8ft custom tank. Glass ... or acrylic ???? help!

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rusland005

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Jan 1, 2011
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I've been saving up to buy a new tank. The problem is i cannot decide which material to go for now i'm seriously looking into things . . .


glass or acrylic ?! . . .


I've seen pros and cons to both, and this is my dilemma



The tank will measure 8ft long and 2ft by 2ft.


Acrylic is alot lighter - which is obviously a main point when moving it but i have also read acrylic can bow out at the sides if under considerable pressure from water, is that true?? this is a worry if i am looking at 8ft by 2 ft sizes and water volumes involed.



Glass is going to be very very heavy to lift into the house .. also, the aquarium will be 8ft by 2ft by 2ft and i am also worrying about the silicone joints, are they reliable in aquariums this size??


Basicallly acrylic is going to have less chance (or no chance) of leaks and is going to be lighter

Glass is prefered for me because i don't really want acrylic due to it scratches too easily from what i have heard and i dont like the idea of having a tank that will 'yellow' over time.

anyone keep 8ft+ long glass tanks and had no problems with leaks or bursts?

or anyone recomend acrylic from a safety point of view due to the tanks size?


Any advice is apreicated
 
I have a 8x2x2 glasscages tank and I haven't had a problem with it, It is heavy though. prob about 500-600 pounds. But if your worried about moving it, Unless your moving it every year I wouldn't worry about it. Most tanks this big are moved once and never really moved again.
 
ALSO! if you ever plan on having a sump with a glass tank I would have them drill it when you order it. you can always plug the holes untill your ready to use a sump. Glass is a pain in the ass to get drilled on a tank that big once you already have the tank. Acrylic on the other hand is very easy to drill your self.
 
I'm ordering an 8x2x2.5 tank and I'm going acrylic for weight and safety. Acrylic panes will bow a bit, but they are much more resistant to breaks. Scratches in acrylic are pretty easy to repair( I've even done it with water in them before). Glass.... Not so much. Acrylic seems to hold temps a little better than glass too. But honestly, the weight is a major factor. An acrylic tank that size will weight about half that of glass.

Glass is fine, but personally for larger tanks I prefer acrylic.
 
to answer some of your concerns about acrylic.

1) yes it does scratch easier but it's also much easier to fix scratches in acrylic. good luck fixing a nasty scratch in glass.

2) Pure acrylic doesn't yellow. Yellowing is a myth caused by other plastics similar to acrylic that do turn yellow over time. As an example I have an acrylic tank that is 10+ years old and not a hint of yellow.
 
carterhh;4981175; said:
go with glass you only have to move it once
Click to expand...

I said the same thing when I bought a 180 gallon glass. Then I moved twice in two years. Been acrylic ever since
 
All of the reasons for and against mentioned in this thread are pretty true. It's really just a personal decision you have to make. For a glass 240, I wouldn't worry about the weight. You can move that with a little help.
 
who is in the house? is it mostly adults or will there be kids around it? do you have to worry about toys flying into the tank when your not there watching it 24/7? if you have to deal with any kind of possible break from the outside i would say acrylic. if its just you / wife / gf / adults then i would say glass.

dave
 
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