When choosing a fish tank for your home aquarium, there are many factors that you will have to consider. Choosing the size of your tank allows you to have a better handle on where your aquarium should be placed in your home, and will also allow you to purchase an adequately powered water filter. However, another choice you may be faced with is if you should purchase a glass or acrylic aquarium. While glass is traditionally the most popular material for home aquariums, many fish owners aren’t aware of the properties of acrylic aquarium tanks. Here is some general information about acrylic fish tanks, which will help you to make the choice if an acrylic fish tank is right for you.
ADVANTAGES OF ACRYLIC FISH TANKS
WEIGHT
One of the most commonly cited advantages of acrylic tanks is that they are much easier to lift. If you are purchasing a tank that will hold a large volume of water, you may want to invest in an acrylic fish tank. This will make the tank much easier to move, and may prevent you from having to hire expensive assistants to aid you in setting up the tank. If you move frequently, purchasing a lighter fish tank may better suit your needs.
SHAPE
If you are looking to purchase a fish tank in an exotic shape (such as a hexagon) acrylic tanks are usually a much better choice. Since acrylic tanks are actually fused together with a special type of acrylic soluble cement, they are virtually leak-proof along their seams. This makes it much easier for a fish tank to be constructed in different shapes that may suit your décor requirements.
INSULATION
An acrylic fish tank insulates approximately 20% better than a glass fish tank, which means that the interior temperature of the tank will remain much more stable. This can also decrease some of the costs associated with heating your fish tank, especially if you have fish that need to be kept in high temperature environments.
DISADVANTAGES OF ACRYLIC FISH TANKS
PRICE
Acrylic fish tanks tend to be significantly more expensive than glass fish tanks. Since they are more expensive to manufacture, this means that you may pay from 2-4 times more for an acrylic fish tank that is the same size as a glass fish tank. If you need some price comparisons, check the fish care supply section of your local pet care supply store. Most pet stores have a variety of tanks available, and you will be able to figure out if the price difference of an acrylic fish tank is above your budget level.
EASILY SCRATCHED
Though technically acrylic tanks are much stronger than glass tanks, they can also be scratched easily. Because of this, most acrylic fish tanks need to be cleaned with a special sponge in order to avoid excessive scratching. Scratches will eventually affect the opacity of your tank, and may give it a ‘clouded’ appearance even if the water is clean.