glass or acrylic?

L

LauraL

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Jan 1, 2009
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I'm getting a new 29, and having a hard time deciding between glass or acrylic. I have a acrylic microtank and love it, but for the bigger, the glass is a lot cheaper. Some say acrylic is a lot brighter and insulates better. Others say it scratches too easily and bows over time.

I'd love to hear from someone who's had some experience with both (and is *not* trying to sell me a tank.) :)
 
Hmmm that's a tough one, I have both and I really do like my acrylics.

Acrylic can scratch very easily, that's one of the major cons in owning one. I've definitely heard of bowing but I haven't experienced it *knocks on wood*
I also love the clarity of my acrylic tanks and not having the look of seams.

Glass is easier to clean because you can just use a paper towel with a bit of windex but also easier to crack and also replace. Acrylic is usually more expensive. Can't use windex on your acrylics as it may leech through to your water so you'd probably want to look into some acrylic safe wipes.

I know that some medications and such can discolor your acrylic also, you wouldn't have to worry about that with glass.

Acrylic tanks should be on a stand with full support underneath it, whereas glass can be on a stand with those partial support beams where you can still see some glass underneath.

If you have cats that like to bat at your tanks I would say no to acrylic as this was my experience with cats and my tank...first day I got it kitty pawed at the fishies and sure enough left a nice big scratch :mad2:


Some say acrylic tanks can yellow with age, I haven't experienced this but it's something to consider.

Seems like a lot of cons regarding acrylic but honestly it's still my favorite.. you won't see me trashing all my glass tanks either though..to me glass is just a bit more dependable in some regards.

I hope this at least helped some:)
 
My 100 is plastic, my 120 is glass. For a 29, I would go glass. When it is that "small" it is not too heavy, and glass is easier to clean (algae).
 
I'm in the process of replacing a 29 gallon acrylic tank with a glass one so that should tell you where I stand. The acrylic really is a pain to keep clean.
 
I have a 40g acrylic tank and a 20g glass tank.

In terms of...

1. Clarity: No contest. My fish in the 40g seem like they are floating in the air.
2. Look: The 40g looks much better without frames.
3. Tank Cleaning: I don't find cleaning the 40g any harder than the 20g.
4. Longevity: The 40g has a few hard-to-spot scratches whereas the 20g has a chip.

If you don't have kids around and if you are careful, go for an acrylic tank. I clean mine with "Magic Eraser."
 
Acrylic has better clarity than normal glass. You can get starfire glass that has high clarity but it would be more expensive than a regular glass tank.

Acrylic does scratch easier, so if this is a problem for you you may want to go the high clarity glass route. If you're very careful cleaning it acrylic is less likely to scratch, but if you have little kids running around or a lot of people walking around the tank then it may not be a great option.

It does weigh less which is nice, but a 29g tank is small, so moving it may not be an issue either way.

As far as bowing, a small acrylic tank is unlikely to do that if properly supported, and even in larger tanks if they're braced and supported properly it should be a non-issue.
 
Chrisk-K said:
I have a 40g acrylic tank and a 20g glass tank.

In terms of...

1. Clarity: No contest. My fish in the 40g seem like they are floating in the air.
2. Look: The 40g looks much better without frames.
3. Tank Cleaning: I don't find cleaning the 40g any harder than the 20g.
4. Longevity: The 40g has a few hard-to-spot scratches whereas the 20g has a chip.

If you don't have kids around and if you are careful, go for an acrylic tank. I clean mine with "Magic Eraser."
Click to expand...

Magic eraser!! Brilliant! :)
 
Magic eraser!! Brilliant!
Click to expand...

I learned about it at another forum. Magic Eraser is like 4000-5000 grit sandpaper. It cleans and actually polishes acrylic. I use only "Original Magic Eraser."
 
Acrylic. Hands down. I can handle scratches on an acrylic tank far better than I can handle my glass tank shattered on the ground. I wish my 35g had been acrylic, 'cause when it went flying out the moving van it wouldn't have shattered all over the ground when it landed.

As far as clarity, I can't tell the difference between them. Probably because my face is plastered to the tank so I can see the fishes inside better.
 
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