Glass vs acrylic tanks

[svt stang]

I have always had acrylic much easier to work with, Clearer for viewing, and if your care full the scratches will stay to a min. the weight of glass tanks plus using silicone to seal it just seems like your asking for issues. i cant imagine my 220 popping a leak while i am on vacation or better yet having a whole panel come off. yikes. that alone makes me think acrylic is a without a doubt better option. Just my two Cents. keep your feet dry my Friends.
Joel

 

[Reefing Madness]

I have always had acrylic much easier to work with, Clearer for viewing, and if your care full the scratches will stay to a min. the weight of glass tanks plus using silicone to seal it just seems like your asking for issues. i cant imagine my 220 popping a leak while i am on vacation or better yet having a whole panel come off. yikes. that alone makes me think acrylic is a without a doubt better option. Just my two Cents. keep your feet dry my Friends.
Joel

But Starfire is very clear, and also acrylic can pop a weld and lose a panel just like glass does.
Just throwing that out there.

 

[svt stang]

Not saying it cant happen on acrylic but its got to be 10 to 1 glass leaking over acrylic, i have been in the hobby over 20 years and have never seen a acrylic tank lose a panel. i have seen joints go bad but never lose a hole panel. If i had a dollar for every time i heard the story that the guy comes home to his glass tank blowing out and his fish are on the floor i would be a millionaire, i strongly feel that its simply the difference in price, and that you need to be care full not to scratch acrylic that makes people go to glass. Acrylic is twice the cost. and to think of it if you go in a LFS you will find 100 Glass tanks and 5 Acrylic. At least around here. Could that also play into the choice?? $$$$$$$$$$$
Joel

 

[cope413]

If acrylic is properly made, you can't really "pop a panel". Acrylic glue isn't really an adhesive. It's a solvent. It works by dissolving both pieces of the acrylic. When pressed together and allowed to dry, the pieces literally become 1. There is no, or at least there should be no, seam. It's much like hot pvc glue.

So when acrylic goes, it's because of the strength of the material itself, not the strength of the joints.

FWIW, I think these discussions are pretty fruitless.

There should just be a sticky that lists the pros and cons of each material. There can never be a "winner" as it will always come down to 1) personal preference and 2) specific needs of the tank (aesthetic, budgetary, dimensional, etc)

 

[footballdude2k3]

Glass for sure

 

[reefhappy]

Starfire glass by far! Don't care for the acrylic and how easy it scratches. Low Iron is easier to scratch than regular glass but still harder than acrylic.

 

[Eienna]

Starfire glass by far! Don't care for the acrylic and how easy it scratches. Low Iron is easier to scratch than regular glass but still harder than acrylic.

I wonder how much it costs to get acrylic done like in Tanked (sorry...have to reference it) where they did the skateboard tank. However they made it harder to scratch would be awesome for at least a front panel.

 

[tigerdragon]

Think of what acrylic costs what they do is nothing under 1" thick. Basically bullet proof. Its one of those things if you have to ask you cant afford. You have to talk to them to get pricing.

 

[Eienna]

I doubt they'd do one for me. I don't have that kind of moolah. But what if another manufacturer (of smaller tanks...) picked that up and ran with it?