Couldn’t find the company on google. I’ll have to look into it more some other time. If it’s painted then sealed I don’t see why it can’t be done with acrylic.
Acrylic vs. Glass
- Thread starter LBDave
- Start date
I suspect you want to just keep arguing about every fine point on this but I don't. I could say I've had 10 tanks that yellowed and you would demand pics. On and on.
So again, its just a matter of choice and what features are important to you. Isn't really anything else I could add at this point.
See Custom Aquariums
Can you provide a photo of such changes? Every time I have ever seen acrylic discolouration/yellowing mentioned on aquariums it was never followed with a picture and almost always started with “back in the day acrylic used to change color”. Hence outdated. I personally wouldn’t mind seeing what people are referring to. It’s not an argument if you are providing information or insight. It’s a discussion to better the knowledge we have. Have you owned 10 acrylic tanks that turned yellow? Do you have a picture of any one of them to show the yellowing for enhancing the knowledge of this thread or the forum? I personally prefer to support what I say with evidence so it’s not he says she says.
If you base your expierience off of craigslist junk it’s obvious your opinion will be skewed. 1.5” material looks pretty clear to me after 6 years (1st pic). Or the second one after 15 years (1.25” material). Or the third one after 10 years (1” material). The third pic uses 5000k light (yellowish).
Last edited:
The title of the thread was acrylic vs glass. Ideally provide facts on what’s better and support it if you can.
Last edited:
It’s not that I would demand pics of every tank you have that’s yellow, just 1. You can even pull one off google if you can find one.
Last edited:
I never owned an acrylic tank but a few years back 3 of my glass tanks broke down in the same year one after the other. I flooded the place several times. In one case I was peeling fish off the floor along with glass bits the place looked after it's been trashed by a hurricane. I lost half my fish population. Now I own a plastic pond, lol. It's been a while but I still can't bring myself to buy a glass tank larger than 50G.
had to google it. Thats just impressive.
Ha yeah i saw that. Another member posted it when i said the tank would be near my kids play area.
From the pages of Reef 2Reef Forums. Manufacturer has much to do with the state of acrylic. And I'm not advocating one type of tank vs the other, that was not my original purpose. Just to point a balanced view, not "rah rah" one over the other. This was posted in 2017. Companies mentioned are still in buisness.
Cell cast acrylics (the only product should be used by tank manufacturers) should not yellow due to the U.V. inhibitors added during the manufacturing process. That said there is cheap overseas sheet that has a yellow tint before use. The overseas products should be rejected due to the poor quality of the manufacturing process. Only two companies make sheet in the United States PolyOne (Poly Cast) and Reynolds Polymer. Renolds will not work for most fabricators because it is a cross-linked polymer and requires special bonding techniques that Reynolds will not share with the fabracators. So that leaves only PolyOne. Mexico provides what used to be called Plexiglass G cell cast. It is the only other product that seems to work in North America currently. Beware of Acrylite GP and other brands since some of the product seems to have problems. Most of the distribution only stocks continous cast acrylics which are not as dense as cell cast. Supply is a problem for many fabrcators myself included. I have to get shipments from Chicago or the East Coast making the product even more expensive and time limited.
Cell cast acrylics (the only product should be used by tank manufacturers) should not yellow due to the U.V. inhibitors added during the manufacturing process. That said there is cheap overseas sheet that has a yellow tint before use. The overseas products should be rejected due to the poor quality of the manufacturing process. Only two companies make sheet in the United States PolyOne (Poly Cast) and Reynolds Polymer. Renolds will not work for most fabricators because it is a cross-linked polymer and requires special bonding techniques that Reynolds will not share with the fabracators. So that leaves only PolyOne. Mexico provides what used to be called Plexiglass G cell cast. It is the only other product that seems to work in North America currently. Beware of Acrylite GP and other brands since some of the product seems to have problems. Most of the distribution only stocks continous cast acrylics which are not as dense as cell cast. Supply is a problem for many fabrcators myself included. I have to get shipments from Chicago or the East Coast making the product even more expensive and time limited.
They have their pros and cons, which you guys have brought up already. I like acrylic for large tanks and glass for small tanks. The large acrylic tanks are so much lighter and easier to move, safer in general, and in the event of scratches, you can buff them out. Glass (rimless) tanks look a little better to me, but due to the weight, breakability, etc. I only really like smaller glass tanks.
The only tank I've ever had fail on me, was glass. Though I have only owned acrylic tanks for a couple years, so I guess we'll see.
The only tank I've ever had fail on me, was glass. Though I have only owned acrylic tanks for a couple years, so I guess we'll see.
I had this 40gal hex which I referred to. About 12 years old. Developed a slow leak at the base. Real strange. Never really found out if it was a seam or where it was coming from. I just got rid of it. I agree that acrylic is more full proof. I never had a tank really fail other than that. Either glass or acrylic.
