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STRENGTH OF SILICATE GLASS
STRENGTH OF ACRYLIC GLASS
The strength of silicate glass depends on more than one factor. First of all, glass tempering conditions are important. The better this procedure is, the stronger the glass will be. The strength of silicate glass (theoretical) is 16300 MPa, which is lower than that of acrylic glass. As a rule, this glass is destroyed in the case of breaking stresses during bending.
The quality of hardening practically does not affect, since a completely different technology is used in the manufacture of this material. If necessary, acrylic glass can also be tempered and further processed, which is almost impossible to do with a silicate counterpart. The theoretical strength index of acrylic glass is 18300 MPa. The material is more elastic, making glass bending less dangerous.
WEIGHT OF SILICATE GLASS
WEIGHT OF ACRYLIC GLASS
The physical density of silicate glass is much higher than that of acrylic glass. As a result, with the same dimensions, silicate glass will weigh more. It is about 3-5 times heavier than acrylic.
Acrylic glass has a lower physical density, and its elastic properties are higher, which not only favorably affects the processing of this material, but also reduces its weight.
AQUARIUM WALL THICKNESS FROM SILICATE
AQUARIUM WALL THICKNESS FROM ACRYLIC
In the manufacture of glass aquariums, mechanical loads are always taken into account, and therefore the required glass thickness is calculated. Since the described material is rather fragile, the walls of the product need a decent margin of safety. Safe aquariums are made exclusively from tempered glass, and it cannot be drilled to bring out the necessary communications.
Due to the properties that acrylic glass has, it can be made from it. At the same time, the walls here will be slightly larger than those of glass counterparts, which are identical in volume. Any holes can be drilled in the wall of an acrylic aquarium, and this is often necessary already during operation.
SCRATCHES ON SILICATE GLASS
SCRATCHES ON ACRYLIC GLASS
With proper operation, scratches on glasses, both on silicate glass and on acrylic, are almost impossible to leave. However, when silicate glass is damaged, scratches have deeper and more problematic consequences. Due to the fact that silicate glass has less elasticity, scratches and damage have a more "torn" character and are much more difficult to remove. And large damage and scratches are almost impossible to remove. If silicate glass is damaged, the “surface tension film” is broken, which reduces the strength of this glass.
With proper maintenance and proper operation, scratches on acrylic glass are almost impossible. When they appear on such glass, due to the elastic properties of the material, they have a “smooth” appearance, do not have “torn” edges and are easily eliminated. When eliminating scratches, it is enough to carry out the necessary ones that the Neptune Planet company can perform.
LIGHT REFRACTION IN SILICATE GLASS
LIGHT REFRACTION IN ACRYLIC GLASS
If we compare glass and water, then they have completely different indicators regarding the refraction of light. When observing the inhabitants of the aquarium, we can catch four times refracted light (air and water; water and fish (object); fish and glass; glass and air). Due to the fact that the flow of light repeatedly passes from one medium to another, the picture that we see is a little different from reality, because it has not only chromatic, but also optical aberrations (noise), which can increase with increasing glass thickness.
The refractive index of acrylic glass is practically the same as that of water. Therefore, acrylic aquariums have little distortion, and if you do not take into account such minor refractions as water and glass, glass and water, it turns out that light is refracted only twice. At the same time, both the shape of the fish and its color will remain real, although we see a picture that seems to be slightly shifted to the side, but with the preservation of all real proportions.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES SILICATE GLASS
ADDITIONAL FEATURES ACRYLIC GLASS
Glass has a rather fragile structure, so it breaks easily. The Achilles' heel of an aquarium made of this material is the so-called compressive residual stress point. When force is applied to it, the aquarium may collapse, while the glass will break into small particles. When installing silicate glass, there are additional costs and difficulties. The cause of many cases of destruction of products is the human factor.
For the manufacture of aquariums, silicate or acrylic glass is used. Silicate glass is a hard, transparent material, formed from the following products: Na20 (soda), CaO (limestone), Si02 (sand). Depending on the purpose, silicate glass contains various additives and components. Aquariums are usually made of monolithic sheet glass with a thickness, mainly from 4 to 25 mm. The parts of the aquarium are connected using silicone sealant (the method of manufacturing aquariums using a metal frame is not currently used, as it is obsolete). Acrylic glass (often use the term organic or plexiglass) is a material based on a polymer called polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Plexiglas aquariums are made mainly of molded glass with a thickness of 4 to 25 mm. Acrylic glass blanks are glued together with one of the special polymer adhesives.
What kind of glass aquariums are best? When choosing a material, you should take into account the pros and cons of indicators that may be of interest to aquarists:
Transparency, optical properties. In terms of light transmission, both types of glass are almost the same. It should only be noted that if acrylic glass is really colorless, then silicate glass has a pronounced greenish tint, which is subsequently transferred to the entire interior design of the aquarium.
aquarium weight. Acrylic glass wins because of the significantly lower (from 3 to 5 times) mass compared to silicate glass (however, do not forget that the main load on the base is provided by water and decorations, and not by the aquarium itself.). Due to their weight, many silicate aquariums can only be made directly on site, which is not always convenient. It happens that the total mass of the silicate aquarium exceeds, for example, the permissible load on the floors of the building, or causes serious deformation floor covering or communications located below it. And for an acrylic aquarium, there are practically no restrictions. The bottom of acrylic aquariums behaves much more stable when the base is uneven. They can be installed with small protrusions of the bottom beyond the base and even suspended from the ceiling, with a sufficient thickness of the acrylic bottom.
Tightness. According to these indicators, it is rather the methods of joining acrylic and silicate glass that should be compared. Silicate glass is interconnected by a foreign material (sealant) according to the principle of adhesion (sticking one to another) and when working with silicate aquariums, it is necessary to pay extra attention to the quality of the sealant itself, since its properties depend on storage conditions, transportation, shelf life, etc. .. Bonding of a polymer to a polymer occurs due to diffusion (partial penetration of molecules of one substance into the crystal lattice of another). Also, due to the fact that acrylic glass bends well, it is possible to have an aquarium with fewer connecting seams, or even without them at all.
Strength. Of course - broken walls, leaks, cracks and chips - all this is the lot of silicate glass aquariums, therefore great attention it is worth giving it a quality installation and protecting it from shock. Although now there is already a service for booking aquarium glasses (armored glasses do not burst from physical impact, but form dents, which gives the owner time to save the contents and neighbors) - it is, of course, expensive, but not more expensive than repairing neighbors flooded with water and your calm. It is practically impossible to break an acrylic aquarium without the help of a tool (blows, which are critical for a glass aquarium, will leave only light scratches on the walls of an acrylic aquarium, which can then be removed by polishing), which indicates the advantage of acrylic glass over silicate in terms of strength. Technological holes can be easily drilled in the wall of an acrylic aquarium: such a need sometimes arises when the container is already in operation. Aquariums with arc elements are more reliable than acrylic glass, because its edges are welded to each other, and therefore it simply cannot leak. In addition, acrylic glass is more injury-proof and aquariums made of it should be used for installation in high-risk areas.
Practicality in operation. Great importance in the characteristics of glass, its resistance to scratches is attached - it is clear that acrylic glass, as being softer, is easier to damage than silicate glass. But if cleaning is carried out regularly and correctly, these problems can be easily avoided. Today, manufacturers offer a huge number of quality glass cleaners, among which it is very easy to choose a scraper equipped with soft sponges designed specifically for the care of Plexiglas aquariums. Scratches on the walls of an acrylic aquarium can be avoided by wiping them with a soft flannel or special wipes. Before wiping an acrylic surface, make sure that there are no solid debris on the cloth and the surface itself. The same applies to the inner surface of the acrylic aquarium - it must be cleaned with a large-mesh sponge, which is used in aquarium filters. An aquarium made of ordinary glass can be cleaned with any scrapers, however, you need to make sure that coarse grains of sand and pebbles do not get between the scraper coating (especially when using magnetic scrapers with a strong attraction force) and the glass - they are hard and can scratch even silicate glass (from such scratches no longer get rid of). In addition, a scratch breaks the so-called surface tension film of the glass, and thus reduces its strength.
Lifetime. Silicate glass is practically eternal if it is not destroyed as a result of improper operation of the aquarium. The durability of the bottom of the aquarium is determined by the durability of the stand. The service life of silicone joints is at least 7-10 years. So theoretically, each aquarium can stand for at least 10 years.
The life of an aquarium made of cheap plexiglass can be reduced by scratches. A well-made aquarium made of quality acrylic glass has an almost unlimited lifespan.
Price. Silicate glass aquariums are cheaper than acrylic ones. This is due to the lower cost of the material, the more complex manufacturing technology of acrylic aquariums, and a number of other reasons. But the cost of manufacturing aquariums with a volume of 500 liters or more is almost the same.
10.09.2011, 14-30
silicate or acrylic glass- the two main materials from which most aquariums are made. without going into them physical properties and differences, people are more likely to pay attention to the price, and since acrylic aquariums are more expensive, the conclusion suggests itself that they are of better quality. To make a final choice in favor of one or another material, you can only compare them in detail with each other, and counting all the pros and cons.
GLASS |
ACRYLIC |
| SCRATCHES | |
| To make a scratch on the surface of silicate glass, it is necessary to make an effort, in addition, only a very hard object can leave a scratch. If the groove on the glass is nevertheless made, then it will be almost impossible to remove it without a trace. In addition, a scratch breaks the so-called surface tension film of the glass, and thus reduces its strength. | Acrylic glasses scratch easily and require great care when handling. It is not uncommon for even new plexiglass boards to get minor scratches during shipping, as even the packaging materials pose a potential hazard to them. A scratch on acrylic (plexiglass) with careless handling can leave even a ring worn on a finger. And a grain of sand that has fallen on a rag with which glass is wiped can pretty much scratch it. Acrylic and abrasive are incompatible things, fortunately, scratches on it are completely removed by polishing. Scratches on the walls of an acrylic aquarium can be avoided by wiping them with a soft flannel or microfiber. Before wiping an acrylic surface, you need to make sure that there is not even a hint of abrasive on the napkin and the surface itself. The same applies to the inner surface of the acrylic aquarium - it must be cleaned with a large-mesh sponge, which is used in aquarium filters. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that grains of sand from the bottom do not accidentally get between the sponge and the glass. Otherwise, you will have to completely empty the aquarium and polish the walls from the inside. Some aquarium fish may be hazardous to the acrylic surface. These are representatives of the loricarid family, having a powerful scraper instead of a mouth (panaki, baryancistrus, etc.). |
| THE WEIGHT | |
| Silicate glass is many times more dense than acrylic glass. With the same volumes, an acrylic aquarium will weigh 3-6 times lighter than a silicate one. | Acrylic aquariums are much lighter than their silicate counterparts, which, first of all, simplifies all kinds of manipulations with them: transportation, moving around the floors, etc. Also, their low weight can play a decisive role for floors, where every kilogram counts. However, do not forget that the main load on the base is provided by water and decorations, and not by the aquarium itself. |
| EXTREME SITUATION | |
| No matter how hard the glass may seem, it nevertheless has a rather fragile structure, and if a solid object hits one of the walls, the entire contents of the aquarium may end up on the floor. The damage from this accident will be directly proportional to the volume of the aquarium - several lower apartments may suffer. It will not be superfluous at all when buying large aquarium from silicate glass to insure property (including neighbors) in case of leakage. This practice finds wide application in European countries. The Achilles' heel of a glass aquarium is the so-called compressive stress point. For glass, this is a natural but unpredictable factor, like a time bomb. A forceful impact on this point - an accidental impact with any hard object, even such as a child's toy in the hands of a child - can cause the destruction of the aquarium. Although such cases are very rare, since aquariums have a sufficient margin of safety, we still recommend purchasing acrylic aquariums. Ardent supporters of silicate glass can be advised to “go broke” on its tempered version. In this case, in the event of an accident, the glass will break into many small, non-sharp particles that do not pose such a danger as large pieces of ordinary glass. No matter how insidious the properties of silicate glass are, it is still able to withstand sufficient mechanical stress. The cause of most cases of destruction of aquariums was and remains the human factor. | Acrylic aquariums are less vulnerable to shock, but you can also harm them if you wish. Unlike silicate glass aquariums, acrylic aquariums behave completely differently when hit: if a strong blow does not fall on the lowest part of it, then most of the inhabitants can be saved, since the cracks do not diverge further. For the same reason, property is preserved from floods. Impacts, which are critical for a glass aquarium, will leave only light scratches on the walls of an acrylic aquarium, which can then be removed by polishing. Plexiglas aquariums with correctly calculated wall thickness, installed in billiard rooms, can easily withstand a direct hit by a heavy ball. The glass aquarium would burst at the impact of the first billiard ball. |
| THE FORM | |
| The nature of silicate glass makes it a rather specific material, difficult to process, brittle and inflexible. That is why most glass aquariums are rectangular in shape. There is a rather complicated technology for the production of curved glass, but in an aquarium they give a strong lens effect, producing optical distortions of the “aquarium reality”. | Unlike silicate glass, acrylic glass can be given absolutely any shape, which provides a huge field for design fantasies. The lens effect of acrylic is much less pronounced than the distortion of silicate glass. It is for these two reasons that acrylic glass is used to create complex aquariums. geometric shape where it is very important to minimize optical distortion. |
| PODIUM | |
| Glass aquariums are very demanding on the quality of the base, namely, on the ideal plane of its surface. An inaccurate stand (podium) is the most common cause of aquarium failure. An insufficiently even welded frame or mound on the basis of the wall opening where the aquarium is built leads to inevitable deformation loads on the bottom, resulting in its cracking or depressurization of the aquarium along the perimeter. It is also not recommended to allow any kind of protrusion (hanging out) of the dimensions of the aquarium beyond the base, contrary to some design ideas. It is better if the base is slightly larger than the area of the bottom of the aquarium. | The bottom of acrylic aquariums behaves much more stable when the base is uneven. It is permissible to install them with small protrusions of the bottom outside the podium and even hang them from the ceiling, with a sufficient thickness of the acrylic bottom. |
| THICKNESS | |
| For the manufacture of glass aquariums, the thickness of the glass is calculated taking into account mechanical loads, and since this material is characterized by significant rigidity, the walls of the aquarium do not need to be very thick. Thus, with the same volumes, a glass aquarium will have a lower calculated wall thickness than an acrylic one. Strained glass, from which safe aquariums are made, cannot be drilled, which is often necessary for the withdrawal of communications. | The properties of acrylic glass make it possible to make aquariums from it. various forms, and at the same time, the thickness of their walls will be slightly greater than that of glass aquariums of equal volume. Technological holes can be easily drilled in the wall of an acrylic aquarium: such a need sometimes arises when the container is already in operation. In the case of a glass aquarium, drilling is excluded. |
| LIGHT REFRACTION | |
| Glass and water have different refractive indices. When we observe the inhabitants of the aquarium, our eye catches four times refracted light (air-water; water-fish or object; fish-glass; glass-air). As a result of the multiple transition of the light flux from one medium to another, the picture that we see somewhat does not correspond to reality, since it includes chromatic and optical aberrations (interference). These distortions increase in proportion to the increase in the thickness of the glass, and the fish may no longer have the perfect proportions that nature endowed them with. However, the small glass aquariums that are most popular still slightly distort the light and color. | The refractive index of acrylic glass is almost the same as that of water. For this reason, acrylic aquariums have slight distortion, and if we neglect the miserable refractions of water-glass and glass-water, it turns out that light is refracted only twice. At the same time, the shape and color of the fish remain original, although we see a picture slightly shifted to the side, but while maintaining all proportions. |
| GUARANTEE | |
| Provided that all instructions are followed, a glass aquarium is usually only warranted for 1 year. We warn you that the manufacturer does not take responsibility for damage to property as a result of a breakdown of the aquarium, since its true cause is very difficult to detect and even more so to prove. Therefore, it is better to immediately insure the property against such incidents, otherwise the losses caused by water will have to be covered at your own expense. | In world practice (USA), acrylic aquariums are guaranteed tightness for at least 5 years (except in cases where the failure of the aquarium was not the fault of the manufacturer). Polishing is included in the list of paid services and can be carried out for life. |
| PRICE | |
| The technology for assembling small glass aquariums is much less expensive than acrylic ones. At the same time, the price of the glass itself is lower. However, the cost of producing large glass containers from 500 liters and above is equal to the cost of acrylic aquariums of the corresponding volume. | Since acrylic glass is a product derived from oil, its price is pegged to the cost of a barrel of black gold. Thus, a sheet of high-quality German acrylic glass (2000x3000x20mm for a typical five hundred liter aquarium) today costs from 1000 euros, and there are no price reduction trends in the future. The production of acrylic aquariums is a rather complicated and energy-intensive business, which cannot but affect their price. |
Silicate or acrylic glass? Personally, I prefer acrylic aquariums, paying attention to the many positive performance qualities of the material from which they are made. When installing an aquarium with a volume of more than 1000 liters, acrylic is always out of competition. We strongly recommend to all our customers, namely, acrylic containers, especially when we are talking about super large volumes.
The sizes of aquariums and their materials also have their own geography. For example, Americans, with their inherent megalomania, are more interested in acrylic. Perhaps this is influenced by their warm climate, which eliminates the problem of heating a large capacity, as well as huge houses, in the halls of which a small aquarium will simply be lost. Europe, as always, is modest and economical: small glass aquariums (no more than 60 cm in height) organically fit into their cozy interiors.
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Silicate glass is used for the manufacture of lining tiles and as a structural material for pipes (GOST 8894 - 58), bends, tees, refrigerators, distillation columns and other equipment.
Silicate glass is widely used for the manufacture of laboratory glassware and instruments. Such glass must have high chemical and thermal resistance. The main component imparting these properties to glass is boron oxide. The content of boron oxide in the glass should not exceed 13%, since a higher content reduces the chemical resistance of the glass.
Silicate glass is a supercooled silicate alloy.
Silicate glass (an alloy of quartz sand with metal oxides), which was used in the first electrical capacitors, has technological advantages over quartz.
Silicate glass is used in equipment mainly in the form of glass pipes and flat round glasses. Repair in this case is to replace damaged parts. At the same time, operations such as cutting glass pipes, cutting round glasses, making holes in glass are performed.
Silicate glass has high transparency, good mechanical strength, resistance to chemicals, low thermal conductivity. The glass industry produces many types of glass that differ in properties and purpose. The basis of silicate glasses is silicon dioxide S1O2 (65 - 75%), oxides of alkali and alkaline earth metals (Na2O, K O, CaO, MgO) and acid oxides are used as additives.
Silicate glass is widely used as a structural and lining material. They are made by refrigerators with coils, distillation columns, individual elements equipment.
Silicate glasses are obtained by melting a charge consisting of sand, aluminosilicates, borosilicates, soda and other components. Depending on the composition of the charge, its melting temperature is 1250 - 1450 C. Products from silicate glasses are obtained by casting, blowing, broaching.
