Acrylic aquarium fish tanks
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009The hobby of keeping aquarium tanks has been with us since the late 1800’s. The original aquaria were fairly crude, as you would expect back then.
These ancient aquariums generally only had one side made of glass. The rest? Made of metal or wood! Most aquarium fish tanks contained only fish that were native to the owner’s area, simply because that was all that was easily available. Most of these ancient fish tanks also contained only fresh water fish. Salt water, as you might expect, would corrode the metal frame that held the aquarium together.
Back in the 1960’s the invention of silicone adhesive changed everything. Metal frames became obsolete and more people started to keep salt water fish and invertebrates. Recently, a wider choice of tanks has become available because of the flexibility and strength of acrylic.
Acrylic aquarium fish tanks are far more for forgiving than glass tanks. If a heavy object strikes a glass tank, it will almost certainly break - with the consequent loss of fish and possible danger of injury to you, with all the broken glass.
Acrylic tanks have a flexiblity that can prevent breakage from happening in the first place. In addition, acrylic offers more flexibility in design than glass. Acrylic aquariums have been made into everything from coffee tables to gum ball machines. In fact in many cases the aquarium is so decorative you no longer need any extra aquarium ornaments.
The real pitfall to having an acrylic aquarium tank, as every owner will tell you. They scratch more easily than glass, much more easily than glass. When it’s time to clean your acrylic aquarium always be careful not to use materials like paper towels, which are rougher than they look,, or harsh or abrasive chemicals. They tend to scratch the acrylic surface of the aquarium.
It’s recommended that you use a cleaner specifically labeled safe for acrylic. Use plastic or rubber scrubbers, rather than metal to clean the sides of an acrylic tank. Also, take special care not to pick up a piece of substrate or gravel while cleaning the inside of the tank. If you do scratch the tank there are some acrylic repair kits available at speciality pet stores and of course online.
It doesn’t matter where you buy your acrylic aquarium starter kit, but it is extremely important to buy your fish from a reputable dealer. If you buy your fish from a good livestock supplier, they’re much more likely to survive and that, after all, is what it’s all about!