Glass vs. Acrylic

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gard

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Apr 19, 2005
Messages
19
Location
South Dakota
I'm going to buy a 29 gallon freshwater tank and I am wondering what are the pros/cons of a glass tank and an acrylic tank?

Which one is better?
 
Cons Glass: Heavy, can crack, needs level surface, can leak, has more sealent
Pros Acrylic: Light, does not crack, does not need as much sealent, can be curved, retains heat sometimes, can block out some uv light.

Pros Glass: Doesn't get scratched easily, Cheaper, more crystal clear, easy to clean
Cons Acrylic: Scratches easily, more expensive, depending on quality as not as clear as glass, harder to clean as most good scrubbers scratch

BTW: smaller aquariums are fine with acrylic but larger tanks are usually made of glass. I myself have a 24 gallon acrylic and it is fine. It has a curved front so it looks very nice.

Hope that helps.
 
I think glass is easier to work with. you dont have to be so delicate with it.
Acrylic is lighter and easier to set up but my next tank is going to be glass. Just because its cheaper and easier to maintain
 
Cheap acrylic tanks can be trouble because they may be made from extruded acrylic instead of cast. When you start working with larger acrylic tanks, they often need more center support, stronger adhesive/silicone, and thicker material. The thicker material is what bugs me because, as stated, it really cuts down on crystal clarity. I've been working with cast acrylics for years now (I build custom enclosures, thought never an aquarium yet). Even 3/8" cast can become very cloudy if not worked with correctly.

I agree with everything else stated.
 
Use a fine cloth and something like Novus Polish. Scratches on acrylic are easily buffed right out, as long as they're not too deep.
 
I'll give it a try, i think it was more of the shock of seeing it scratched so easily more than anything. I wont be buying an acrylic tank in the future unless it's dirt cheap.
 
cougaran said:
I wont be buying an acrylic tank in the future unless it's dirt cheap.

This statement kind of contradicts itself.... in certain situations. As I mentioned, often the cheap acrylic tanks are made from extruded acrylic. This material isn't a top quality acrylic so it scratches easier, can't hold as well, is cheaper, etc. Buy a cheap acrylic tank and you this could happen again. Spend the extra money and get a good acrylic tank and you may be surprised (though it's still not glass).
 
Not really, in another words I wont be buying an acrylic at all unless its on a clearance rack for a $1, then I could easily tollerate it. Regardless if the more expensive ones don't scratch so easily, I dont think it's worth the investment.
 
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