# Acrylic tanks with large openings at the top?



## All that is Fishy

Hi! I am thinking of getting a 20 gallon aquarium, and have been investigating acrylic tanks online. I can't find any with large enough openings at the top to change water with a pitcher. Can anyone suggest/recommend any? I have tried looking for SeaClear and I think it's called AquaClear, but the openings were small.


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## DKRST

What you are looking for is called "eurobracing", where the bracing is around the sides. Is there a particular reason you wanted acrylic tank? On a per-gallon basis, they are generally much more expensive than glass. The primary advantage is the tanks weigh less (but scratch easily). 

For something as small as a 20 gallon, just don't see many acrylic tanks, unless they are custom-ordered ($$$). For something as small as a 20, you could probably get one made from thicker acrylic without any bracing and be ok - depending on the tank configuration.


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## All that is Fishy

Thanks for your response!

I was thinking of getting an acrylic tank because they are stronger (so when I move in a year, it won't be in danger of breaking) and because if I ever wanted to convert it to a saltwater tank, I could. 

Thanks for the info! I might just get a glass tank and then if I ever decide to do saltwater, get an acrylic. Glass tanks are a LOT cheaper, so it might make more sense to get one for the freshwater fish I am thinking of getting, and then in the future, if I do decide to get saltwater fish, get a new tank.


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## DKRST

Lots of salt tanks are glass, they don't need to be acrylic...
Not sure where you got the idea that salt tanks need to be acrylic?
Anyway, you can probably buy 2 or 3+ glass 20 gallon tanks for the price of an acrylic one!
I moved a glass 29 gallon tank from Georgia to Texas to Wisconsin to South Carolina. Didn't break it. Only got rid of it when the 20-year old silicon seams failed! Tempered glass is strong.


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## All that is Fishy

DKRST said:


> Lots of salt tanks are glass, they don't need to be acrylic...
> Not sure where you got the idea that salt tanks need to be acrylic?



I was reading product descriptions of acrylic tanks, and they generally said things like, "Unlike glass tanks, acrylic tanks do not erode when used for salt water." So, I thought you had to use acrylic for saltwater. Since that's not the case, and since glass would be fine to move and way less expensive, I will get a glass tank. I'd rather use the money to get a glass tank with nice lighting or something!


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## DKRST

Yea, that's an example of where not everything on the internet is factual. Salt water is not going to erode glass! That's why strong acids and bases are often stored in glass containers.

Absolutely, use the cash saved for other equipment.


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