Acrylic tank… questions before I buy

[Troylee]

This is assuming Eurobracing around all edges, right?

3" bracing here, or what would you do?

Correct! Rimless would need to be like 1-1/2” lol… rimless tanks and acrylic aren’t the best mixture.. I mean rimless tanks in general are the brightest idea..

 

[cloud9aquariums]

I haven't had high quality acrylic so i hope for your sake its significantly different, but the nano I had would scratch if you looked at it wrong lol my current display (build thread) is the dimensions you're talking about 48x24x16high. LOVE the shallow lagoon feel. Only negative to the depth would be if you want to go mixed reef as you'll either have to sacrifice lighting intensity up top or bake the sand bed.

 

[rexzilla_03]

I haven't had high quality acrylic so i hope for your sake its significantly different, but the nano I had would scratch if you looked at it wrong lol my current display (build thread) is the dimensions you're talking about 48x24x16high. LOVE the shallow lagoon feel. Only negative to the depth would be if you want to go mixed reef as you'll either have to sacrifice lighting intensity up top or bake the sand bed.

Your tank is amazing! Really pushing me to go 16”
Even tho 17” isn’t much much different, I just really like shallow tanks. Truly beautiful

 

[cloud9aquariums]

Your tank is amazing! Really pushing me to go 16”
Even tho 17” isn’t much much different, I just really like shallow tanks. Truly beautiful

I appreciate that! They're a fun dimension to work with for sure and not going in to your armpit to get something off the sandbed is a plus! If I were to get a custom tank I'd go as wide as my space allowed for to give as much swimming/growing space for the livestock but definitely keeping it under 20 depth. Easier it is to work in the better the odds you'll want to do it

 

[Cole.mormon]

Joe glass cages is a unit when it comes to tanks

 

[rexzilla_03]

Alright everyone, officially placed my order for the 48x24x17 tank!
Long 8-12 weeks incoming then ship time, I’m excited, definitely doing it right this time around.

 

[Troylee]

Alright everyone, officially placed my order for the 48x24x17 tank!
Long 8-12 weeks incoming then ship time, I’m excited, definitely doing it right this time around.

What was the outcome? Glass cages, 1/2” thick?

 

[rexzilla_03]

What was the outcome? Glass cages, 1/2” thick?

Ahh ya, forgot the important part LOL.
Glass cages 1/2” acrylic, 3” euro brace around perimeter with a single brace across front to back.
I have tons of confidence in them, I think I made a very good choice using them.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Ahh ya, forgot the important part LOL.
Glass cages 1/2” acrylic, 3” euro brace around perimeter with a single brace across front to back.
I have tons of confidence in them, I think I made a very good choice using them.

Here’s my 3/4” . Did you get polished corners?

Congrats on your new tank

 

[rexzilla_03]

Here’s my 3/4” . Did you get polished corners?

Congrats on your new tank

Beautiful tank!
I didn’t ask, totally forgot, it’s ok tho, I can always do it if not, or if I feel I should when it’s in hand.

 

[Troylee]

Here’s my 3/4” . Did you get polished corners?

Congrats on your new tank

Is that not standard?????? Lol..

 

[jmichaelh7]

Is that not standard?????? Lol..

I don’t think so. I paid an extra $200 for it , unless they got me

 

[Troylee]

I don’t think so. I paid an extra $200 for it , unless they got me

That seems ludicrous to me! Any display should be polished out lol… a sump, meh…. I did see some frag tanks from advance acrylics last week that weren’t polished out and thought it was weird.. I polish out all my tanks regardless! Just part of the job lol

 

[Bob Boblaw]

Scratch, flex, and stretch super easy over time

 

[jmichaelh7]

That seems ludicrous to me! Any display should be polished out lol… a sump, meh…. I did see some frag tanks from advance acrylics last week that weren’t polished out and thought it was weird.. I polish out all my tanks regardless! Just part of the job lol

Lol overall i'm very happy with the setup.

OP please post pics! I'd liek to see the setup from glass cages!

Scratch, flex, and stretch super easy over time

Scratch yes if your not careful. I have 5 kids under 6 years age and they don't scratch it. You have to be wreckless. If your wreckless maybe you should get a glass. Your able to polish the scratches to make it brand new. I'd pick that any day over a leaking seam

 

[rexzilla_03]

Scratch, flex, and stretch super easy over time

Sounds like my wife

Lol overall i'm very happy with the setup.

OP please post pics! I'd liek to see the setup from glass cages!


Scratch yes if your not careful. I have 5 kids under 6 years age and they don't scratch it. You have to be wreckless. If your wreckless maybe you should get a glass. Your able to polish the scratches to make it brand new. I'd pick that any day over a leaking seam

i will man for sure it’ll be awhile tho haha sadly

 

[Devaji]

Hey everyone long time lurker, semi checked out of the hobby while my tank was on limp mode, found a bunch of bubbles forming in my seams randomly. Long story short, going to acrylic and have a few questions related to construction and narrowing a brand. My dimensions are super basic. 48x24x17 or even 16, going more on the shallow end.

Question 1: What thickness acrylic is sufficient for this? I don’t want it to bow, it seems 1/2” is what majority is using with bracing. Would it be worth bumping to 3/4” for overkill or a waste of money?

Question 2: I’m really leaning towards glass cages for it, they got back to me really fast, answered my questions and from the involvement and pride I see here, I feel confident this will be great, anyone have an acrylic tank from them?

Any opinions welcome

I had the GC 240 gal acrylic years ago loved that tank. best part was 2 normal guys to move it.

I have the IM 200 gallon tank in my garage for 6 weeks now as I am slow but more need to find 5-6 friends that a time works for everyone.

enjoy your tank. I am happy to see the love GC is geting these days. the work Joe and team as done to turn around the company is very impressive.

enjoy your tank!

 

[KrisReef]

Beautiful tank!
I didn’t ask, totally forgot, it’s ok tho, I can always do it if not, or if I feel I should when it’s in hand.

I like rounded corners on the front pane. Either way, the corners of these tanks can be a challenge to clean if you get coralline algae growing in them.

Congratulations, and pay the coin to get the edges polished. Sharp edges are no fun to work around, ime.

And now we wait.

May as well put an album on the record player
Waiting For The Sun, The Doors

 

[Jubei2006]

When my acrylic tank was done, all edges, even the central overflow were beveled. There are zero sharp corners on the tank.

 

[piranhaman00]

Ahh ya, forgot the important part LOL.
Glass cages 1/2” acrylic, 3” euro brace around perimeter with a single brace across front to back.
I have tons of confidence in them, I think I made a very good choice using them.

You all don’t mean actual euro bracing right? The top should be a solid sheet of acrylic welded on to form a box with holes routed out.

That seems ludicrous to me! Any display should be polished out lol… a sump, meh…. I did see some frag tanks from advance acrylics last week that weren’t polished out and thought it was weird.. I polish out all my tanks regardless! Just part of the job lol

Actually no, I just ordered an acrylic and only the corner edges came hand polished and it would have cost significantly more to get the bottom and top edges polished. The reasoning was that these are usually hidden. I was already into the tank at that point but was not thrilled when I learned that. They were able to polish the edges to make them gleam but they are not sanded so you can see the router marks.