Freshwater

Acrylic disadvantages
Acrylic does have a few drawbacks:
Distortion: Unfortunately, acrylic tanks have small amounts of visual
distortion because of the way the material is bent during construction.
They are generally made out of one large piece of acrylic that is heated
and bent to shape; this method produces a seamless look that is really
outstanding. These transparent corners allow you to view your fish from
almost any angle with ease.
More expensive: Acrylic aquariums are a lot more expensive, if you get
into custom styles, than their glass counterparts. These babies can cost
some serious bucks, but they are well worth the investment. (Good ones
run $500 to several thousand dollars.) These tanks are top of the line as
far as quality and workmanship and beauty are concerned. If you have
the budget to afford one, you won’t be disappointed.
Scratching: Acrylic aquariums are quite easily scratched. Be careful
when cleaning with rough algae pads, for example, to avoid leaving
scratches or smears. Moving gravel around can also damage the surface,
and pay close attention when you are moving or adding decorations to
the aquarium. There are good scratch remover kits available through
your local pet shop or the Internet that can handle most simple blemishes
caused by carelessness.
Plastic aquariums
Chapter 4: The Tank and Stand
Plastic tanks can usually be found collecting dust on superstore shelves.
These types of aquariums are very inexpensive. Not surprisingly, they have
more serious drawbacks than any other type of aquarium and really are not
worth purchasing. Plastic tanks are now almost obsolete (kind of like the
computer we purchased last year) and for several good reasons:
Scratching: They scratch easily, and there is really no way to repair the
scratches.
Discoloration: They often take on a yellowish cast as they age.
Limited sizes: They’re available only in small sizes (usually between 2
and 5 gallons) which doesn’t provide enough water volume and surface
area to insure a biologically stable environment.
Distortion: They suffer major distortion problems due to their odd shapes.
Prone to melting: They can buckle when they come in contact with any
heat source, including their own hood and light! Whoever designed
these tanks needs to have his or her little (and we do mean little) gray
cells examined.
37