Acrylic vs. glass tanks

[cginflorida]

I'm researching 55 gal + tanks and stands, and am leaning toward acrylic. I like the idea of the lighter weight for such large tanks, and I don't mind the extra expense.

I'd like to get opinions from everybody, pros and cons?

Also, has anyone dealt with BestPetSupply.com? They sell SeaClear acrylic aquariums in a size that would fit a stand I'm considering, a Sedona wood stand which is beautiful.

TIA

 

[fishfreek]

Its very true that acrylic tanks will be alot more expensive than the glass counterparts. Unless you get up above 120 gal I would still stick with glass. The tradeoffs with glass is the additional weight but what you also get is the ristance to scratches. Acrylic is so soft that if not careful the gravel substrate or even a sandy substrate can cause scratches on the inside of the tank.

The benifits of acrlyic is that in large tanks 180+ they can appear to be more clear. WHen your dealing with glass thats close to 3/4" thick it can cause a greenish hue.

 

[cginflorida]

I know there are scratch removers made for aquariums. Do you know how well they work?

 

[fishfreek]

I think most of them incluede some form of abrasive that basicly buffs out the scratch. These are fine for outside scratches but inside scratches would require draning of the tank probably. Expecially if there is a buffing cream.

 

[WarOrks15]

yes if you want to buffs out the scratchs you will have to drain the tank. i was going to do that to my 12 gal but then i saw that the tank has to be dryed 1st.

 

[cginflorida]

Hmmmm, that's definitely something to think about. Do they really get scratched that easily, though?

 

[WarOrks15]

i dont know the kit was like 25 and i took the tank down a few months ago and just have been very lazy and not gotten it. i have only found it at one place. none of the lfs around me have it. and there is like about 5 of them i go to. drfosterand smith.com has it. dont know if it works tho. maybe when i think about setting upt hat tank again i will get it. but i like glass better then the acrylic. are you goign with fw or sw?

 

[cginflorida]

FW for now, but someday I'll definitely try sw. There's a sw lfs a couple miles from my house. I was in there the other day looking at their tanks and stands, and it was so cool. They had everything, and the fish, corals and inverts were so pretty. I want to get more experience before I go to that, tho.

 

[cginflorida]

Thanks for the advice, everybody. I've decided to get a glass tank after all, because of the scratch situation with the acrylic.

 

[flatzboy]

Good choice!

 

[Guest]

All my tanks are currently acrylic. IMO you can't beat the view through an acylic tank. Not to mention the huge weight savings on largers tanks. Factor in strentgh and its easy. The only downfall is the price.

My LFS has nothing but TruVu acrylics tiered three high. The first time I seen them climbing on the bottum two tiers, I about @^#* 8O . They climb around on thier tanks like its a jungle gym. Amazing strength to weight ratio.

You just have to use a little more caution when setting up and cleaning acrylic. As long as your careful not to gouge the inside with rock, driftwood decor etc... while setting up or clean the bottum half inch when scrubbing the inside, you'll be fine (you don't want to get a piece of substrate in your cleaning pad while scrubbing).

I've seen were theres repair fits for scratches on the inside, but I've never used them. As far as scratches on the outside. Most can be polished out with regular car wax. I've got so much car wax on the outside of my tanks, a drop of water rolls off faster than grease lightning 8)