# Acrylic vs glass



## sight (Jan 30, 2012)

Hi guys
I am need some advice on a new build. 
I am planing to build a 180 gallon tank and i am not sure if i sould use acrylic
or glass. 
Can you please give some advise.
Thanks.


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## pH7 (Dec 5, 2011)

sight said:


> Hi guys
> I am need some advice on a new build.
> I am planing to build a 180 gallon tank and i am not sure if i sould use acrylic
> or glass.
> ...


My preference is definitely glass. But the choice is yours. Here's an unbiased comparison Glass vs. Acrylic - The First Tank Guide - The Differences Between and the Debate About Glass Aquariums and Acrylic Aquariums


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Glass. You have to be to careful with Acrylic. And even being careful, you'll have to buff it out eventually. Its optically clear, and light, thats the only bonus. If your making your own, get a piece of Starfire Glass for your front piece, thats a much clearer glass than typical glass.
Starphire Glass | Product and Services


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## sight (Jan 30, 2012)

Thanks.
This is my first build and want to do it right.


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## alyssabentley (Sep 27, 2011)

I must preface this by saying I do freshwater, not marine:

After 6 years of having one glass tank and one acrylic tank holding the same basic kinds of fish, substrate and decor, glass has stood the test of time, and my acrylic tank looks like an ugly piece of crap that I haven't the space, equipment or knowledge to buff out. And I'm convinced algae roots better on its walls than the glass. I also blame my old pleco. I used to love that tank.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

alyssabentley said:


> I must preface this by saying I do freshwater, not marine:
> 
> After 6 years of having one glass tank and one acrylic tank holding the same basic kinds of fish, substrate and decor, glass has stood the test of time, and my acrylic tank looks like an ugly piece of crap that I haven't the space, equipment or knowledge to buff out. And I'm convinced algae roots better on its walls than the glass. I also blame my old pleco. I used to love that tank.


Acrylic is way easier to buff out than glass. But, thats the general idea as to why I prefer glass
But for your help.
NOVUS Plastic Polish
Acrylic aquarium scratch removal EASY!!! - YouTube


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## alyssabentley (Sep 27, 2011)

Thanks Reefing.  That's cool, but it would cost me more to buy the equipment and rent a garage than to just buy a new 29 gallon tank. *r2 You HAVE, however, prompted me to post my old tank on craigslist and let someone else deal with it.


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## denson (Jun 5, 2012)

Personally, I prefer glass tanks over acrylic tanks. However, if you are setting up a very large tank 500 gallons or more you will probably want to consider acrylic. Also, if you are interested in a tank that is not rectangular in shape, you would probably be best advised to investigate acrylic tanks. However, there are some good glass tanks on the market now that have curved faces and are very appealing, and have all the advantages of glass tanks.


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## fishguy2727 (Sep 5, 2011)

If you are doing a 180 just buy a tank, they make them standard. Leave it to a professional, it is not worth the risk in water damage to save yourself a few hundred bucks.

Glass, definitely. Acrylic is a giant over-priced waste of time. The pro is it is lighter. How often are you moving your tank? The con is it scratches SUPER easy (don't look at it or it will scratch). How often are you looking at your tank? I am taking a wild guess you will be looking at it much more often than moving it, so do glass.


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## Nick1258 (Jul 5, 2012)

I actually use to build fish tanks and worked with both acrylic and glass, acrylic is way easier to work with but does wear down a lot quicker than glass and buffing it will gradually ruin the clear look permanently.
Glass is harder to build a tank with because of weight and it is easy to chip, but will stay clear unless it scratches.
It is actually more expensive in my opinion to build your own tank then to buy one professionally made unless you can find a cheap distributors of glass or acrylic. Good luck, if you decide to build your tank feel free to ask for help.


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