Glass Vs. Acrylic Aquarium

Basics

• Most fish tanks you'll encounter will be made of glass, but occasionally you'll run into what appears to be a tank made of thick plastic. These are acrylic aquariums, and while rare, they have their own sets of benefits and drawbacks that separate them from their more common counterpart.

Glass Pros

• Glass tanks are the most common in the hobby, and while whether or not they are a better option is up to you, there are many pros associated with them. First off, they're more difficult to scratch. Nothing looks worse on your aquarium than a big, white streak obscuring what should be a tranquil view of your pets. Scratching a glass tank usually involves actually trying to purposefully scratch the glass, and this happening is, well, rare. Glass tanks are also generally very strong in their rigidity, meaning that they can hold more weight than acrylic tanks and can be supported by a stand with an open bottom. Clarity is also very strong with glass; as long as the walls are properly wiped, most tanks will keep a healthy shine for years. Finally, the expense associated with glass is much more manageable than acrylic tanks, which tend to have a higher cost.

Glass Cons

• While rigid, glass tanks are also very heavy. Although all tanks are heavy when filled with enough water (the general rule is that one gallon equals about eight lbs.), glass tanks, even when emptied, average about five times heavier than acrylic tanks with identical dimensions. With glass also comes brittleness. While the walls of the tank may be less prone to scratching, it doesn't take too much of an impact to shatter one, leading to a big, expensive mess.

Acrylic Pros

• Weight is one of the biggest pros when dealing with acrylic tanks. While an empty 55-gallon glass aquarium certainly requires two people to safely lift, an acrylic tank can be carried, quite easily, by just one. Because of its thick, plastic nature, acrylic tanks are also more easily pliable, meaning they come in a variety of shapes that glass tanks could never safely accommodate. Unlike glass tanks, which are prone to shattering, acrylic tanks are much stronger, and far less likely to break due to impact.

Acrylic Cons

• Scratching, scratching, scratching. Acrylic aquariums are very prone to surface scratches and even require specialized pads to clean them. And once the tank is scratched, it's pretty much there forever. The tank's clarity also fades as time progresses, leading to the appearance of cloudy, yellowing water. These factors alone are usually enough to deter people from purchasing acrylic tanks. The clincher though is that acrylic seams are far weaker than glass seams, so not only will you be looking at your fish through a wall of cloudy scratches but leaks, which are nearly impossible to stop, will be commonplace after prolonged use. Of course, this is all determined by how much maintenance you provide to your tank. Acrylic aquariums could very well just be as beautiful over long periods of time if given proper care.