WEKA Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 I am about to make up covers for the top of my cold marine 1500 x 600. I will have a number of T8 full lenght tubes for lighting and a fan ventilated light hood. Should not be any "spray" in the tank as all "life support" systems are outside of the tank. My question is : which is best to use glass or acrylic. I thought acrylic may be safer to use when feeding etc and will probably reduce any heat from the lights entering the tank due to its thermal insulating properties. Can anyone out there give me the benefit of their experience on this please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PETEYPLECO Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 Be carefull acrylic will warp if it gets to hot and glass will be easyer to clean and will resist staining more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 acrylic can warp at the cornors, if you do you use it use at least 6mm and ask the local plastic shop for the right one, whatever that is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 acrylic scraches and I think discolours as will, plus glass will be cheaper if you have to go out and buy either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEKA Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Thanks everyone for your comments. If I go glass what thickness would you recommend for the 600mm span and how many sections for the 1500mm lenght. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 I think I'd go with acrylic, assuming it's not too expensive. With a cold water tank you'll want as good of insulation as possible, so that's the acrylic would be best. And obviously that would help with any weeping. But of course, if the cost difference is big, it'd wouldn't be worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 anyone know where to get cheap acrylic in wellington? want to try to built a custom tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quack Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 you could use laminate glass, that has pretty good thermal propertys, or neven better get a peice of doulble glaze glass made up for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 i dont think you can cut a laminated glass though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 Oh yes you can. Cut from both sides then split, and run a blade along the membrane Just don't try to cut hardened glass tho, makes a helluva mess. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiuh Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 haha..i would presume you have tried cutting them all...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted July 29, 2006 Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 Oh yes you can. Cut from both sides then split, and run a blade along the membrane Just don't try to cut hardened glass tho, makes a helluva mess. Alan 104 yip. or if you want to have a bit more fun, poor a bit of meths down into the crack and light. SAFETY NOTE don't let children play with matches to offen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEKA Posted July 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2006 I bumped the edge of a 15mm sheet the other day with another piece of glass !!!!!! yezzzz sounded like a shotgun going off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Man Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 anyone know where to get cheap acrylic in wellington? want to try to built a custom tank Don't even go there, cheap acrylic is not suitable. I've found cheap Asian made sheet is not polymerised properly and won't last. We've had to replace Tanks in the past which we made from cheaper sheet, now we only use Rohm sheet (German origin) which we can guaranty the quality of. Another problem of Asian sheet is the consistency of the thickness, 20mm sheet for instance can vary over several millimeter's in thickness making it hard to work with. Tank Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted August 1, 2006 Report Share Posted August 1, 2006 Laminated glass is not as strong as the same thickness of plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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