Acrylic or Glass - 75 gallon - Which is best - I have young kids!!

gscottnelson · 10/22/2008, 03:36 PM

Thoughts anyone?

kiknchikn · 10/22/2008, 03:39 PM

Glass. The thing most likely to happen is the kids find your magscraper and try to clean your tank like you do, but instead get sand stuck between it and the tank and end up scraping the heck out of your acrylic tank if you had one.

Sk8r · 10/22/2008, 03:47 PM

Either will do. However...I have had a 100g acrylic, and this time bought thick!!!! glass. Cleaning coralline off acrylic without scratching it is nearly impossible---the first time you drop a rock you will likely have a scratch that will turn dark with algae, and over time and with heat, the walls tend to bow. I had a seam part in one acryllic deep-and-narrow tank. So in spite of the fact it takes mega-strength to handle a glass tank, I will never go back to acrylic as it currently is.

Re kids: the best position to take is "This is Daddy's tank. You don't touch Daddy's tank. You don't feed Daddy's fish." ==sounds brutal, but little kids don't understand abstracts. Nature wired them, however, to understand territoriality LONG before they understand "Glass breaks," or "Don't put the tv remote into the tank," or "Fish die if you overfeed them." There'll be years and years for them to come to appreciate the tank and share it with you, once it survives their infancy. MINE is the best, shortest explanation, and BECAUSE I'M BIGGER works too.

theatrus · 10/22/2008, 04:29 PM

Glass. Acrylic is simply far too scratch-prone, especially in a "harsh" environment

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matt 76 · 10/22/2008, 05:08 PM

Go glass its much better for kids to put their dirty little mits on and won't scratch when you look at it wrong.

stricknine · 10/22/2008, 05:31 PM

+1 for glass.

would take quite a bit for your youngsters to break it. Just dont give them porcelain or copper toys to play with around the tank.

ser_renely · 10/22/2008, 05:35 PM

get rid of kids

Rae C. · 10/22/2008, 05:37 PM

Glass. I've had kids from two to sixteen, the only thing they can't seem to get (especially tweens 10-14) is that they are NOT allowed to clean the glass with the mag cleaner. I have scratches in the glass from sand, I can't imagine what it would look like if it were acrylic.

CookieJar · 10/22/2008, 07:17 PM

how about get 2 tanks- 1 for the kids to put their hands in, scratch and play with (think petting zoo) and 1 for a nice display that's a 'no touch' tank.

Gary Majchrzak · 10/22/2008, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gscottnelson
Thoughts anyone?

welcome to RC!

glass

acrylic

GLASS!

View Poll Results: Acrylic or Glass in a house with young kids - 75 gallon
Go Acrylic - it is the right thing to do	0	0%
Go Glass - It won't break	8	80.00%
You're crazy to have a tank with kids!!!	0	0%
Either will work	2	20.00%
Voters: 10. You may not vote on this poll

10/22/2008, 03:36 PM	#1
gscottnelson Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Frisco, Texas Posts: 82	Acrylic or Glass - 75 gallon - Which is best - I have young kids!! Thoughts anyone?

10/22/2008, 03:39 PM	#2
kiknchikn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bel Air, MD Posts: 1,556	Glass. The thing most likely to happen is the kids find your magscraper and try to clean your tank like you do, but instead get sand stuck between it and the tank and end up scraping the heck out of your acrylic tank if you had one. __________________ I am a proud member of the Chesapeake Marine Aquaria Society (CMAS). If you're in the Maryland area check us out! Current Tank Info: 30g nano reef

10/22/2008, 03:47 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Either will do. However...I have had a 100g acrylic, and this time bought thick!!!! glass. Cleaning coralline off acrylic without scratching it is nearly impossible---the first time you drop a rock you will likely have a scratch that will turn dark with algae, and over time and with heat, the walls tend to bow. I had a seam part in one acryllic deep-and-narrow tank. So in spite of the fact it takes mega-strength to handle a glass tank, I will never go back to acrylic as it currently is. Re kids: the best position to take is "This is Daddy's tank. You don't touch Daddy's tank. You don't feed Daddy's fish." ==sounds brutal, but little kids don't understand abstracts. Nature wired them, however, to understand territoriality LONG before they understand "Glass breaks," or "Don't put the tv remote into the tank," or "Fish die if you overfeed them." There'll be years and years for them to come to appreciate the tank and share it with you, once it survives their infancy. MINE is the best, shortest explanation, and BECAUSE I'M BIGGER works too. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/22/2008, 04:29 PM	#4
theatrus 100-mile-commuter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: almost nevada Posts: 4,721	Glass. Acrylic is simply far too scratch-prone, especially in a "harsh" environment . __________________ Custom electronics purveyor. blueAcro.com Current Tank Info: 90g SPS+mixed reef (10 yrs): LEDBrick LEDs, 40g custom sump, Ca reactor, chiller, Vortech, lots of custom electronics

10/22/2008, 05:08 PM	#5
matt 76 Reefing is an addiction! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 175	Go glass its much better for kids to put their dirty little mits on and won't scratch when you look at it wrong. __________________ 250 DD starphire, Apex controller, 4 t5s, 2 G5 XR15 Blue ,Geo Kalk reactor, geo 618, 2 MP60QD, Fluval SP6 return pump, Bubble King supermarin 250, Lots of tangs Current Tank Info: 250 DD

10/22/2008, 05:31 PM	#6
stricknine Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 989	+1 for glass. would take quite a bit for your youngsters to break it. Just dont give them porcelain or copper toys to play with around the tank.

10/22/2008, 05:35 PM	#7
ser_renely Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,820	get rid of kids __________________ RIP: Osc. Clown - Ammonia, YW GobY - overflow, YW Goby - Pistol shrimp, Firefish - acclimation. 5 Fire fish - pistol shrimp, Mandarin - Pistol shrimp!!!!! Current Tank Info: 60g Cube, 15g sump/fuge,Tunze 9010 skimmer, Reefbreeders Photon 16" - 2 Osc. Clowns,2 Lyretail Anthias, Blue Chromis, mp20, mp10....another DAMN pistol shrimp!

10/22/2008, 05:37 PM	#8
Rae C. Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 916	Glass. I've had kids from two to sixteen, the only thing they can't seem to get (especially tweens 10-14) is that they are NOT allowed to clean the glass with the mag cleaner. I have scratches in the glass from sand, I can't imagine what it would look like if it were acrylic. __________________ Rae C It's 8:30, kids. Turn off the tank and go to bed! Current Tank Info: 65 gal, softies, 1 mandarine, 1 clown

10/22/2008, 07:17 PM	#9
CookieJar Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Mountain View, CA Posts: 545	how about get 2 tanks- 1 for the kids to put their hands in, scratch and play with (think petting zoo) and 1 for a nice display that's a 'no touch' tank.