Acrylic tanks?

[Anonymous]

I've been wondering whether I should consider getting an acrylic tank when I set up next year rather than glass.

This is for two reasons:

1. My career is one of those mobile careers. Even though I know we're going to Japan next year, it's likely that we will move country again 4 years later. Having a tank that's 48% lighter than a glass tank might make this doable.

2. If I ordered a custom acrylic tank from a vendor recommended here, I can get them to make it to my specification with little chance of language problems! Whereas if I try and get one made in Japan, where I've yet to see the mod I want (external overflow, as discussed in the other thread) in all the sites I've been browsing, it might be a losing battle and I might end up with a tank which is fine, but not exactly what I want. Plus I can just about see it being viable to ship an acrylic tank of modest size (36" x 24" x 18") over the Pacific, even if a glass tank would be too expensive, given that it is that much lighter. Of course that might be cancelled out by the extra cost of getting an acrylic tank...

I know the major downside is the possibility that the tank will scratch, but aside from that, there seem to be plenty of upsides (weight, strength, clarity).

Are there any vendors that people have personal experience of that it would be worth me making enquiries of over the next few months? If the cost would be competitive with what I would get charged in Japan, it might be worth me doing.

 

[bfessler]

Hi Tom,

An Acrylic tank might just make since in your situation. I have a few buddies with acrylic tanks and they seem to love them. I haven't had one myself but they tell me there are products that make removing scratches a snap and if you pack it properly it shouldn't get damaged in shipping. Another benefit of an acrylic tank is that custom shapes and accessories are a lot easier to do, for example cutting the external overflow and polishing the edges is a lot easier when working with acrylic so you would probably save some labor costs going acrylic.I used to be afraid of acrylic but since I started building small projects with it over the past couple months I am beginning to like it a lot. There are some members of our local reef club that have built 600 G tanks for sting rays in their garages and while their work isn't perfect they don't leak and are kind of cool. I think if I ever get a really big (200G+) tank I would go acrylic because thats a lot of water to have all over the house if one of the panels fail. That just happened to a friend's 180G tank and it was a real mess.

I think I would consider acrylic if I were you.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't let moving influence your choice, if you're moving to another country, sell/give away the tank locally and just buy a new one when you get to the new country.

 

[SnowManSnow]

i have a 120 acrylic tank.. and it does get scratched... BUT.... I WOULD BUY ANOTHER ONE TOMORROW.

they are ULTRA clear.. make for a great looking setup... even with scratches.... and can be buffed (which I havent done yet).

That being said.. if you don't have a curious 5 yr old boy in the house you'll be MUCH more immune to scratching that I am hahaha.

1 They look great
2 They are LIGHT compared to glass
3 They won't BREAK if hit with something
4 You can easily modify them with drilling if you want
5 You CAN buff them clear after a period of years if you desire that new tank look again

I bought my 120 with an external overflow built on from www.myreecreations.com for around $800. I recommend them. They are out of the Atlanta area and will ship at reasonable rates.

Acrylic + 1

B

 

[Anonymous]

For tank of you size, weight should never be an issue, or the reason to buy acrylic. After you fill it with water and rock, that 48% will be around 5%.

With that said, I still want to get acrylic for my next tank. This is becaue it is easy to modify since I have the tool, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't let moving influence your choice, if you're moving to another country, sell/give away the tank locally and just buy a new one when you get to the new country.

This is what I managed to do last time. Sold the whole kit in one go. Tank, equipment and livestock. But I was lucky enough that someone I knew's boss had mentioned to them that they wanted a reef tank and they'd just moved to Japan to a big house just as I was about to leave. This time, I might not be so lucky.

Also, buying an entire set up each time you move, if your career dictates that you move countries every 4 years, will get very expensive and I will end up pushing my wife's patience to new limits. I'd much rather have a set up that I can take round with us, replacing stuff only if and when it wears out.

 

[Anonymous]

Burt and SnowManSnow/B(rian? - sorry I've lost track

)

Very useful advice, thank you. I think this might save me quite a few problems with trying to explain what I want with Japanese tank manufacturers and also enable me to take advantage of the more numerous options available in the US.

Also SMS, thanks for the link and recommendation. Very helpful. Time to do some browsing and further research!

 

[Anonymous]

For tank of you size, weight should never be an issue, or the reason to buy acrylic. After you fill it with water and rock, that 48% will be around 5%.

With that said, I still want to get acrylic for my next tank. This is becaue it is easy to modify since I have the tool, etc.

I think that's a fair enough point, but my main consideration is how much it weighs empty. When you're shipping internationally, they generally charge by volume, but if you have one excessively heavy thing you need to ship, they charge extra. I get an allowance for how much I can ship and any excess I have to pay myself.

 

[bfessler]

I get an allowance for how much I can ship and any excess I have to pay myself.

Tom, If that's the case be sure to line the inside of your tank with cardboard or something to prevent scratching and fill it up with the other tank stuff you will be shipping. That will keep the volume down.

 

[Anonymous]

I get an allowance for how much I can ship and any excess I have to pay myself.

Tom, If that's the case be sure to line the inside of your tank with cardboard or something to prevent scratching and fill it up with the other tank stuff you will be shipping. That will keep the volume down.

That's what I'm thinking already! I imagine it will get filled with clothes or something like that. Nothing to make it weigh too much or hard enough to scratch.

 

[WRASSER]

oooorrrrr you cansell it all and just pick up a nano tank and go... ...the acrylic is probably the way to go do to weight. it will make it easier to move. 8) but IF you have friends ( were you are at and were you are going) the weight wouldn't matter, they can all pitch in and carry it in for you and you save all that money.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't let moving influence your choice, if you're moving to another country, sell/give away the tank locally and just buy a new one when you get to the new country.

This is what I managed to do last time. Sold the whole kit in one go. Tank, equipment and livestock. But I was lucky enough that someone I knew's boss had mentioned to them that they wanted a reef tank and they'd just moved to Japan to a big house just as I was about to leave. This time, I might not be so lucky.

Also, buying an entire set up each time you move, if your career dictates that you move countries every 4 years, will get very expensive and I will end up pushing my wife's patience to new limits. I'd much rather have a set up that I can take round with us, replacing stuff only if and when it wears out.

Well I'm not talking an entire setup, if you buy all the fancy pumps, skimmer, etc, by all means keep that stuff, I'm just talking about the tank. Tanks are quite bulky even though the volume is mostly air. I think shipping a tank unless it's a rather small one and you're driving to the new country really becomes problematic, I couldn't imagine taking a tank on an airplane after seeing how they toss baggage around whether it's acrylic or glass

 

[Anonymous]

oooorrrrr you cansell it all and just pick up a nano tank and go... ...the acrylic is probably the way to go do to weight. it will make it easier to move. 8) but IF you have friends ( were you are at and were you are going) the weight wouldn't matter, they can all pitch in and carry it in for you and you save all that money.

I was able to move a similar sized tank made of glass on my own last time, so I'm not worried about weight from that angle.

And I don't want to go down the nano route unless I'm forced to. If this is going to be my tank for a very long time, I want something a bit bigger. I might just go for something a bit smaller (possibly a 24" cube), but not nano small.

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't let moving influence your choice, if you're moving to another country, sell/give away the tank locally and just buy a new one when you get to the new country.

This is what I managed to do last time. Sold the whole kit in one go. Tank, equipment and livestock. But I was lucky enough that someone I knew's boss had mentioned to them that they wanted a reef tank and they'd just moved to Japan to a big house just as I was about to leave. This time, I might not be so lucky.

Also, buying an entire set up each time you move, if your career dictates that you move countries every 4 years, will get very expensive and I will end up pushing my wife's patience to new limits. I'd much rather have a set up that I can take round with us, replacing stuff only if and when it wears out.

Well I'm not talking an entire setup, if you buy all the fancy pumps, skimmer, etc, by all means keep that stuff, I'm just talking about the tank. Tanks are quite bulky even though the volume is mostly air. I think shipping a tank unless it's a rather small one and you're driving to the new country really becomes problematic, I couldn't imagine taking a tank on an airplane after seeing how they toss baggage around whether it's acrylic or glass

Ah, yes, but my heavy baggage will go by boat. It will take 6-8 weeks as a result, but costs my employer rather less money. In addition, I get what I can carry on a plane and, as a couple 120kgs unaccompanied air freight, so it's not terrible (about 420 cubic feet shipped baggage).

My thinking is that the tank is one of the biggest costs - if I can avoid buying it again every 4 years, I will. But you may be right, I might just have to take the fancy stuff with me and sell the tank and stand alone.

 

[bfessler]

.

Tanks are quite bulky even though the volume is mostly air.

This is not a problem if you take advantage of the empty space inside the tank and pack it with items you would be taking anyway. As far as volume goes it would yield the same results as taking the tank apart and shipping it flat, no wasted space at all. Think of the tank as a large trunk filled with other goodies. As long as it's properly crated I don't see any porblem with shipping it.

 

[SnowManSnow]

For tank of you size, weight should never be an issue, or the reason to buy acrylic. After you fill it with water and rock, that 48% will be around 5%.

With that said, I still want to get acrylic for my next tank. This is becaue it is easy to modify since I have the tool, etc.

I think that's a fair enough point, but my main consideration is how much it weighs empty. When you're shipping internationally, they generally charge by volume, but if you have one excessively heavy thing you need to ship, they charge extra. I get an allowance for how much I can ship and any excess I have to pay myself.

Ya.. np. .MRC was GREAT to deal with. He answered all my stupid questions.. had the tank ready and waiting for pickup when scheduled. I looked around and for a 120 with built on external overflow no one could touch $800 (not even close). I'm sure it isn't on par with a $2k tank, but that being said the guys there do excellent work. I won't hesitate to use them again.

B

 

[Anonymous]

Good to hear, thanks. They're on my list of favorites now and I'll contact them nearer the time. 8)

Though I'll also start looking round for Japanese acrylic tank manufacturers on the basis that the shipping might just make buying a tank in the US and having it shipped across prohibitive.