# New 8x2x2' - Suggestions



## Bryeman (Aug 25, 2010)

I'm in the process of looking for a new 240g tank. I have an acrylic one that was junk from the get go!!! Just poorly put together and me being a noob with acrylics didn't see the warning signs. It's currently a nice indoor flower garden, but I'm looking for a new tank because I want to watch cichlids and not flowers. I have a nice stand, very nice lights, sump, canopy, etc., so I want to get another 8x2x2' since I have everything I need. I have a couple of questions and I'm looking for suggestions please.

1) Glass or Acrylic for this size? Money is not necessarily an obstacle, so I'm looking for something that works well with a cichlid environment. I have a 125g glass, so I have experience with both. I love the acrylic the most... if it wasn't falling apart! I like the Acrylic weight, insulation properties, and transparency, but willing to take ideas. I'm also looking for any suggestions on manufacturers if that's allowed on here. I've contacted some local stores and they are also working on quotes.

2) I'm going with corner overflows probably because that's what I currently have setup with my stand, sump, etc. Any do's and don'ts in regards to the hole sizes for the bulkheads?

Let me know if you need more info and thanks for looking!


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## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

xtra heaters..............................  
its cold where you are!!


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

i have an 8x2x2 240 gal acrylic tank. i would def go with glass if i where to do it again. the glass would have wide open top making cleaning, catching fish, and adding or moving decor much, much easier. where as acrylic has limited access. i also dont like how careful u have tobe when cleaning acrylic. it scratches so easily that i dont even realize its been scratched till later. yes scratches can be buffed out, but tank has to be drained to do internal ones. acrylic is light, clear, and does maintain water temps better, but in my opinion i would go glass.


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## Bryeman (Aug 25, 2010)

B.Roberson said:


> xtra heaters..............................
> its cold where you are!!


yeah, that's a big 10-4 on the heaters. That's been an issue in the past too, but will have that problem fixed I think.


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## Bryeman (Aug 25, 2010)

sumthinfishy said:


> i have an 8x2x2 240 gal acrylic tank. i would def go with glass if i where to do it again. the glass would have wide open top making cleaning, catching fish, and adding or moving decor much, much easier. where as acrylic has limited access. i also dont like how careful u have tobe when cleaning acrylic. it scratches so easily that i dont even realize its been scratched till later. yes scratches can be buffed out, but tank has to be drained to do internal ones. acrylic is light, clear, and does maintain water temps better, but in my opinion i would go glass.


I have/will have pretty good water flow and have found in the past that most of the debris ends up getting sucked into the overflows and I use two 5 gallon pails in my sump (each end overflow goes to separate container). I put most of the media and filter material into the 5 gallon pails and it's worked well. I end up not having to clean the actual tank too often. That being said, scratches do occur and that part sucks for sure!!


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## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

Glass or acrylic is really up to you ... There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and there are people that prefer one over the other for both. (I prefer acrylic.)

Acrylic Advantages:
- Optically clearer than glass, even StarFire glass.
- About half the weight of glass.
- Has about the same incidence of refraction as water - distorts the view of the stuff inside less and scratches on the inside have to be pretty bad before they're visible.
- Scratches on the outside can be easily buffed out. (Inside too, but not easily.)
- Insulates better than glass.
- Can be built in just about any shape/size you can imagine, including cylinders, corners can be curved, etc...
- Stronger and harder to break - much less likely to shatter if a rock falls.
- Bonded seems are stronger than the silicone seems in a glass tank.
- Relatively easy to drill holes.

Acrylic Disadvantages:
- Easy to scratch. This is the big one that usually turns people away.
- Usually more expensive for otherwise equivalent tanks than glass (basic rectangular tanks, that is).
- Exterior (and interior when empty) can't be cleaned with ammonia-based cleaners (typical glass cleaners) - this will cause the acrylic to crystallize, losing its clarity (ruining it).
- The top is typically less open than glass aquariums, even euro-braced ones.
- Usually has to be special-ordered.
- Thicker than glass - some magnetic cleaners that would work on a given size glass tank won't on the same size acrylic tank.
- Can bow if the acrylic used isn't thick enough.
- Needs support across the whole bottom (except small areas for holes).

Glass Advantages:
- Hard to scratch.
- Less expensive for the basic rectangular tanks.
- More readily available, and more likely to be locally available.
- Can be cleaned with glass cleaner.
- The top is usually more open, providing better access to the contents (or more room for jumpers to jump).
- Won't bow.
- Glass is thinner for the same size tank than acrylic would be.
- Only needs bottom support around the perimeter.

Glass Disadvantages:
- Much heavier.
- Scratches, while unlikely, can still happen, are permanent, and very visible.
- Not as strong - easier to have shatter.
- Can't bend corners, make cylinders (affordably), etc...
- Not as optically clear as acrylic, even StarFire.
- Lower insulation value.
- More likely to have failures at seems due to flaws in silicone or silicone separation.
- Drilling holes is difficult (non-tempered glass) or impossible (tempered glass).

Which of these causes you the most concern will likely dictate your choice.


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## Bryeman (Aug 25, 2010)

I might try fixing my current one and giving it a "dry" run for a while. The sides/front/back seams are all in good shape, but the euro brace top seems like it may have been slightly warped when bonded to the 4 walls. It's wanting to slowly peel up from the back right corner and by the back right over flow. I have some acrylic strips and the bonding stuff and will see if I can help keep if from going any further. It shouldn't have any issues unless that top continues to peel off. Going to sit and think about this for a while. I can't really get this going again for a few months because it's winter here, but I can get it braced and cleaned up and do some test runs.


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## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

Should be pretty easy to bond a piece of acrylic to to the top and wall, but I'd be concerned about the cause of it peeling up in the first place...


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## Bryeman (Aug 25, 2010)

atreis said:


> Should be pretty easy to bond a piece of acrylic to to the top and wall, but I'd be concerned about the cause of it peeling up in the first place...


I think it was just poorly made. I'm not an expert, but it wasn't made very well. It was made by Glass Cages and started failing about 1-2 days after the 90 day warranty was up. Convenient. I didn't listen to the bad press about them and paid a price because of it. Oh well. Get what you pay for and I obviously didn't pay for anyone to actually stand behind their product nor send something made even half way correct. If I had any experience at all I would have refused shipment, but it's not like you have hours upon hours to sit there and look over something being delivered to you. There's bubbles in the seams, and that's only the beginning of the mostly cosmetic troubles (except for the brace, which is hardly cosmetic).

Anyways... I think the top euro brace piece of acrylic was likely warped when they bonded it. I have it on one of their stands like they suggest, have the Styrofoam underneath like they insisted on, and everything is as level as I can get it (before and after it is filled with water) so I don't believe I did anything incorrect. Plus, when you actually look across the top of it you can see the top is warped and wanting to peel up. it's Crazy! There's definitely tension on that top piece.


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

Personally I would go glass, sure they are heavier and have there downfalls. But a scratch on a acrylic tank would tick me off even if you can fix it. Once I got rid of my 5' acrylic I swore I would never go back for that very reason. No matter how careful I was it would get a scratch here or there.. Now I have a 8ft glass and it does have a few scratches down low at the substrate level from the previous owner, but you can't see them unless you really look or algae starts to grow in the scratch.


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## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

They're the only company I've heard of that makes a euro-braced acrylic tank (as opposed to using a full piece of acrylic for the top and cutting holes in it for access)... I've always wondered about the wisdom of that. I had a glass glasscages tank and had no issues with it, but wouldn't order one of their acrylic tanks. My current Acrylic tank is made by TruVu.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

even though i prefer glass as previously stated, if u do go acrylic, my 240 us a "sea clear". i know others who also have 8' acrylics by "sea clear" also. from what i've heard they are ine of the best for acrylic. (assuming they are still in business, and still using that name)


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## Bryeman (Aug 25, 2010)

Thanks all for the feedback. Going to clean this one up, brace the top, and proceed slowly. The only "good" thing about what I have going on is it SHOULD fail fairly slowly so I'll have time to drain it, etc. If not and it all goes at once, then it'll give me something to clean up for 2-3 days.  If this fails, then it's likely going to be glass. I hate the weight factor, but whatever at this point. The one thing I'm positive of is I will have an operational 8' long tank again with Cichlids. It's awesome when you have a bunch of rocks with colorful fish in that big of a tank.


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## swk (Mar 16, 2010)

Any tank of mine over 75 gal is acrylic. It's so easy to take a few simple precautions to avoid scratching and to me, that's the only disadvantage over glass. For me being in earthquake country, I trust acrylics molecular welds over siliconed panes of glass. Also, having young children I like that acrylic is much more impact resistant than glass. Comes in handy with tossed objects etc.

To me it's a no brainer - for me, acrylic wins hands down.


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## ozman (Sep 7, 2012)

well for me something that big would be a bath... :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Bryeman (Aug 25, 2010)

Well, the 240g blew apart during a water change. Wasn't even a part of the tank that I was worried about or had repaired. Total junk manufacturing!!!  Only managed to probably get 50-70 gallons on the floor and hopefully no lasting damage, but I'm down to my 125g glass planted tank. No more acrylic for me, and no more additional tanks while I live in this house.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

Bookmark'd this thread as I am planning to get the same size tank as you are planning. Hopefully in June if I can save enough money.

I decided glass is better option for me.

#1 reason I am leaning to get glass ---- scratches. As a visual person and a clumsy one too, scratches on the acrylic will drive me nuts. My girlfriend is likewise a visual person.

#2 reason for glass ---- cost.

I know acrylic has the weight advantage, but a tank this size, we will hire professional movers to set this in place. Plus, once it is put into place, no plans of ever moving it again.

Acrylic has better insulation properties than glass. A big advantage for folks that live in cold places or really hot places too. But you can always wrap the 3 sides of the tank with styrofoam during winter to help a bit with hearing cost.

So these are my thought on glass vs acrylic for a tank this size.


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## joescaper1 (Feb 14, 2013)

I know this is a disaster, but maybe you can save the situation. Have you thought of cutting it apart, salvaging it in the largest panes possible, and welding it together yourself. There are several do-it-yourself videos on You Tube doing just this, read through some of the DIY threads on this forum, or check out some other forums. While it is apart you can buff out scratches and when done it will look like it is fresh off the showroom floor. Upon completion you can take pride in knowing you can do it better than people who supposedly make tanks for a living.

Good luck to you.
Joe


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