Acrylic??
- Thread starter Stuartf
- Start date
Jim Tansey
Well-Known Member
I just never got the acrylic thing, why do you want acrylic?
BiGGiePauls33
Current BRS President
@reefkeeper2 has a massive 427 gallon acrylic tank.
thespsguy
Non-member
I had severtal glass tanks and the new acrylics today I think are the best..My system is 900 gallons acrylic and a guy from Georgia came to install, the best price ever and great quality. Ifg you want I can give you his number. I highly recommend
afboundguy
Acan's are inedible candy
Theres pros and cons to glass tanks and acyrlic tanks. Acyrlic is supposed to be clearer and lighter weight than class but glass is more durable while being heavier. The starfire glass options help with clarity. Acyrlic scratches easier but you can buff it out while glass scratches are much harder to get out. Acrylic tanks arw glued/fused together glass tanks are pannels with silicone holding them together.
I don't see anything wrong with acrylic or glass tanks as they both have advantages and disadvantages...
I don't see anything wrong with acrylic or glass tanks as they both have advantages and disadvantages...
FREAKINRICAN69
Well-Known Member
Very interesting looking tank chief. Looks like it’ll be an awesome build. I’ve always done glass as acrylic would drive me nuts if it got scratched IMO!
To each it’s own and at the end of the day it’s what you like chief. But that’s a good looking tank chief.
To each it’s own and at the end of the day it’s what you like chief. But that’s a good looking tank chief.
Nhgoalstop
Non-member
I'm sure scratching acrylic sucks, but scratching glass is worse. Acrylic you can easily buff out. My next build will probably be acrylic. I found a company that does custom tanks and what ever scraps they have left over they make discounted tanks from and they look amazing.
Frag Freaks
Well-Known Member
I just purchased my first acrylic tank and love it. That bad as its said it can scratch easily so you need to be careful cleaning it. The good is that it can always be buffed out and this can actually be done filled with tank inhabitants.
I would invest in a nice micro-mesh kit with various grits to have on hand in the event you scratch. I found some light scratches in the tank after I had it filled. These were not deep so i got them out very easily. It gets a little more in depth for deep stuff but it can be done.
For the exterior I bought a Novus plastic polish kit.
I would invest in a nice micro-mesh kit with various grits to have on hand in the event you scratch. I found some light scratches in the tank after I had it filled. These were not deep so i got them out very easily. It gets a little more in depth for deep stuff but it can be done.
For the exterior I bought a Novus plastic polish kit.
this is me
I like turtles
I've looked at acrylic every time I do a new tank but always go with glass. The only true benefit to acrylic for me is the weight. But how many times do you need to move it?
Even though acrylic is clearer than glass, it gets hazy and scratches in no time. Sure you can buff the scratches out, but do you know how much work it is involved? And every time you buff it, you're removing the acrylic. After a couple times of deep scratches polishing, the acrylic will become distorted. I watched this polising acrylic tank and said why bother. LolAnd the scratches will just come back.
There are two parts to this process. So a good 20minutes of muscling with the magnet.
I'm also bothered by the look of the seams of acrylic. I guess I'm just accustomed to see black outline(silicone) rather than the opaque seam lines of acrylic.
Glass has come a long way in terms of clarity. You can get very low iron glass that is essentially the same clarity as acrylic with the hardness of glass.
I don't have a Diamond line Elos nor have I seen it and I'm sure it's just a marketing term from Elos for very low iron glass but they claim to get 92% clarity in line with acrylic.
www.elosamerica.com
Even though acrylic is clearer than glass, it gets hazy and scratches in no time. Sure you can buff the scratches out, but do you know how much work it is involved? And every time you buff it, you're removing the acrylic. After a couple times of deep scratches polishing, the acrylic will become distorted. I watched this polising acrylic tank and said why bother. LolAnd the scratches will just come back.
There are two parts to this process. So a good 20minutes of muscling with the magnet.
I'm also bothered by the look of the seams of acrylic. I guess I'm just accustomed to see black outline(silicone) rather than the opaque seam lines of acrylic.
Glass has come a long way in terms of clarity. You can get very low iron glass that is essentially the same clarity as acrylic with the hardness of glass.
I don't have a Diamond line Elos nor have I seen it and I'm sure it's just a marketing term from Elos for very low iron glass but they claim to get 92% clarity in line with acrylic.
ELOS - The Aquarium Company: Diamond LIne Aquarium | ELOS America
ELOS Diamond Line: Hand Made Italian Aquarium.
www.elosamerica.com
Nhgoalstop
Non-member
Do acrylic tanks blow seams? I read at least one post a week on R2R about tanks blowing seams and it's always a glass tank.
this is me
I like turtles
It's very unlikely that an acrylic tank seam will fail. It's essentially welded together and is homogenous so it's like it's a single piece IF the seams are welded right.
Acrylic will flex more than glass. This is why you don't see a rimless acrylic tank and the tank always has eurobracing and/or cross bracing at the top.
Acrylic will flex more than glass. This is why you don't see a rimless acrylic tank and the tank always has eurobracing and/or cross bracing at the top.
Nhgoalstop
Non-member
I know a company that makes rimless, they just use thicker acrylic.
this is me
I like turtles
Yes, thicker acrylic than glass. But now you're throwing away the weight advantage. And thicker acrylic does not do anything with the scratch department.
Don't get me wrong. There's certainly scenerios where I would want acrylic over glass. The sump!
OP
OP
Stuartf
Non-member
Message sent, I’m leaning towards getting the tank. I feel like it’s just too cool and good of a deal to pass up.
FREAKINRICAN69
Well-Known Member
I'm with you, it looks nice and very interesting character...
Frag Freaks
Well-Known Member
I upgraded to 3/4" when I had mine built so I could eliminate the center brace. However I have a 2" euro brace all the way around. The 3/4" was a better grade and produced better clarity on top of the strength. When its cleaned, its just as clear as high grade glass tanks.
Nhgoalstop
Non-member
I've seen some nice acrylics side by side to glass and the clarity is usually much better on acrylic vs glass.
