Acrylic or glass?

[albano]

Acrylic is softer, scratches easier, and that's why it's easier to rub off some material to get down below the scratches to make it clear again. To do so you have to empty the tank completely, and clean it out down to the last grain of sand, so that grain doesn't end up scratching everything up even worse during the buffing process. Acrylic is also not as rigid so needs, depending on dimensions, a substantial top brace, and bottom support, to keep it from bowing. Think anyone who's had a tank knows how likely it is to drop a rock, or how hard it is to scrape off coraline, or keep sand off your cleaning pad. It is cheaper, lighter, and easier to fabricate, that's where acrylic's advantages end.
For a very small tank where it's easy to empty, polish, or replace, these things aren't as critical. In huge aquariums, where glass isn't practical, acrylic might be the only choice. For everything in between glass is the obvious better choice.

It would seem that you've never owned an acrylic tank, which would explain why some of your information is so wrong!

 

[theMeat]

Yes i own an acrylic fresh water tank. And even thou i was an@l about using the right pads, it is cloudy after about 6 years. Have also seen many tank breakdowns because of it. Can find super deals on acrylic tanks that need to be refinishing, where ppl went to glass, or just gave up

 

[albano]

I still have 3 120-130g acrylic tanks that are ~20 yrs old that look great and can look brand new in a few hours... glass tank scratches (especially starphire which is easier to scratch) can not be fixed/ buffed out...
I 'gave away' a 300dd starphire tank, because the previous owner had not removed the coralline algae and it 'etched' the glass and was non-repairable...
You do NOT need to empty acrylic tanks to repair scratches...
Using an acrylic mesh sleeve with a magnet cleaner, makes most sand scratches unlikely... Removing the magnets after use prevents visitors from 'helping' which is where many scratches can come from.

 

[theMeat]

Underwater acrylic refinishing is hardy as thorough. Scratches on glass, depending on how deep, can be removed, but of course not as easily or effectively as acrylic because it's a much harder material, even starfire. Would rather start with a material that requires less maintenance and is not as easily damaged in the first place, but if you'd like to argue that have at it.

 

[albano]

... Would rather start with a material that requires less maintenance and is not as easily damaged in the first place, but if you'd like to argue that have at it.

I couldn't care less if you want acrylic or not....I'm just letting people with open minds know the correct information and the reasons that I have used acrylic tanks since 1991 and won't go back to glass at any price!

 

[marrone]

Using an acrylic mesh sleeve with a magnet cleaner, makes most sand scratches unlikely... .

This is very true and since Alfie told me about it I don't have to worry about sand getting in between the magnet, plus it made it very easy to clean the algae off of the glass.

As for acrylic tanks needing extra support, well they're built like a box that folds together, which gives support to the top, the tank will then sit on a stand that has a piece of wood that supports the bottom, and that is all that you need. In the end you'll find that most acrylic tanks are usually made well better than glass tanks anyway.

I've had my tanks since 1998, and the glass looks as clear today as when I brought it, and that's with scratches that I haven't buffed out, which is something that I couldn't say with the glass tanks that I've had over the same time.

I think the big issue that people have with acrylic tanks is scratching them. Well that can be the case but if you use the mesh bag, and are careful that shouldn't be an issue. In the end all the other positives, like the tank being strong, lighter, and better made, not leaking as easy, as if it does, you can fix it fairly fast, out way the issues of scratching in my book. And the change of the tank leaking for me was a big issue, as I live in an apartment building and didn't want to take the risk, especially with a large tank.

 

[theMeat]

Trying to keep an open mind here, while it seems you guys are unwilling to admit that acrylic scratches easier.

 

[marrone]

Unwilling? I said it in my posts time and time again, just do a search on acrylic tanks, that acrylic tanks do scratches easier so you need to be careful with them, and the mesh sleeve does make a big difference when cleaning the front of the glass. But you need to admit that glass tanks scratch too, and low iron (starphire) scratch even easier, but unlike an acrylic tank, you can't remove the scratched from it.

All you need to do is look at a 10 year old glass and acrylic tank, what you'll find is that there is a good chance that both are fairly scratched up, the only thing is with the acrylic tank is that you can fix it fairly easy, or get someone that can.

 

[theMeat]

Lol, ok, i'll admit that glass can scratch too. That's not up to me, like you said, anyone who's been in the hobby, or looked at a tank that has been would know that. The same way they've seen acrylic on the top of many, if not most acrylic tanks, because they'r not as rigid. Making reaching into the tank through the cut outs harder.

For the sake of letting open minded ppl know the correct information, you can remove scratches from glass too, or get someone to do it for you.

 

[albano]

For the sake of letting open minded ppl know the correct information, you can remove scratches from glass too, or get someone to do it for you.

Nearly impossible, except for very light scratches, and would probably be cheaper to buy a new tank... Yes, I've personally tried acids, compounds, sanding, buffing and had 2 or 3 different glass and windshield repair shops look at the tank...

If you like your glass tank, that's all that matters...

 

[theMeat]

Musta been a deep scratch...