So, when planning a salt water aquarium before you decide what fish you’re going to purchase or which reef you’re going to insert, you have to find a place to put it all. Finding a tank that meets all of your requirements may take a bit of effort, and I’m about to make it just a little harder. How many people have heard of acrylic fish tanks? I’ll admit, I hadn’t heard about this aquarium material until today, and I’m intrigued. Because when I get interested I have to learn more, I did a little bit of research on acrylic aquariums.
In my not very educated opinion, I think that acrylic aquariums are a great thing! They offer many great features and are much improved from the somewhat sketchy models that were available a few years ago. Several companies are producing wonderful acrylic tanks, and they’re worth looking into.
First of all, acrylic tanks are much lighter than standard glass tanks. They are also more durable and leak resistant. This is great if you have your aquarium in an area that sees a lot of commotion, like a living room or an office. Another benefit of choosing acrylic, again, if you are going to be displaying it in a public area is that it can be molded into different shapes. This means that if you decide to go all art deco with your fish, you could have a triangular aquarium if you so choose. Acrylic is also very difficult to scratch, meaning that you’ll no longer have to get nervous when people starting poking at your tank.
Many people may wonder about the environmental safety of using acrylic. In the past the process of making acrylic was a bit, say we say, questionable, but today most acrylics are made by a process called UV stabilization. This should comfort all of the environmentally conscious people out there who are reading this post.
There are other benefits to using an acrylic aquarium. Tests have shown that acrylic is seventeen times stronger than glass and insulates more than 20% better than glass. This ensures that your tank won’t break easily and your fish won’t become ill as temperatures fluctuate. Another benefit to using acrylic is that medications, the sun, and a million other factors won’t affect the colors of your aquarium. No fading, dying, or staining! You’ll also experience less salt creep with acrylic as it was specially designed to withstand the ravages of salt water.
Do you think using an acrylic tank is worthwhile? Do you own an acrylic aquarium? Well, let us know by posting a comment!