When you have yourself a little critter or a fish that you need to keep in an aquarium, you will need to keep them happy and healthy as possible. So you should already know the range of options can be somewhat confusing at times. Should I pick glass or acrylic? Now I know the health of your pet is the most important concern in the world to you and that is why you should make an educated choice, not a guesstamation. Whether you select glass aquariums or acrylic tanks there are some differences that you need to be aware of.
Acrylic aquarium positives
- Crystal clear clarity
- Stronger than glass for less chance of fracture
- High selection of shapes giving better choices for custom work
- Acrylic is not as heavy as glass
- Less prone to cracking
- Will not leak
- Can be altered very quickly to accommodate extra accessories
- Greater insulation than glass
- Because acrylic is stronger and less likely to break more online stores carry it over glass
Acrylic Aquarium Negatives
- Higher cost
- More susceptible to scratches
- Hard to repair
- Certain amount of visual distortion
- Over time cheaper kinds of acrylic can turn slightly yellow
With Acrylic you have more options when it comes to personalosed work since it can be formed into pretty much any shape you can think of. This makes an acrylic aquarium tank more decorative and a great conversational topic when friends visit. However this causes one drawback. Depending on the shape of your acrylic aquarium, you may have a lower air to water ratio, which can result in your fish suffocating.
This is why your choice of fish tank supplies should be specificly picked out for your application so your pets stay healthy.
If you are plannig to keep your marine tank for a while glass could be a good selection for you. Since it doesn’t yellow, even though its less clear than an acrylic aquarium, it will give you a better viewing experience for many years to come.
The glass aquariums are more breakable than the acrylic aquariums, however if you keep your aquarium out of the mainstream of traffic in your home or office, this should not cause an issue. Glass will only shatter if you hit it accidentally or run into it accidentally, after all.
Glass Aquarium Positives
- Lots of different shapes and sizes
- Durable
- Almost scratch resistant
- Cheaper to buy
- Won’t change color
- Very strong. Will not flex or bow
- Very popular
Cons for Glass Aquariums
- A lot heavier than acrylic which in turn will require a more robust stand or table
- Glass is brittle which makes it more prone to fracture
- Almost impossible to modify making it hard to add accessories later on
- Tough to move when full
- Less choice when it comes to custom work
- Poorer insulation compared to acrylic
- Less online vendors willing to carry glass
With acrylic tanks there are so many different choices and designs out there that you really are only limited by your imagination. Just be sure that you don’t overfill the aquarium with pets so that they are still allowed to function and flourish properly.
A couple of final points to remember is if you plan on having a lot of stuff like coral, plants, fish or rock in your aquarium then glass is a top selection as it can expand and breath to accommodate the extra weight. The acrylics may bow under too much stress, wherein the glass will only expand and breath to facilitate the extra weight.
Just keep in mind what your end game is with your wet pets, and you will be able to choose the correct glass or acrylic aquariums tanks to sustain them.
One choice that is proving to be extremely popular with many new and seasoned fish tank lovers is the biorb fish tank. What makes this a great pick is the fact that it is kind of old school meets new school. It is small enough to fit on top of a table or shelf but large enough to still be a great center piece in any room.
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