Crystal clear: What is your opinion of acrylic reef tanks?

[albano]

I gotta disagree, I got an acrylic tank and after a year I gave it away and went back to glass. Literally I set it out front with a free sign on it.

This is exactly why we can’t have nice things!

 

[Pridedcloth3]

This is exactly why we can’t have nice things!

You ever get coraline on this things? Between that and the mantis I was so close to kicking it over. For me gotta give glass the dubya.

 

[JC1977]

Not (officially) an expert, but I believe that you are correct… my 500g acrylic tank (6’x5’x 25”h) is 1/2” thick on sides, and is fine, because it is 25” tall.
Tank was purchased in 2016 and is still in perfect condition.

Same with my Tsunami 360 gallon it’s 96”x36”x24” and is 1/2 inch all sides. In fact if you look at their sight they don’t go 3/4 inch thick acrylic until you get into tanks that are 30” or taller.

 

[charliethetuna]

For me I had a 300 gallon glass leak at the seam .my next tank I decided to go acrylic .I thoughts were what do resturants, public aquariums, hotels use? There all acrylic .so I went with my current 400 gallon acrylic tank .the clarity is unexplainable.cystal clear .it's does scratch easily.but u can take the scratches out ...so for me larger tanks acrylic smaller either or

 

[mrjoe]

Don't have to tear down tank , I posted video showing it done under water with mighty magnets

ya, I guess for light surface scratches that'd work... deeper ones that can happen, not so much IMHO..

 

[Alexandru B]

I had a glass tank and I have acrylic now. Honestly in my opinion Glass tank was more clear. And I could see the image in more hd. I liked my glass tank more. The next tank will be glass for sure unless they are too expensive and I find a deal on an acrylic tank.

 

[KrisReef]

I gotta disagree, I got an acrylic tank and after a year I gave it away and went back to glass. Literally I set it out front with a free sign on it.

Is it still there?

 

[Pridedcloth3]

Is it still there?

Long gone lol

 

[JJHodges]

Same here.

Don’t understand this comment. I’ve got a 300g acrylic and run UV. What is the potential issue?

 

[Pridedcloth3]

Don’t understand this comment. I’ve got a 300g acrylic and run UV. What is the potential issue?

More so the effect uv has on acrylic when directly exposed over time. If your running inline then you have nothing to worry about.

 

[Tenecor Aquariums]

@Tenecor Aquariums
Time to bring in the experts.

Staying out of this. Every one of these glass v acrylic threads is the same. My opinion is clearly biased toward acrylic for many reasons. It's always the "scratching" but yet there are many many more 25 plus year old Tenecor tanks still out there than glass.

 

[JGT]

Wasnt looking for you guys to weigh in on the acrylic vs. glass thing. As you say, no win sitch. There was a question or 2 about thickness for a specific tank. Starts around thread #106.

 

[Tenecor Aquariums]

Wasnt looking for you guys to weigh in on the acrylic vs. glass thing. As you say, no win sitch. There was a question or 2 about thickness for a specific tank. Starts around thread #106.

This thread is very timely. I'm looking at a 96x48x24 (~479g) acrylic tank. All sides are 3/4" except the top & bottom at 1/2". I'm looking to do all sizes 1" but it's cost prohibitive. Would 3/4" be ok at this size? Any concerns with the top & bottom being 1/2"?

Found it. For this tank, we would use 3/4 inch all around including the top and bottom. The top is critical to the tanks integrity. Bowing is often the result of too thin a top rather than wall thickness alone. (Bowing can be outward from the edges and from top to bottom). Solid surface stands also are important to keep the panels from bowing. This is because the seams, once the panels are welded together stay in a hard 90 degree (or whatever other angle) with little flex. The top and bottom keep the geometry.

 

[GARRIGA]

Not correct at all since proper cell cast for aquariums is UV stabilized. This is a common misconception spread by people who never owned one long enough to know better. I have aquariums that are over 20 years old using everything from HQI to VHO light systems that never yellowed. We do not have enough history for LED yet but so far the same results.

Why I ignore the internet. Polls should separate “having owned” vs “having heard”.

 

[chiefifd]

Freshwater or Fish only for acrylic tanks. Too much to scratch acrylic for reef tanks. Reef tanks are all going to get some coraline algae and removing it will scratch acrylic.

I have a 90-gallon reef tank and have had it for about 8 years. Removing coraline algae doesn't have to scratch the acrylic. I have one scratch, on one wall of the tank, and it didn't come from removing coraline. My experience only.......

 

[albano]

I have a 90-gallon reef tank and have had it for about 8 years. Removing coraline algae doesn't have to scratch the acrylic. I have one scratch, on one wall of the tank, and it didn't come from removing coraline. My experience only.......

The ‘acrylic experts’, that have never had an acrylic tank, don’t like to hear that!

 

[charliethetuna]

Found it. For this tank, we would use 3/4 inch all around including the top and bottom. The top is critical to the tanks integrity. Bowing is often the result of too thin a top rather than wall thickness alone. (Bowing can be outward from the edges and from top to bottom). Solid surface stands also are important to keep the panels from bowing. This is because the seams, once the panels are welded together stay in a hard 90 degree (or whatever other angle) with little flex. The top and bottom keep the geometry.

Didn't know you guys are still around. Good to know

 

[John1966]

I did have 2 acrylic tanks, scrapped one and moved other one to under stairs as chaeto reactor. Too many scratches.

 

[Ucyibd1]

Never have anything other than acrylic. I have a 400 gallon that I have had to move three times now. So glad it is acrylic. Just remember to take your belt off before cleaning/maintenance of it. Never had a problem just not many folks realize the buckle is the perfect height for scratching. I keep my mag cleaner about 1” above sand bed and use a Kent scraper to get that.

 

[JC1977]

Never have anything other than acrylic. I have a 400 gallon that I have had to move three times now. So glad it is acrylic. Just remember to take your belt off before cleaning/maintenance of it. Never had a problem just not many folks realize the buckle is the perfect height for scratching. I keep my mag cleaner about 1” above sand bed and use a Kent scraper to get that.

Excellent advice never would have crossed my mind I’ll have to remember that with my new 360 acrylic !