What should you look when comparing a glass aquarium?
We have found people selling products similar to our existing Grand View series and our discontinued Full View series aquariums on the market. Close observation indicated these products present some or all the problems mentioned below:
How thick is the glass?
As a designer and manufacturer having been pursuing perfection in glass aquarium production for over 20-years, we believe that a manufacturer making 100 gallon or larger tank using 10mm (3/8") thick or thinner non-tempered glass merely gambles, not guarantees, the holding of water in tank. Such a gamble puts your live stock, your home furnishings, and your downstairs neighbor relations, at stakes. - It is surely a quick sale for the seller because the material cost of 10mm thick glass is a lot lower than its next one thicker.
How clear is the glass of AquaVim® aquariums?
The glass we use for our tanks is specially made to surpass AquaVim's competitors, therefore is clearer than glass used by most other manufacturers. We can also custom-make using Starphire®, or Ultra-clear glass to meet your perfectionism. See the difference below:
Shown above: Side views of three 1/2" thick panes of each of the three glass grades. The three dark panes in the middle are the standard glass used by most other aquarium manufacturers, the three pieces on the right are the standard glass used by AquaVim®, the three pieces on the left are Starphire or UltraClear glass that we can use for extreme hobbyists.
Are there any bubbles or distortion of view at the bent area of a tank?
This is a challenge that most glass bending factories can not take. Why? Bending a piece of glass is difficult, bending a large piece of glass is more difficult, bending a large piece of glass without creating bubbles and distorted view is the most difficult and is almost un-achievable without large furnace and a series of computerized equipment that precisely controls the temperatures of each of the heating elements toward different areas of a glass and in different time periods of the process. If glass pieces coming out of a production is not satisfactory to our quality control team, we smash them all.
Are the glue quality and glue workmanship on glass seams good enough?
Quality silicon glue is essential, as well as glue work. If glue quality is poor or glue work is unevenly or poorly applied, shrimp, crab, or other animals could nip the silicon off, causing leaks. Superiority of AquaVim's glue workmanship is visible to naked eyes.
The imitating products look similar to our products and should be cheaper than our authentic ones - because not only the glass being used are thinner, or in lower grade, or showing severely distorted view because the products came out of some production line that lacks the extremely expensive kinds of digital-computerized machines we have, but also the materials used for stands are worse. To know more, click below:
What's the difference between AquaVim wood stands and other manufacturers? --- Get answer [ here ]
To compare Acrylic aquariums and Glass aquariums, click Glass vs Acrylic