N4784N R4613 wrote:WOW!! You went to that place!?!? I would love to visit a place like that!!!
Oh, and this is the link you want...
http://www.crystalviewtank.com/
If you're interested in saltwater fish in philly - I suggest taking a trip to this place:
http://www.bigalsusa.com/phillyhome.html
or doing a search on this other place: "the hidden reef". Both are supposedly well regarded in the philly area.
Back to this topic...
So the debate around acrylic and glass can be summarized (generally) as this:
weight versus price
and
scratchproof versus lots of scratches
Glass weighs a lot more than acrylic. It can also generally be shaped only into a box (though bowfronts and hexs are possible). More angles/seams/joints will require more silicone - which potentially leads to greater risk of leaks. Regular glass typically is created with a certain amount of iron in it - this creates a very slight alteration in color when viewing something in the tank. The benefit behind glass is that it is much cheaper and virtually scratchproof (though I have scratched my tank when enough coral/rock fall). Saltwater also is heavier than freshwater. Note that one could purchase "starfire" (low iron) glass - but now you're talking a lot of money.
Why are scratches bad? In a saltwater fish tank colonies of algae (typically various in color, but the good stuff is usually purple) are encouraged to grow in the tank. Imagine a tank with purple lines in different areas. Not pretty. In a freshwater aquarium I'd imagine the turtle could scratch the acryllic and then possibly seeing green algae growing in those lines...
That stated, acrylic tanks weigh far less and can be shaped into pretty much any design you have in mind - at a price. They can also be shipped pretty easily since they are lighter. The seams can be made such that no silicone is needed making it almost leak-proof. Finally there is no "iron" in the acrylic therefore providing the clearest perspective of your turtle.
Anyways - there are some custom places like AFY or Glasscages. if you need the links I could send them. But anytime you're making a custom tank - just know that they will be pricey.
Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:16 pm 
