Tanks Tanks Tanks

[noahwnw]

I should of put this question in my previous thread but didnt sorry.

So im interested in the pros and cons of acrylic or glass tanks.

Would an acrylic be too flexible to with stank the weight of kitty litter clay

background being Im guessing would be the heaviest and cause bowing.

Thankyou for your info.

[Ozymandias]

wile acrylic is nice and light wait it does scratch easily and and over time light can affect it and warps it colors and shape. it will i believe hold up well to a clay background though because the weight is spread out along the back of the tank. I also know reefers build backgrounds with coral and cement so clay should be no problem.


i would also get some other people to wight in on this because to be honest i have no first hand experience with acrylic tanks.

[noahwnw]

Those are some really good points. I haven't thought of. Could have been a

huge mistake. However more people should add their 2 cents in here.

[JoeG]

I have often thought on this topic too. While I personally don't have any acrylic tanks, I think that there has to be SOME merit to their use. Just think, its NOT glass that they use in large scale public aquariums, its plastic. Yep it scratches BUT you can buff it out and I have seen them do this in public aquariums.

I have worked with lexan and other acrylics before, though not in an aquarium context, just have to be mindful of it for the most part, use the right cloth to clean it, etc.. No different than having an old CRT monitor vs an LCD monitor in my opinion.

For me, smaller <55gal is just easier to go with glass but if I were considering anything larger I think Acrylic would be on the top of my list. Also I would stress "Good Quality" acrylic, not "bobs discount recycled" products.

[Ozymandias]

have to agree with bigger tanks it defiantly has it's marites and the price evens out compared to glass also i think there are some types of acrylic that are not affected by UV. i think UV is actually what makes it yellow and warp.

[Lil' Swimz$]

I had an acrylic fish tank. They scratch SUPER easily and stain even easily. Algae gets imbedded in, and even stuff like brown water can tint it. I would really use glass.