does not mean the tank is actually made from PPG Starphire glass.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Is nice to actually see it in comparison like that cant tell difference at all in the stores when it says is starphire... cool post.

 

[nyfynest22]

cant tell the difference niether

 

[Keith P]

I can tell on my tank. Only the front is starphire. Looking from the side then thru the front is night and day...

 

[jaa1456]

If you look at the front panel(starfire) from the side(edge) of it you can see it is almost clear. If you look through the edge of the regular it will be black looking or darker. Depending on the thickness of the glass.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Sure you can tell at home with it full and operating but is near impossible to tell in the lighting theyre kept in the stores with my eyes. Is usually some dust and aresnt the cleanest so is too hard for me personally to tell if it is or it isnt, but in calis post is the first time I saw the comparison.

 

[cali_reef]

You can tell if you are looking..

:biglaugh:

 

[jaa1456]

Yes you can tell even empty, if not use a flashlight. Have some one shine it through the other side and you can tell.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

jaa, ok all I was saying is that as they display them where they are placed and how the store is lit that "I" have a hard time knowing- Is why i found the thread to be a good one.....sorry im such a moron and dont bring a flashlight to look at a tank that I may buy in the future. Now I know Im a dumbs#$# thanks

But thanks cali for the last pic you put on there to see the blue in the panel edge.

 

[nybb1001]

starphire

can you tell the difference if you look at the tank from the front? I don't really care if it is greenish or clear from the side edge.

 

[jaa1456]

Jimmy wasn't meant like that, It was meant to help people tell the difference in general. And any good LFS should know the flashlight trick and should do it for you. Why do you have to respond like that? Just trying to help out.

 

[tosiek]

Thanks for the post Cali! There are 5 or so other big companies that supply low iron glass for tanks, the starfire that cali posted is the cleanest, most blue as well as the most expensive of them. The price is about 30% over what the other low iron glass companies charge and the difference isn't much in clarity and quality.

can you tell the difference if you look at the tank from the front? I don't really care if it is greenish or clear from the side edge.

Yes there is a difference. But its not super noticable.

Like KeithP said, if you have the chance to look at 1 tank from two sides, one starfire, one not, your going to notice it. And its like night and day. You really see the green. Its not something thats super noticable by itself alone, and the tank only really gets green on glass thicknesses 3/8" and over.

Your not gonna look at your reg glass tank and be like "crap, i wish i got starfire, its sooooo green". You just notice the green alot more when you have the comparison because your eyes are adjusted to the green compared to what you perceptually see the colors in the tank as. If you see something white in your tank, and its tinted green on your pictures or purple from actinics, your mind is still reading it as white when your looking at the tank even though it might be a different color slightly.

IMO, If you have the money to spend on it, and the difference now isn't much price wise, then spend it on a starfire tank over reg glass. Glasscages was going to sell me a 35g starfire rimless for the same price as a reg glass tank that size about 6 months ago, and i heard custom tank places have been charging less to get work.

 

[cali_reef]

Thanks for the post Cali! There are 5 or so other big companies that supply low iron glass for tanks, the starfire that cali posted is the cleanest, most blue as well as the most expensive of them. The price is about 30% over what the other low iron glass companies charge and the difference isn't much in clarity and quality.

Only one is branded\trademarked as "Starphire" but some places are calling lower quality "low iron glass" as Starphire, which is a lie.

 

[cali_reef]

This picture shows one piece being regular 1/2" glass and one Starphire 1/2" (12mm) glass, there is a slight difference between the two when you put a white background in both. You should get what you paid for if you are buying "Starphire" glass.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Jimmy wasn't meant like that, It was meant to help people tell the difference in general. And any good LFS should know the flashlight trick and should do it for you. Why do you have to respond like that? Just trying to help out.

I know no problem any little trick helps-am sorry I came off like that didnt mean it to sound harsh like it did. Have found cant trust some LFS on many matters was what I was tryin to get across didbnt mean to sound like a schmuck

 

[jaa1456]

No sweat Jimmy. And I i also see a company using "sapphire" also.

 

[tosiek]

We deal alot with true starfire white laminated glass (white lammy) and reg white lammy glass. I'll take pics of my glass samples tommorrow.