# Acrylic vs. Glass



## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

IMO glass is better for me because its easier to clean without scratching it. Period.


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## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

cuz acrylic tanks scratches easily...


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## neumahrs (Jan 12, 2010)

Glass tanks are quite strong and requires some form of hard impact on the glass to break it. Acrylic doesn't shatter but they scratch if you even look at it the wrong way. In the past acrylic had the advantage of better clarity compared to glass, especially in larger tanks but nowadays with high clarity glass that no longer is a factor.


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## MuddyWishkah (Oct 22, 2009)

Neumahrs points aside, acrylic is lighter(easier to move), stronger, clearer and holds heat better.

no worries about sickening cracks and flowing water in the dead of night.


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## defiesexistence (Sep 13, 2010)

Acrylic tanks are claimed to be 17x stronger than glass, and more impact resistant. Larger tanks especially are made of this. The bonds in acrylic are supposed to be stronger than glass and silicone too. As stated above though, glass is hard to scratch, and cheaper. I've only had glass though. With both though, checking for cracks, leaks, weak spots, and making sure it's on a good stand is pretty preventative in itself.


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## Jowlz (Oct 16, 2010)

A good solid stand, making sure the tank is very very level, and a layer of foam under the tank with help tremendously with tanks cracking or seams splitting. Most tanks I have seen split a seam or crack have been from the tank being out of level, or the surface of the stand having imperfections....

People state all the time that acrylic scratches easily. This is not the case. It scratches absurdly easily. One grain of sand between your algae magnet and the acrylic and you will understand.


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## LICfish (Oct 9, 2010)

I love acrylic tanks (that's all I have). It's true that they definitely scratch easy. But if you're careful and don't have much cleaning to do anyway, nothing to worry about. I think that's a small trade-off for all the other things acrylic can offer - already said above


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

I've read that acrylic tanks, especially larger ones, may bow out a bit when full. If this is the case (is it, anyone?) then might it be an issue for something (like a light fixture) that is mounted across the top of a tank?


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Acrylic used to get UV burn and get cloudy after a few years. IDK about it now.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

i would say opt for a glass aquarium, they don't scratch as easily as acrylic, and it only takes one little chunk of gravel to ruin a nice tank, go for the glass


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## shoteh (Nov 13, 2007)

I have both and somehow the first thing I see every morning on my acrylic tank is not the plants, not the co2 bubbles making its way around the tank, and not even the peapuffer actively awaiting her daily food, but the scratches. I hate eclipse tanks for this matter and am soon thinking about using it plainly for quarantine purposes due to the scratches.

I would go with glass unless you plan to meticulously clean your tank slowly for hours on end.


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## LICfish (Oct 9, 2010)

shoteh said:


> I have both and somehow the first thing I see every morning on my acrylic tank is not the plants, not the co2 bubbles making its way around the tank, and not even the peapuffer actively awaiting her daily food, but the scratches. I hate eclipse tanks for this matter and am soon thinking about using it plainly for quarantine purposes due to the scratches.
> 
> I would go with glass unless you plan to meticulously clean your tank slowly for hours on end.


Yeah the eclipse tanks definitely scratch easy. However, the Seaclear tanks do not scratch as easily. I have just one scratch on my Seaclear caused by a piece of flourite stuck between the magnetic cleaner 

Correction: I meant the Seaclear ones don't scratch easy.


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

Opinion. 
New acrylic is expensive. People spending that kind of money usually think hard about it, or don't have to think about it. Those kind of people don't tend to list used on Craig's list. When used acrylic does show up, it usually goes fast enough that the rest of us don't notice it. We do notice glass tanks taking weeks to get to a price we can't refuse.


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## mountaindew (Dec 10, 2008)

I have both types. Glass is cheaper and a more durable surface by far. Acrylic aquariums just pop in the way they look being 97% clear. At night they look like water with nothing holding it. They do scratch very easy, but with care they they can look perfect for many years. From a picture taking point of view there is no contest, Acrylic will always win in my opinion.
md


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## Mr. Fisher (Mar 24, 2009)

MuddyWishkah said:


> Neumahrs points aside, acrylic is lighter(easier to move), stronger, clearer and holds heat better.
> 
> no worries about sickening cracks and flowing water in the dead of night.


 
Agreed. no seams to leak either.

I have a 55 gallon long truvu acrylic. It's harder than people think to scratch it. I haven't had a problem.

I have broken an ADA tank!!! and a Do!Aqua bowl!!!


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## Shana (Aug 27, 2010)

Well! I guess if the main problem with acrylic is scratching it, I'll stick with acrylic. I have a Seaclear tank that's been up for almost five months and there are no scratches so far. I'm _very _careful when I scrape the tank walls, especially near the substrate. I mostly use a small scraper and my fingernails. I can see how this would be annoying/impossible on a large tank, but mine is only 30 gallons. And I love the way it looks. They are expensive, but I think it's worth it if I know that it won't suddenly break. The tank I broke was only a 10 gallon with plants, but oh my god it was a disaster. I don't EVER want to do that again. So I guess I just have to spend the money.....sigh.....


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