First Tank-85 gal.Acryllic vs. Glass

J

jim wolf

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Jan 10, 2004
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Hello Folks, I'm new to the forum and am enjoying the breadth of knowledge shared on this site. I see this question was posed once in Nov. but couldn't get a clear read on the responses. A friend in the glass business tells me I'll regret buying acryllic. I was leaning toward a Tenecor flat back hexagon 85 gal. Will scratches cause me to wish I went glass?? (I read they can be buffed out??). Also, what type of gravel am I looking for. I was going to stock semi-aggressive fish instead of cichlid's.:confused:
 
Hi and welcome:)

Yes, you can buff scratches out of acrylic. I don't know of any reason you shouldn't get acrylic...some of my tanks are and I haven't noticed anything "different" about them.

As for the gravel - any kind that is safe for fish will work , ie does not leach into the water and/or contain toxic substances. Any fish store would have it. I suggest a natural, darker color over any of the light colors or blues/pinks. It looks more natural and highlights the colors of your fish.

Do you have some fish in mind? what kinds are you interested in specifically?
 
Thanks for the input. Don't have specifics yet, just liked the streamlined, active look of the fish at the first store I visited. I'll post when I get to the buying stage in late Feb. Your pictures are fantastic.
 
I have a tenecor 125g long and don't regret getting it. Light scratchs you don't even notice unless you put your face right on the glass. I keep some big fish in it which have a tendency to move the decor around and spit rocks on the sides. No problems. If I ever get more room I will definitly buy another.
 
I have twwo glass tanks and one acrilic. I wish iad stayed with glass! If you get algae, you can razor blade off if you have glass. Very hard to clean acrilic! Scratches way too easily!
 
Acrylic is clearer, lighter in weight, and a better insulator. It is harder to work in (limited top access), many commercial acrylic tanks distort visually, it is PITA to clean without scratching and while the scratches can be buffed out, that too is a major chore.

Glass is less strong, less clear, less insulating, and much heavier. It also lasts indefinitely (I have glass tanks pushing 50 years old and still in daily use, I have acrylic tanks >20 years old which are crazed and useless - even ignoring the scratches). Glass is much easier to work in.

I got rid of all the acrylics and now use nothing but glass. But it is personal choice, neither option is best for everyone all the time.

All IME & IMHO, YMMV.
 
Here are a few benefits to acrylic.

First, its harder to break than glass. Next, its easier to lift than glass of same strength is thicker and glass in general is heavier.

Think about those two issues!

I have several 55gallon tanks and live in an apartment. And those tanks themselves are a pain when i move to another apartment. Ie. lifting, cleaning, preventing it from breaking in the rental truck etc.

Now imagine a tank that is almost twice that size!
 
Good points. I live in my own home and won't be moving and have a cabinet top picked out where the tank can have a permanent spot. For cleaning, scratching, the others have swayed me toward the glass despite weight/breakability.
 
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