How bad are acrylic tanks?

[aquamist666]

I want to get a 55 gallon acrylic tank because they are lighter and easier to transport by myself. However they scratch easily when compared to glass. I'm planning on making it a FOWLR tank. Do acrylic tanks really scratch that easy even if I use a magnetic algae scraper that is meant for acrylic?

Also, aren't acrylic tanks less likely to leak when compared to glass tanks since they don't have silicone joints?

 

[cdr63corv]

I love my acrylic tank. Guess I wouldn't use a magnetic scraper, I use a scrubber pad made for acrylic tanks. Had mine for two years now and no scratches, am very careful about it. Always looking for another one on market place to replace one of my glass tanks. They've been hard to come by lately it seems.

 

[BlackOsprey]

I'd be careful about using magnet scrapers for anything because if you get a grain of sand lodged between the two, they'll scratch just about any surface like crazy.

 

[3Fishnight]

If you do go acrylic make sure you have a nice flat base that touches the entire bottom of the tank. This will prevent any crazing. Which are a bunch of little micro cracks in the acryllic. I had one (50 gal) that started to craze on the bottom pretty badly because the surface it was on wasnt flat enough so there were pressure points. That is why people will put a thin layer of styrofoam or better yet a neoprene mat( almost like a yoga mat) under the tank so it sits on a nice level surface. If you are in doubt about your stand surface go with a mat. Also ask the manufacturer if they recommend you put a mat under it. They could steer you in the best direction.

Acrylic tanks are generally better than glass.