I have a 125 gallon acrylic and have learned the following:
- if you buy a scrubber that's for acrylic only, you just have to be careful that you don't pull up a piece of gravel when you're rubbing the sides, or the gravel will scratch the tank.
- acrylic is a better insulator than glass, so you will need heaters that provide less than the 5w per gallon that's enerally recommended - mine came with (I bought the entire setup from somebody who was moving) a 350w heater, which is about 2-3 watts per gallon and it's been fine, although 2 smaller heaters makes more sense for redundancy, etc.
- I think the structure is a bit different from a traditional glass tank. Think about a closed rectangle that's 6 ft L x 18" D x 20" H. Then, cut two rectangular holes in the top, and hold onto the pieces you've cut out and use them as lids. That's what I have. So, I could never use a HOB filter, since there isn't anywhere to put in the tubes, etc., since the cutouts are right in the middle of the top. I have two canisters that sit in the stand below the tank, and all of the tubes, light cords, heater cords, etc., run through a "box" like think that has been formed into the tank and runs through a hole in the bottom of the tank.
- I've had trouble with light fixtures, since there is only 5 feet of usable space on the top of the tank, because of the construction I've described above.
FYI, this was not a DIY. The tank was purchased this way by the original owner.
I can take a picture and email it to you, if you want.
Ruth
