Acrylic vs. glass for an aquarium?

Question

I am looking at building a 125 gallon aquarium (over a ton of water) and I was wondering if 1/2" acrylic would hold up on the sides as well or better than glass.

Do you have any suggestions for building?

Thanks

Answer 1

Acrylic aquariums have a number of advantages over glass as special seams make them less likely to leak.

They are stronger and more flexible than glass making them more likely to withstand earthquakes and children. Scratches can be removed or lightened. They can be designed into multiple shapes and have rounded corners. They are more insulated, requiring less energy to maintain temperatures.

They are also much lighter making them easier to transport and set up and finally they are about 30% more clearer than glass.

Many manufacturers give a lifetime guarantee.

PS: With all these advantages on the tow, I am still sticking to all 4 glass aquariums..don't ask why, I don't know myself, maybe I am still old fashioned ;-)

Answer 2

Glass Vs Acrylic Aquarium

Answer 3

GE has an acrylic division that provides information on their web site about water pressures and required size of acrylic for aquariums. The most critical component of an aquarium is height. Water pressure is determined by the height of the water column and pressure is the greatest determinator of the width of the glass/acrylic. Aquarium length plays a component in this as well though it is a much smaller factor. Length is a greater factor in acrylic than glass due to acrylic's flexibility though with a fully enforced top in an acrylic tank you can eliviate this.

I have over 2,000 gallons of aquariums with the smallest being 100 gallons and I strongly recommend glass unless you are in an earthquake prone area though I'm not addressing the earthquake issue, look for a hobbyist in CA. The only benefit to acrylic is weight. Since a typical 125 gallon tank is 6' long it takes 2 people to carry the tank any way. If you have access to 2 average size men then they can handle a 125 gallon glass tank so weight isn't an issue.

You can probably purchase a 125 gallon tank for $300 or less. If you factor your costs, time and the risk of putting that much water into an aquarium when you're just learning how to make an aquarium I would think you are way ahead of the game if you just buy a tank. 125 gallons of water on your floor with the added risk of flying glass or acrylic makes buying the tank a smarter choice. I have experience completely disassembling and reassembling tanks and I recommend not starting from scratch for a 125 or less.

Answer 4

Mindshift is correct to a degree - you'll get some differing opinions, but also some personal experiences. I worked with a 300 gallon display tank made of acrylic, and it developed a leak where the seams were welded. The manufacturer fixed it free of charge, but not for shipping, which involved building a wooden packing crate, or the actual shipping cost to and from the manufacturer.

And it does scratch easier, but don't try the polishing kits you buy - these are graded abrasives that remove the scratches by sanding them down - this leave a thinner area in the acrylic, so the viewing area is somewhat distorted.

On the positive side, acrylic is much lighter than glass.

The 300 gallon had 1/2 inch walls, so I think that would be fine for a 125 if you choose to go acrylic.

Here's another link on the glass vs. acrylic issue worth reading:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=16&cat=1968&articleid=2857

Answer 5

Acrylic tanks started out badly, the first ones where so soft you could almost scratch them with a fingernail. Nowadays things have progressed, the material is a bit harder and it's optically of a very good quality. I'd prefer it over glass for small tanks, upto 30 liters or so, if you want to move one of those the weight difference could just make it possible. I've not yet seen any good acrylic tanks on the market bigger than 70 liters.

Answer 6

The problem with Yahoo Answers is too many opinions, which is all you've gotten so far. If you had searched "glass versus acrylic aquariums you would have come up with the link below which answers ALL of your questions.

Answer 7

I don't think there is a big difference.

I have heard that acrylic hold heat better though.


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Answer 8

Glass is always better, more stable and onger lasting. Acrylic is basically plastic. Common sense says glass, as does the local fish store.

Answer 9

ive heard acrylic is much better then glass. i would have to say acrylic.

Answer 10

i would say glass, its easyer to build with glass and wont get scratched as easy, while acrylic scratshes easy but it wont spring a leak.