# How does Acrylic Age?



## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

Just curious if anyone has had an acrylic tank for a long time. How well has it aged? 

Knocking around the idea of going acrylic for next tank...


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## george (Apr 11, 2009)

Best is to speak with J_T. He works in acryl daily and made a bunch of acryl project for GTAA members.

http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48231


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

Uarujoey's new YouTube video was about glass vs acrylic. He also stated in the video that acrylic ages better. He is posting another video next week going more in depth with it so hopefully he's able to help you out


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

Thanks that's a good video, I looked at the cost of acrylic.. and this time around its out of my price range but mebbe the next one!


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## uarujoey (Jul 4, 2011)

SKurj said:


> Just curious if anyone has had an acrylic tank for a long time. How well has it aged?
> 
> Knocking around the idea of going acrylic for next tank...


Acrylic doesn't really age per say.

It will get dull looking with scratches and general wear over time like any material really...

The best part about that is you can drain and buff out the whole tank and make it look like it did on day one with a little elbow grease.


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

uarujoey said:


> Acrylic doesn't really age per say.
> 
> It will get dull looking with scratches and general wear over time like any material really...
> 
> The best art about that is you can drain and buff out the whole tank and make it look like it did on day one with a little elbow grease.


Wow, i didnt even know you were on this forum  I thought you had your hands full with your own website going haha  Nice to have you on here joey


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

OOps I didn't catch that either.

Haven't checked.. but will be looking forward to seeing the next video on acrylic tanks.


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## uarujoey (Jul 4, 2011)

Kimchi24 said:


> Wow, i didnt even know you were on this forum  I thought you had your hands full with your own website going haha  Nice to have you on here joey


Still gotta show some love for my fellow Canadian aquarists!

PS: I think im a member of every canadian aquarium forum...


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

there it is


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## uarujoey (Jul 4, 2011)

Kimchi24 said:


>


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Anyone know if a 180 gallon acrylic is cheaper and lighter than a glass tank of the same size? Not sure how thick the acrylic is for a 180 gallon but I know its 1/2 or 5/8 probably for glass tank that size and heavy as hell.


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## Dis (Apr 16, 2010)

Acrylic seems to be more expensive here, probably because everyone uses glass and the big als tanks are so cheap.

I had a quote from miracles on a glass tank, and acrylic, the acrylic was significantly more expensive for the same size.


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## AquaticPulse (Jun 19, 2011)

woah! it's so weird that a famous youtuber is on a forum that i'm on. it blows my mind


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Not that weird, he is from the GTA area or close to it. This would be a good forum for him.

I really like his videos and have learned a lot and have gotten some great ideas


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

Acrylic is a lot lighter, I think maybe 50-60% the weight of glass and it does not need to be as thick as glass (watch Joey's video . A 180gal in acrylic standard size I think will run you double or more what BA's charges for a glass one.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

that makes it hard, can spend less and have trouble moving it or spend more and be able to move it.


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## AquaticPulse (Jun 19, 2011)

pyrrolin said:


> Not that weird, he is from the GTA area or close to it. This would be a good forum for him.
> 
> I really like his videos and have learned a lot and have gotten some great ideas


Oh, from his profile i thought he was still in Nova Scotia. Yeah, it's not weird if he is in the GTA area


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

pyrrolin said:


> that makes it hard, can spend less and have trouble moving it or spend more and be able to move it.


Its cheaper to hire someone to move the empty glass box you just bought than to buy the acrylic... and move it yourself.
But... odds are you won't have to reseal that acrylic tank.. ever...

But in the end the weight of the box means little once its full..

I'll try an acrylic tank when I can find a deal on a used one.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I never really considered acrylic until it was explained quite well in Joey's video, now that I know more, I'd consider it if the price was right


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## SKurj (Oct 26, 2011)

Yeah I am in agreement, the clarity of acrylic and durability of the seams appeal to me for sure. The weight is a bonus.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

The durability of the seams is relative to the how well it was constructed. If I remember correctly large tanks are made from cell cast acrylic which is significantly more expensive than extruded. While it is much lighter and clearer than glass, it also scratches very easily. The big thing I don't like about (aside from the cost) it is that the top has to have a significantly obtrusive brace.
As for the longevity of silicone seams on glass tanks, I have the first tank I built, circa 1967, that still holds water even though the butt joints are full of air bubbles. It was a really bad job, done with silicone from a squeeze tube. Still, it has held up all this time. For me, having two glass 180s for less than the cost of one acrylic 180, is good enough reason to go with glass. The fact that they are really heavy, just means that you have to use something other than the brute strength and ignorance method of moving and placing them.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Need a few beer on hand to move a glass 180


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## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

Awesome videos dude, Ill have to follow you


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## KeyLime (May 4, 2014)

Hey Joey!

I've been watching a lot of DIY vids lately, and I noticed you have quite a good following!
Funny thing is that people who cite your work as the basis for their versions can never pronounce "Uaru" . SO...everybody knows who it is.


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## KeyLime (May 4, 2014)

uarujoey said:


> That was today's... talking about the misconceptions of acrylic.
> 
> Its a run off of the video comparing glass to acrylic from the week before:


Joey, 
How about the pleco rasping?


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

I know I've bought used glass tanks that still had the mfg.' date tags on them, showing they were more than 20 years old and were still holding water with the original silicone seals. One I got had clearly been dosed with a lot of meth blue and/or malachite green, which seemed to have softened the silicone quite a bit, and discoloured it badly, but it was also still water tight. Silicone used to be so much more costly than it is now, I suspect older tanks may have been better made than today's mass manufactured versions are. I wish I could afford acrylic simply because it is easier to handle when empty, and there aren't any seals inside to impair the view, which is nice. But once filled, makes no real difference in weight.


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## uarujoey (Jul 4, 2011)

Better late than never i suppose...



thinkshane said:


> Oh, from his profile i thought he was still in Nova Scotia. Yeah, it's not weird if he is in the GTA area


Im still in Nova Scotia. Truro.

Never lived in Toronto at all. Born in Guelph but lived my life in N.S



KeyLime said:


> Joey,
> How about the pleco rasping?


Plecos.... big ones can destroy acrylic.

Feed them properly and its less worry.


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## SoloW (May 25, 2014)

^ would carnivorous plecos be better or worse for this situation ? I have a l600 & l240 pleco I'm planning to put into my acrylic tank


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## bigfishy (Jun 19, 2009)

SoloW said:


> ^ would carnivorous plecos be better or worse for this situation ? I have a l600 & l240 pleco I'm planning to put into my acrylic tank


not sure about those, but I know panaque type can chew right thru


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## SoloW (May 25, 2014)

yeah I read that too. was thinking of getting a rare type royal until I read that lol.





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