Acrylic or glass for a 7ft tank

chuckbuc · 01/31/2017, 06:07 PM

What to get glass or acrylic ....after my last disaster ...I'm thinking about 84x36x30. I'm debating after my last 300 gallon glass tank leaking of going with acrylic instead of glass ..what would u go with ? What's the downfalls to acrylic ?they seam like they would be stronger than glass .besides the scratching part

PirateToast · 01/31/2017, 10:12 PM

The scratching is the main issue. They are beautiful tanks, solidly built, the seams look awesome, clarity is great, but those damn scratches can be annoying. There are ways to fix the scratches though.

mickey204 · 01/31/2017, 10:36 PM

I went from glass to acrylic and now back to glass.

The care required and risk of serious scratches ended up being the deciding factor.

Realistically, the majority of hobbyists never maintain the glass work religiously and even if we did, life gets in the way, our family will clean it without knowing their might be sand in the mag float, and when it gets on there good I just wanted a darn razor blade lol

Personally acrylic will only be for sumps from now on.

oldpaddy · 02/01/2017, 06:38 AM

I've worked on both acrylic and glass tanks. I'd always go with glass. A twenty years old acrylic tank never looks as good as a twenty year old glass tank.

Vio · 02/02/2017, 05:41 PM

acrylic, but NO sand for me, i got 220 gal. and 300 gal. get NO more than 30" H, pain to clean the corners.

slief · 02/02/2017, 08:19 PM

I've got both glass and acrylic tanks. For smaller tank, I'd lean towards glass but for large tanks, I'd only go with a well built acrylic tank. Unlike glass, you can remove scratches from acrylic. Plus you don't need to worry about seams failing because there isn't any silicone. That said, I also prefer bare bottom but in large part due to the cleanliness of the tank and not having to worry about detritus. I maintain very high flow in my tanks so detritus is never an issue. I had my 480 gallon display custom made about 23 years ago and it's held up beautifully. If I get scratches, I just break out my scratch removal kit and make them go away with my Mighty Magnets. Every year or two I put some elbow grease into scratch removal. I do it with the tank fully stocked and it always restores the viewing panes to like new condition. If you are interested in how I do that, I have a thread on this forum documenting the entire process including pictures and videos.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2538092

jeffhaag · 02/02/2017, 09:07 PM

I be had acrylic and glass from 90gal all the way to 500gal. The durability of glass just can't be beat! Of course, you never do hear about seams failing on an acrylic tank. It's really your personal preference. You really can't go wrong with either.

ca1ore · 02/02/2017, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffhaag

I be had acrylic and glass from 90gal all the way to 500gal. The durability of glass just can't be beat! Of course, you never do hear about seams failing on an acrylic tank. It's really your personal preference. You really can't go wrong with either.

Au contraire, seam failure on an acrylic tank does happen. Glass tanks are just more common so there's a greater installed base for things to go wrong. I always go glass because I'm a clutz. Chap local to me has a beautiful acrylic tank, perhaps he will comment (think he had a seam blow, cannot recall for sure).

chuckbuc · 02/02/2017, 09:39 PM

That's my biggest fear .blowing a seam or like my glass 300 gallon leaking at the bottom seam ....I just want a bullet proof tank

01/31/2017, 06:07 PM	#1
chuckbuc Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: lindenhurst ,ny Posts: 1,154	Acrylic or glass for a 7ft tank What to get glass or acrylic ....after my last disaster ...I'm thinking about 84x36x30. I'm debating after my last 300 gallon glass tank leaking of going with acrylic instead of glass ..what would u go with ? What's the downfalls to acrylic ?they seam like they would be stronger than glass .besides the scratching part

02/02/2017, 08:19 PM	#6
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	I've got both glass and acrylic tanks. For smaller tank, I'd lean towards glass but for large tanks, I'd only go with a well built acrylic tank. Unlike glass, you can remove scratches from acrylic. Plus you don't need to worry about seams failing because there isn't any silicone. That said, I also prefer bare bottom but in large part due to the cleanliness of the tank and not having to worry about detritus. I maintain very high flow in my tanks so detritus is never an issue. I had my 480 gallon display custom made about 23 years ago and it's held up beautifully. If I get scratches, I just break out my scratch removal kit and make them go away with my Mighty Magnets. Every year or two I put some elbow grease into scratch removal. I do it with the tank fully stocked and it always restores the viewing panes to like new condition. If you are interested in how I do that, I have a thread on this forum documenting the entire process including pictures and videos. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2538092 __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

01/31/2017, 10:12 PM	#2
PirateToast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 537	The scratching is the main issue. They are beautiful tanks, solidly built, the seams look awesome, clarity is great, but those damn scratches can be annoying. There are ways to fix the scratches though.

01/31/2017, 10:36 PM	#3
mickey204 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 141	I went from glass to acrylic and now back to glass. The care required and risk of serious scratches ended up being the deciding factor. Realistically, the majority of hobbyists never maintain the glass work religiously and even if we did, life gets in the way, our family will clean it without knowing their might be sand in the mag float, and when it gets on there good I just wanted a darn razor blade lol Personally acrylic will only be for sumps from now on.

02/01/2017, 06:38 AM	#4
oldpaddy Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cape Cod, Mass Posts: 326	I've worked on both acrylic and glass tanks. I'd always go with glass. A twenty years old acrylic tank never looks as good as a twenty year old glass tank.

02/02/2017, 05:41 PM	#5
Vio Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 77	acrylic, but NO sand for me, i got 220 gal. and 300 gal. get NO more than 30" H, pain to clean the corners.

02/02/2017, 09:07 PM	#7
jeffhaag Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Chickamauga, GA Posts: 442	I be had acrylic and glass from 90gal all the way to 500gal. The durability of glass just can't be beat! Of course, you never do hear about seams failing on an acrylic tank. It's really your personal preference. You really can't go wrong with either.

02/02/2017, 09:39 PM	#9
chuckbuc Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: lindenhurst ,ny Posts: 1,154	That's my biggest fear .blowing a seam or like my glass 300 gallon leaking at the bottom seam ....I just want a bullet proof tank