You will also encounter two types of glass…regular and low-iron glass. Glass has less insulation capability and that can be a pro or a con depending on the room temperature and the aquarium temperature you are trying to achieve. The Good News: 1 Glass is going to be less expensive than acrylic in almost all cases. Very large tanks made of glass can be as expensive as acrylic pricing, but at these extra large sizes glass is typically not a good option and we will cover that in the paragraph to follow.
Having owned several before and working with them now I can say with certainty that they can take a lot of friction without scratching but can still scratch if mistreated with a sharp object and enough pressure.
The Bad News: 1 Glass is heavier than acrylic — as much as 10 times heavier! When dealing with large tanks weight can become a consideration especially with raised foundations where the weight may cause a dip in the floor or worse — this too can be overcome by reinforcing the floor. If you accidentally slam a rock onto the glass panel or something heavy that is moved around the aquarium hits it, the aquarium can break — but again this is very unlikely to happen but is important to note and remember.
Again, to be fair, if you purchased an aquarium from a reputable company, chances are your aquarium will be just fine for many years. However, we receive a few calls per year asking us to repair leaking seams — this is especially troublesome if the aquarium is built into a wall or custom cabinetry. Last year we received a call about a g leaking glass aquarium that was custom installed into a wall with custom cabinets. A pinhole size leak developed over time and the aquarium had to be drained, animals transported into holding bins, sand removed, dismantle cabinets and break the wall, and remove the aquarium to be delivered to the manufacturer for repair — a nightmare for sure.
It is scratch resistant — very advantageous due to the large variety of tools that will be at your disposal to keep that glass clean. Even razor blades can be used with great success if care is taken not to damage the silicone seals. Though it is important to note that typical glass does contribute a blue tint to the view, particularly for thicker glass panels.
Starphire glass is a much more colorless alternative. Unfortunately, glass does have some potentially serious disadvantages as well. Disadvantages Heavy — roughly twice as heavy as acrylic, this can be a serious drawback for the largest aquariums.
This is a very serious drawback for larger aquariums. Tanks in excess of gallons will exceed lbs dry weight. Custom built aquariums, which lack the plastic formed braces and typically use glass braces instead can be even heavier. Shapes and sizes can be limited — as compared to materials like acrylic, glass is relatively limiting in terms of the shapes and sizes of aquariums that can be constructed. This is particularly true if you are considering a custom glass aquarium manufactured specifically for your aquarium build.
Gaining in popularity is the construction of custom built acrylic aquariums. Plexiglas, Lucite, Perspex, and Crystallite are brand names of polymethyl methacrylate types of acrylic. Acrylic has many distinct advantages when used as the material to construct an aquarium. Advantages Lighter — Acrylic is much lighter than glass.
Stronger — Acrylic is about 17 times stronger than glass of the same dimension. This means that not only is it lighter at a similar dimension, but you can also use a smaller dimension as compared to glass and benefit from a very significant weight decrease. For aquariums 1 foot 0.
For every additional 6 inches 15 cm in height, make the acrylic an additional. Part 2. Assemble your materials in a spacious and open workspace. Not only will you need ample workspace to construct your aquarium, but cutting acrylic produces a strong and persistent odor. Consider carrying out this project outside or in a garage with good ventilation. Use a table saw to cut your acrylic into pieces. Use a table saw with closely spaced teeth to avoid chipping the plastic.
Cut your acrylic into 5 pieces: 1 piece to serve as the bottom of the tank; 2 longer pieces to serve as the front and back of the tank; and 2 shorter pieces to serve as the sides. Make sure the front and back pieces are equal to each other in length. Do the same for the 2 shorter pieces. Use sandpaper to smooth out the edges of your acrylic pieces. Sanding will also remove unsightly cutting marks. Lay a sheet of grit sandpaper on a flat work surface. Holding the acrylic vertically, run the edge along the sandpaper to achieve the desired effect.
Part 3. Place your bottom piece on a sturdy, level area. Consider building your aquarium on the surface you intend to ultimately place it in your home, to avoid moving the aquarium after completion. Attach the back piece to the bottom, placing small pins between them.
You can use tape or a clamp to attach the pieces together. While tape will allow you more dexterity, clamps will prevent the pieces from sliding around on the pins. These can be bought at any home improvement store or mass retail store. Place the pins across the joint between the pieces at even intervals. Use acrylic cement to glue the back piece of acrylic to the bottom piece. Remove the pins from between the joints as you apply the cement. Whether you decide to construct using Acrylic Sheet of Glass you will still need to understand all the forces at play once you fill your tank with water.
The information below is provided as a guide by our sheet manufacturers to help you design your tank. Click Here for Excel Worksheet mentioned above. Manufacturers recommend that all acrylic water vessels, including aquariums, should be constructed with Cell Cast Acrylic Sheet.
This requirement exists for two reasons:.
0コメント