Glass Vs. Acrylic

[Shep]

Hey,

So is the extra cost worth it for acrylic tanks or is it not really that great?


Thanks!
-Tom

 

[RockStacker]

Acrylic panels have much higher threshold before they crack. Under typical home aquarium conditions it would be unlikely to crack acrylic.
And if it does crack, you can use the solvent to reseal the crack.

The sealing process for acrylic tanks also fuse the individual panels into a single piece so the tank will have higher tolerances for stress.
Compare that to glass that use adhesives to hold the panels together.

Acrylic however, is very susceptible to scratching/hazing.
Things that would normally not scratch glass could easily scratch acrylic. So you have to be very careful with what rubs against the acrylic (inside and outside).

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Glass!

 

[MitchReef]

As for the acrylic being less likely to crack I just have one comment....I've been in the hobby for a long time and have only heard of two glass tanks "cracking." One was a defectively made HUGE tank (like 500 or 600 gallons) and a 55 that guys were trying to move partially filled. They bumped the corner of a table while carrying it and it suddenly became verrrry light!

I don't see the significance of the cracking issue...I do, however prefer glass because of the scratching issue....

 

[Sakura2282]

1+ glass

 

[Shep]

Someone told me that acrylic lets more light pass through so it makes the tank look clearer, is this true or total B.S?

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

I call b.s.
Husbandtry is the way you make your tank "clean."

 

[Aquarian]

I call b.s.
Husbandtry is the way you make your tank "clean."

I believe he said CLEAR not clean.

I've heard this as well but I don't know if its true or not. I have always had glass tanks.

 

[2XAl]

Ive read that common glass transmits around 80% of light, acrylic closer to 90%. There are specialty glasses that get north of 87%, but glass cannot match acrylic. That article was a couple of years old, perhaps theres new technology...

 

[RockStacker]

Someone told me that acrylic lets more light pass through so it makes the tank look clearer, is this true or total B.S?

This may be true for really thick panels. For typical home aquariums, I do not think that the extra 10% clarity would be even discernible.

 

[Shep]

Cool, thanks everyone for the info. Now to pick the shape lol

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Square seems to be the new rectangle?

 

[kbuser92]

Rectangles are for squares.

I think the advantages of using acryllic offset cost in one scenario: scientific research. When everything needs to be as clean and clear as possible.

 

[ErinCahir]

Or reaaaaaaaaaally big tanks. The view gets distorted when it's really thick glass.

 

[kbuser92]

But is it going to be noticeable, even in that case, Erin? And on large tanks, doesn't the cost for acryllic start to get closer to glass, anyways?

 

[ErinCahir]

I was talking about like, public aquarium sized tanks. Like tens and hundreds of thousands of gallons.

 

[kbuser92]

Gotchya. So are we agreeing that the cost isn't worth it unless for purely personal preferences?

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Agree to nothing, take no prisoners!

 

[ErinCahir]

Absolutely. I'll always prefer glass if only for the "less likely to scratch" reason.

 

[2XAl]

Until you have to carry a tank up flights of stairs. Then acrylic is awesome