I am interested in setting up my first reef tank. I am looking at a 150 gallon tank built into a wall with full access behind the tank. I have read the debates between acrylic Vs. glass. I begin to lean toward acrylic and then read additional horrors about scratching. Can you comment on acrylic tanks?

We have been selling acrylic aquariums for many years, and we no longer sell glass at all. With proper care, the tank will remain scratch-free. Any scratches that do occur can be buffed out with an acrylic scratch repair kit, even under water with noo ill-effects. The major advantages of the acrylic far outweigh the disadvantage of scratching. Glass scratches too and most things that scratch acrylic also scratch glass, just not as severe. We have seen some badly scratched glass tanks, and those scratches cannot be buffed out. Many of our clients have acrylic tanks that have remained scratch-free for many many years. The most common mistake is getting gravel caught in an algae scrubber when cleaning algae.

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I am buying my first aquarium. I really like the octagon up right tank, but I always see lots of square tanks. Which is best?

You should really consider a rectangular aquarium as they offer more surface area. This FAQ has already been answered. For more details, search the FAQ.

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I have 2 golden barbs, 2 black skirt tetras, 2 neon tetras, and 2 algae eaters in a ten gallon tank. At times the black skirts will nip eachother's fins, and the other fish will just chase eachother. Do I need a larger aquarium?

Black Skirt Tetras do tend to get a little nippy and will chase eachother. Chinese algae eaters should be kept one to a tank unless the aquarium is 55 gallons or larger. As they grow they can become very aggressive, even towards other species. As far as the size of the tank goes, all but the algae eaters are technically schooling fish and should be kept iin groups of five or more. To do that with the species you have, you should consider setting up a 35 gallon tank.

However, please note that Neon Tetras are a bit too peaceful for those other species and you should not be surprised if they get attacked as the other fish in the tank grow.

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Hello, My friend and I are soon to be owning a club and we saw a circular 15ft high fish tank at a resturant that we recently went to. We wanted to see if it was possible to put 2 of these in our club but we were worried about the noise affecting the fish or disturbing the habit of the fish. What would you suggest?

If the tanks are 15 feet high, they will be built of 4" to 5" thick acrylic and sound will not be an issue as at that thickness, acrylic is an incredible insulator.

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When shopping online for tanks, I notice letters listed with sizes (ex: 75E). What do these letters mean?

These letters denote different variants of the aquarium sizes. In this case "E" refers "Economy", and typically denotes a standard 75. "B" means "Breeder", "H" and "XH" mean "High" and "Extra High", repectively.

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I want to construct a saltwater tank that resembles a reef. What materials along the lines of fiberglass, plaster of paris, silicone, vinyl, cement, etc. are saltwater safe? What suggestions do you have? Are there sealers and paints I should be aware of?

It is unsafe to construct an acrylic aquarium if you are not a professional, and have access to a clean room. Glass aquariums are easy to build, but extremely heavy. Use thick tempered glass (thicker for larger aquariums) and treated, waterproofed wood, sealing the gaps with generous amounts of silicone. That said, it is much safer and cheaper to purchase either type of an aquarium from a reputable dealer.

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I'm thinking of buying a 120 gallon tank but I live on the second floor. Should I be worried about the weight?

If you are uncertian if your floor can support the aquarium you have chosen, it is best to contact your landlord or building manager, or consult with an architect to determine if it will be safe. Aside from water weight, you will also need to take the weight of the tank, stand, substrate, and decorations into account.

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I am thinking of upgrading my 55 gallon reef aquarium to a 92 gallon bow for greater debth and more versatility. Do you think this is the right move or should I stay with the conventional rectangular tank?

Choosing a bowfront/corner aquarium over a rectangular is largely a matter of personal taste, but curved tanks do present a few challenges to the reef aquarist that need to be considered. First of all, cleaning algae can be a bit more problematic, since blade-type scrapers used for removing coralline algae are very difficult to use on a curved surface. Lighting can also be a problem for a reef tank housed in a curved aquarium (particularly a larger corner unit). Conventional strip lights will leave the front of the tank looking dim. While this may not be a problem if you plan to keep low-light corals or deepwater fishes, you might want to consider hanging metal halides above the tank if you need the aquarium brightly illuminated.

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I have a dragonfish, angels, and two firebelly newts. One of the newts has a missing foot. Could the fish have caused this damage?

Yes. Angelfish are territorial.

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I have a 150 gallon and it's cracked through the glass. Is it fixable?

Unfortunately, it is not fixable. Do not try to fix it!

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Frequent Aquarium Questions