Glass or Acrylic Aquarium | Which is Best for You?

In today's video, we discuss the pros and cons between glass and acrylic aquariums. There are a few key differences when comparing the two types of aquariums, and hopefully this information is helpful for you.
I ordered my 180 gallon acrylic aquarium on fishtankdirect.com, but there are other great sites as well. If you're interested in any of the products used in the 180 gallon aquarium, feel free to check out the links below.
If you're interested in any of the products use in our aquariums today, feel free to check out the affiliate links below.
Food
- Xtreme Krill Flakes - geni.us/iTAWsN
- Xtreme Big Fella Pellets - geni.us/9Cra
- Xtreme Nice Pellets - geni.us/6ADcc
Equipment
- Aquarium Co-Op LED Light: geni.us/D896w
- Sicce Syncra SDC 6.0 - amzn.to/35yJ0MD
- Sicce XStream SDC - amzn.to/3fRZWk1
- Seachem Tidal 110: amzn.to/3yRUHdq
- Sicce Ultra Zero Pump: amzn.to/3PO5ko4
- Python Water Changer: amzn.to/3a17dbb
Plants
- Anubias Barteri - geni.us/CxmAnz
- Java Fern - geni.us/SyEYJBS
- Windelov Java Fern - geni.us/rkYNsBM
- Plant Weights - geni.us/4iWZZZ
Chemicals
- Easy Green Fertilizer - geni.us/NAl6lK
- Fritz Glass/Acrylic Cleaner: geni.us/uvmwK8
Subscribe here to follow along!
Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next week!

[@iamali53]

Scratch! This one point was enough for me to decide that i am going with glass. Thank you ❤.

[@janchristiangarcia7953]

It's 2:23 am right now here in the Philippines and I am watching this video! Thank you for another upload and good to see that all the bros are in the video! Amazing as always 😇😇

[@freesh81]

For me a big point is, the cost for custom builds. I can create acrylic tanks easy and save at home. Building out of glas feels a bit unsave for me. So i have to go to a store and they have to build one with glas with custom sizes. But the custom glas build from the store is sometimes more expensive than the material for the home build acrylic tank. So i'm actually prefer acrylic for my custom tanks. And i love the clear look auf this tanks. :)

[@minat.4401]

Smart 😊

[@varun009]

Looking to build an enclosure for my first spider - a giant huntsman. Fish dudes always have the best videos on building display enclosures. Thanks, friend.

[@fishandfloral]

For a large tank, acrylic all the way.

[@bryan5713]

@Billy Mack, Texas Detective what brand because sounds like low quality builder didn't use thick enough acrylic

[@duanestewart2021]

Great video guys. Very professional, and well done.

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you - appreciate that!

[@DawnMichele]

Hello. Beautiful tanks. Thanks for sharing the GREAT information.

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks, Dawn!

[@ferrellscales1155]

Awesome information. And tanks. Thank you all.

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you!

[@lh8956]

*That empty tank weight is all the difference in the world when you have to maneuver the tank and or move to another dwelling. For me, 75 gallons and smaller - glass. 125 gallons and up - acrylic.*

[@mondraymondo]

Thats the part that wins me over 😅

[@Gigachadly]

@Billy Mack, Texas Detective hey your commenting alot in regards to glass being better then acrylic for aquariums. I suspect you work in the glass industry.

[@Gigachadly]

@Billy Mack, Texas Detective right sure you are.

[@khairul2185]

Thank you very much for the explanation. I definitely like the arcylic aquarium. The aquarium on you left is very clear than the right one.

[@CichlidBros]

Glad it was helpful!

[@wesleywilliams5998]

The left side is the glass i think

[@elvinsworld11]

Good informative video.

[@joflewbyu2377]

I have had both - glass and acrylic. My 5’ SeaClear 100 G acrylic tank bowed out some and seemed more dull possibly from sand scratches. My 6’ Aqueon 125 G glass tank seems much more clear but with a green tint. Must say a 6’ tank is a real eye catcher and necessity if housing larger fish. My 6 cichlids are ~ 5” or 6” long. I have a Fluval FX6 running and have had no issues in the past 5 years. If I would get a second tank, I would get a 4’ long 75 G aquarium and pair it up with a Fluval FX4.

[@kelcritcarroll]

Helpful and interesting!

[@CichlidBros]

Glad it’s helpful!

[@Hatchy_Auto_Engineering]

Yeah I like to put a bit of elbow grease into my tanks. My new 60 gallon tank was only $15 because of the crystalised calcium stains being so bad, after a weekends work though it looks really clear. Just cycling it now so I can get some medium sized cichlids (less than 20cm) and a tank to raise some large cichlids and fish to go with my oscar which I'm looking for a 180 or 200 gallon tank upgrade from my 125 gallon I have him in. Cichlids and aussie natives are my favourites!

[@TheDowntown02]

Just ordered my first acrylic! 240 gal will arrive in 4 weeks!

[@zhiqz_3882]

For how much and what is a good price

[@NinjaSushi2]

@@zhiqz_3882 this

[@cammer68oliver2]

Good info! Thanks! And 3:04… MAN THAT FISH IS FAST! Lol! 😂

[@andrearenong3505]

I love it 😍😍😍

[@seansquill8773]

Love my Seapora Glass 75 & 50 gallon tanks...but when I get the 125 this winter I think I’m going the way of acrylic 💯

[@CichlidBros]

Nice! Can’t go wrong there 👌🏻

[@stepheng3378]

More about the weight differences. I recently took down a 75g glass tank, and replaced it with a 100g acrylic tank. It takes two people to move the 75g when empty, but I easily handled and moved the much lighter 100g acrylic myself with no assistance. Keep in mind the 100g is 60 inches long, while the 75g is just 48 inches, making the 100g more cumbersome to move about. Besides the lighter weight, most acrylic tanks are built with top braces, with no open wall ends/edges giving them a more rigid structure, yet at the same time with some flexibility as acrylic can bend a lot without damaging it. Not so with glass. One of the leading causes for leaking glass tanks is due to stresses created by improper handling, and setup. Such as having the glass tank sitting on an uneven surface, which can lead to uneven rim support and stressing the seams as a result. BTW, something an aquarium mat can help minimize. So setting up a larger acrylic tank can be done by yourself. And no I'm not a huge, or super fit guy. Just average in build and 62 years old to boot. Just keep in mind to keep the size manageable somewhat. Otherwise it will take two or more to handle the larger tanks, like the 180g in the video requires.

[@PrashMAsh100]

I'm new to the hobby and love your channel 👍😎 Cichlids are my favorite fish by far🙌 I wanted to ask what fish was shown at 3:30 in the video?😊Definitly going to try acrylic when I get a larger tank.

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you! That was our Salvini cichlid - she’s very aggressive

[@NehaSharma-ps4mv]

I got one big acrylic tank by mistake and I regret it no more.. it's awesome for my comets!

[@luigigreen9823]

Thanks bro extremely helpful!! I will buy an acrylic tank! Similar to yours 72x24x30 so roughly 200 gallons. No sump like you. Thinking an fx6, ehiem 1500xl and a penn plax max flow for my large messy South/central American cichlids

[@CichlidBros]

Awesome. Best of luck!

[@celestejohansen]

I have that same 75 gallon glass aquarium. I have guppies (lots and lots of guppies) platys, 1 pearl gourami, 1 female paradise fish, 4 honey gourami, yo-yo loaches, and pepper corys. I was bringing a bag full of guppy fry to my local pet shop and she had a polar blue hybrid cichlid that she said she had given up on. He was sick and she didn’t think he was gonna get better. I told her I’d take him and try and save him. Well I did save him but he couldn’t stay in my 10 gallon quarantine tank so he is in my 75 gallon community tank. I need to get him his own tank. He is doing great but some of my guppies and platys are missing fins. I am really wanting the 180 acrylic since I have 5 kids and am always worried about them hitting my tank with a toy and cracking it. What tank mates would you suggest for him? I kinda got my heart set on an albino long finned Oscar.

[@underthebus5801]

My 180 gallon acrylic aquarium shows off a green tint when viewing end to end and below the water line. The view is clear above the water line.

[@hlatino8949]

Hi, do you think you can give me some type of info, of a short body flower horn, or can you make video of a flower horn, that talks about what to feed..etc please thank you and have a good day

[@bradmu]

Is it a bad idea to keep a pleco in an acrylic tank? Will they scratch the insides and lead to try the hazy look over time?

[@james_prakash_neeruri]

Sir, Can I use 4mm thickness for acrylic material with 2ft base anf 1ft hright, As I am planning to Do it by myself. Can you please respond on this.??

[@bettasyguppy_zr3186]

greetings💪👍👍.good topic💪💪

[@bmw3842]

I have been using acrylic since the late 70's .I currently have a 55 gallon custom aquarium 1' sides and a 3' top because off the shelf acrylic is thinner and the top bows and well as the front .It coast me $450.00 with a black back I downsized from 180 gallons .

[@tonyabooher9460]

May I ask where you got your aquarium ? I am so tired of researching, I am about to give up.. Want to go acrylic BUT want something thicker than the standard 3/16 thickness I have found. Thank you

[@bmw3842]

@@tonyabooher9460 I special ordered it from the the local aquarium store . It is Clear For Life .I paid $450.00 last November

[@jackanddan]

Good video guys....yeah glass is heavy hahaha....💪💪👍👍

[@Hbkgizmo]

This video made me even more indecisive lmao

[@sidsoares73]

Question for you what kind of heaters you got the one with green light like those cant tell there in tank TIA.

[@CichlidBros]

They are Fluval heaters. Amazon link in description

[@basabbiswas]

what about the yellowing of acrylic over time ? I dont see you mention that

[@dominic9279]

What measurements are that cube tank from 4m39 to 4m49

[@moetivation2378]

Is it norm l for acrylic tanks to bow slightly

[@carlosanibalmorillo3576]

How much is that acrylic 180 gallon tank ? because i really want to buy me one

[@coreylu7981]

question, what is ur thickness of ur 180G?

[@Kully17]

I want a 6 foot tank but I'm concerned with the glass one splitting one day at the seals with all the water weight, hence why leaning towards acrylic

[@jazz-axy9924]

I actually want to build a tank myself for my hamster but it's much easier to find material info in the fish community.

[@biglebowski5737]

I am setting up a 300gallon acrylic tank with severums. I would like to add bristlenose plecos to take care of algae. Will they scratch the acrylic?

[@CichlidBros]

Nope, should’ve have any problems

[@TheRazvancristian]

Hello.i got an black moor goldfish..she changed his colour in kind of gold...in last days i seen he have appeared on his body,tail,and the rest some black marks,,look like mold..i dont know is normal or should i do something?not long time ago one fish died after age or 3...was with his belly up most of the time and cant go deep in the water..let me know what i can do with this black moor with that black marks from his body?

[@maggotbrain6340]

The 75 from Petsmart, what is your opinion on the stand?

[@CichlidBros]

It’s held up for me for 5 years. It’s solid

[@carlosj587]

I set up my 55 gal aqueon glass tank. Filled it up put my fish. And guess what. I get dizzy and nauseous when i look into the glass. If you look down or up it bends the light and makes me seas sick. Mind you ive nvr had issues in my life. I have a bow front acrylic tanks for my betta but i nvr get sea sick. So i dont know if is the glass thickness of the 55 gal tank which is 1/4" inch or if is because is tempred. I reached out to custom tank makers and they said the more iron the glass has the more the green tint you get. You can have ultra clear glass with lower iron levels which means wont have the green tint and make it more clear , would it distort light? Idk, they dod say it wont be 1/4 inch itls be 3/8 inch so is even thicker. I feel like i may just build my own acrylic tank and have a buffer on stand by so i can keep the scrtaches low. Honestly when i had my 20 gal aqueon tank it was thinner glass and didnt make.me sick and i can see my fish for hours and meditate, but with the 55gal it distrots everything. I thiught it was all in my head but is been a week and i still get it. Hoepfully acrylic solves this

[@razorreef6552]

I have a 180 gal glass tank. I really like it. Very clear but weighs a ton. I almost broke my big toe getting it in the house. For a 10-15 year old tank it still holds water. I got it off Craigslist. It had sat for years in a Georgia chicken coop.

[@CurieBohr]

10 to 15 years is a glass aquariums lifespan before needing to be resealed. Hopefully the seal won’t break on you.

[@kelcritcarroll]

Ohh…scary! Id be worried it will break and thats ALOT of water🤣

[@danilosilva6470]

Hi Guys! May God bless u! Thanks for your good vids! I Got a question, I am Chilean (sorry my basic English) and here de surffer earthquakes so which is better? Glass or Acrylic? Also Wich one is better to make different shapes?

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks for following along! I would say acrylic is better for earthquakes since theyre more impact resistent, and acrylic is also used more than glass for unique aquarium shapes

[@danilosilva6470]

Great! Thanks a lot for your kind reply! May God bless you all!

[@Em_Dee_Aitch]

I’m only getting a 65 gallon, but it’s going on the second floor or a rental. If that sucker leaks - or worse, shatters - I’m screwed!

[@crazy4mdna]

My 125 gallon glass tank started leaking at the joints and it was nightmare to clean up the water, if acrylic can help avoid such disasters then nothing beats it!

[@gourab-2129]

Bro where are you from?

[@edwardhasiak7961]

What brand and how old was your glass tank?

[@rejesus7106]

I wanted a glass but the only ones they had in my size range was acrylic

[@Pearl_Gt]

What is the thickness of acrylic ?

[@FranknBerry05]

I love acrylic tho I'm oCD and if i see a scratch it drives me bananas 😅

[@twoface9959]

Hello, do you have any issue with cleaner fish (plecos/panda garras/octos) messing up the acrylic tanks, and if so, how do you fix the scratches?

[@CichlidBros]

Nope no issues

[@twoface9959]

@@CichlidBros Sweet, also do you know of any methods to fix the scratches on acrylic tanks?

[@ankushkaul6909]

👍 Tell me if I want to make aquarium size 5×2×2 ft without braces. What thickness in mm of glass is perfect. ( appox volume will be 520 lt. Tell me exact thickness in mm please.

[@crazy4mdna]

12mm should be the minimum thickness. I have a glass tank of 4ft x 2ft x 2ft but now planning to shift to acrylic as the glass has started leaking at the joints and it was a complete mess! I suggest go for acrylic and not glass

[@devachapman6315]

so after 2 years of having the 180 Acrylic tanks what are your thoughts? would you do it again or go with a low iron glass tank?

[@CichlidBros]

I would prefer custom made glass tanks if I could fit it down to my basement. I wouldn’t trust a mass produced glass tank at that size though

[@tucker9375]

Hi just one question how easy is it to clean alge of the acrylic without scratching it ?

[@CichlidBros]

That's maybe a negative of acrylic, you do need to be careful not to scratch it

[@tucker9375]

@@CichlidBros thanks for your reply i appreciate it, looking to set up a cichlid tank at the moment ive a 230 ltr UK but im looking at a 5ft tank minimum really aren't i ? Love your video's 👍

[@reptileguy8458]

Thickness of acrylic aquariums?

[@samlim6352]

Having turtles in Acrylic glass is a good ideas?

[@mousenation3867]

I had no idea you could get acrylic tanks

[@maggotbrain6340]

Will plant lights or full spectrum lights affect an acrylic aquarium?

[@CichlidBros]

Nope

[@stevenpai9910]

How about cleaning? If you clean an acrylic tank the same way you would like a glass tank, does it scratch?

[@CichlidBros]

Glass definitely has the advantage there. Acrylic will scratch easily if you aren't extra careful cleaning

[@UScarsarethebest]

Acrylic, always.

[@mossyart6435]

3:06 same man

[@heavenlyhatch6219]

After having 120 and bring bring it down my stairs I don’t feel like anything in class should be there than at 75 where are you could almost carry it by yourself just got 150 gallon acrylic tank and it weighs as much as a 75 almost

[@duncandonuts5268]

I've always prefered paying the price of low iron glass for smaller tanks since acrylic scratches so easily.

[@CurieBohr]

True. After ten years, the risk of a large glass aquarium silicon seal breaking goes up a lot.

[@SueMyChin]

@@CurieBohr wondering why the seal doesn't break on the acrylic, do they use a different sealant for the acrylic tanks?

[@carlespr]

@@SueMyChin as far as I know, acrylic is kind of welded, while for glass silicone is used which overtime needs to be resealed while acrylic is one piece now and in 10 years if done well.

[@alexanderwhite7109]

I don't know about US but here in UK, buying glass is a fortune, acrylic it's so much cheaper, lighter, cleaner, cold free and superior in every aingle possibly way, it's 2024, people don't use glass anymore

[@trystonstank5550]

I personally prefer glass 100%, especially because of how easy acrylic scratches. however, with large tanks acrylic seems to be the better choice especially if you'll ever have to move it, because acrylic is a lot lighter.

[@CichlidBros]

Agreed, great points!

[@naturesbravery2325]

Sickkk

[@cichlids253]

Acrylic all the way never going back to glass

[@teslacybertruck750]

I prefer glass, glass let's you see the true beauty of crystal clear water

[@mattmonteith2175]

I like all glass with salt water. They do have newer glass Aquarium super clear. I have a 90 gallons aquarium and 150 gallon aquarium. To me glass much clearer view. Than acrylic salt water it eats it turns yellow scratches scuffs easy and a salttwater look s hazy. I had lots s of freind s gone back to glass. It's just my opinion

[@Salty4Reel]

Low iron glass front and side. Pretty much Every used acrylic tank I’ve ever seen looks really bad.

[@markwiegand9334]

acrylic scratches to easy glass is clearer

[@thedoctor4515]

Scratches annoys me, so anytime glass.

[@miguelcoss9869]

WHY OVER TIME ACRYLIC TANKS WILL DEFORM AND TAKE OFF.? IT HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE NOT 100% LEVEL OR WHEN THEY ARE INSTALLED ON A FLOOR THAT DOES NOT WEIGHT OVER TIME. CONCLUSION. . THE EXTRA CLEAR GLASS IS BETTER. CHEERS

[@9latinumStudioz]

Sold out online - made to order acrylic takes 3-6 weeks 🙄

[@Tiersmoke92555]

Glass

[@kakakid22]

Acrylic is better in my opnion. Btw beuatiful fishtanks..

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you!

[@andrzejwolder9819]

Only glass 😎

[@user-gc6rr7sv6g]

Acrylic is much much stronger than glass too

[@smdoc07]

Old school Low iron glass is best! All this new plastic stuff that scratches easy and yellows is not for me. Look at new car headlights they are junk LOL! I have a 30 year old car and the glass headlights are still crystal clear!!! Check engine light never came on in 30 years and it lights when the switch is turned on so it works! Just saying.

[@7inreallife]

Honestly if its over 200 glass is better because acrylic can bust. Ive seen it happen and its a nightmare. If its a basement it can leave an inch depth of water in the whole basement.

[@7inreallife]

A sump is possible in glass if goes over the top but its harder to do which is why acrylics are worth it if you have a hard time with sumps

[@Nish24Gaming]

Your 180g is actually 171.16 gal just letting you know

[@MagnaRads]

Same story here trying to get an 8ft acrylic for my frontosa colony

[@CichlidBros]

Very nice

[@paulchamberlain3359]

Glass