Kessil

Glass versus acrylic tanks.

Aren't Acrylic tanks supposed to be more earthquake friendly as well? Not that I really am that concerned. If we have something big enough to affect my tank I am sure I will have much bigger things to worry about.
 
Glass- thicker panes get that green tint. You can avoid this with starfire panes, but that's more $$. Glass is heavier, but in most cases not that big of a deal (unless going up mult. staircases). Won't scratch as easily, but definitely harder (if not impossible) to get the scratches out.

acrylic- usually clearer. A lot lighter than glass tanks. Easily scratched, although can be buffed out with some elbow grease. I think they run more $$ new (never really bought one new).


This is not an exhaustive list, but just something to get you started. Hope it helps.
 
[quote author=seminolecpa link=topic=4859.msg59210#msg59210 date=1224176792]
Aren't Acrylic tanks supposed to be more earthquake friendly as well? Not that I really am that concerned. If we have something big enough to affect my tank I am sure I will have much bigger things to worry about.
[/quote]
I'd question what rational people would use to determine what "earthquake friendly" is. Acrylic can bow, but so can glass, glass can crack and break, and so can acrylic :D. In the end it's how much stronger is Acrylic for flexing over glass when it's a tank full of water? And I think you hit the nail on the head, anything strong enough to do serious damage probably doesn't need to worry about the tank in the first.
 
Acrylic is bonded not glued, so the seams are extremely strong. Water sloshing in a glass tank can cause a seam to rupture.

Custom acrylic is cheaper than custom glass.

Both have their upsides and downsides, it depends on what your actually trying to do.
 
I hate cleaning acrylic. I love razorblading glass. This is one of the biggest driving force for me.


Of course, you guys could avoid the whole glass seam issue and get an ADA 1 piece tank :p$$$$
 
True acrylic is bonded instead of glued... so seams are stronger... however as in my case the weakest point isn't the seams but the damn acrylic itself :D

I'm with Tony... I never could get the scratches out of the tank when I got a few years back... used a razor blade on it, and it slowly got worse and worse, now it'll make a damn fine sump :D
 
Mighty Magnets make some fine acrylic cleaning products, and honestly it takes me no longer to clean an acrylic tank than a glass. You just need to take the time and learn how to do it properly. BTW one slip with the razor on a glass tank and you may be running for some buckets.
 
Acrylic isn't hard to clean if you keep up on it. Cleaning it every day makes it easy. Clean it once a week and it is a LOT harder.
 
[quote author=Gomer link=topic=4859.msg59246#msg59246 date=1224188098]
I hate cleaning acrylic. I love razorblading glass. This is one of the biggest driving force for me.


Of course, you guys could avoid the whole glass seam issue and get an ADA 1 piece tank :p$$$$
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LOL a 17 gallon one piece tank is 2000 dollars. They don't make them any bigger than that. haha
 
Has anyone here had an aquarium actually fail in an earthquake? If so, was it glass or acrylic and did it break in a panel or at a seam?

I prefer glass for ease of cleaning and scratch resistance too, but I have to admit that those silicone seams make me nervous.
 
Happen to have a sump? with glass baffles? Try to pull them apart, silicone has some excellent strength, granted not as much as properly done acrylic seams, but it's still strong, granted the pressure at the bottom of 24" tall tank may be less than 1 PSI, but there's a lot of square inches over the face.

I did hear one story about someone's 55g tank during the 89 earthquake, and apparently it moved quite a few inches off the stand, yet didn't break (glass)
 
[quote author=iani link=topic=4859.msg59256#msg59256 date=1224197184]

LOL a 17 gallon one piece tank is 2000 dollars. They don't make them any bigger than that. haha
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WTH.. 17G cost $2000?? Only idiot would pay for that.. :D

Oh I like glass tank.. acrylic tank is good for sump ;D ..
 
I remember one of the tank of the months in reefkeeper was this European tank that had this 6 meter front pane that was one long piece of glass that was bent to be concave to assist with outward pressure... now there'd be a worry if it ever popped!
 
[quote author=iani link=topic=4859.msg59282#msg59282 date=1224206760]
Phong are you calling me an idiot? Jk, no way would I ever buy one of those.
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hahaha.. If you are that rich, you wouldn't buy WMS tank LOL ...
 
i had a 20 g glass tank crack and shatter on me during the LomaP. earth quake. Granted I lived the SF Marina at the time. All my tanks now are acrylic.
 
True, glass is easier maintenance.

I just recieved the algae dozer pad from mightymagnets.com it works really well on coraline and everything. It actually has a plastic piece shaped like a triangle on the pad that acts as a scraper on the acrylic.
 
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