# Is acrylic heat resistant?



## emptyhead (Apr 16, 2007)

I went to the hardware store to get glass cut to cover one of my tanks. The store was very busy and I couldn't get anyone to help me with the glass and I got tired of waiting, so I grabbed a piece of acrylic instead that I can cut myself.

The question in my head now is if acrylic is heat resistant enough or not. I am in the process of building a light fixture (by the way - anyone have a good site for ordering a good reflector?) that will give out 220 watts of VHO lighting. My thought was to set the unit on top of the hood, but I'm wondering if the acrylic will be okay.


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Acrylic will warp. I have acrylic covering the cut-outs on my 75 gallon. I don't set the lights on top of it but I suspect I could. Anyway, it warps and I turn it over so it warps back.


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## AquaTester55 (Aug 16, 2006)

You mold acrylic with heat and it doesn't take much for it to soften up. So I would stick with glass.


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