White-Glass Aquarium

White Glass Aquarium

Apart from the expensive and very scratch-prone acrylic, two materials come into question for aquariums: float glass or white glass. White glass, often also known by the trade names OptiWhite or Diamant glass, is the highest quality level for manufacturing an aquarium and is therefore a great choice as the basis for an aquascape or an aquarium landscape.

Like float glass, white glass is produced using the so-called float process. In this method, the molten glass is heated to approximately 1,100 °C and fed onto a bed of liquid tin. During processing, the glass floats on this layer of tin - hence the name "float". More decisive than the process itself, however, are the raw materials. In addition to quartz, the production of flat glass requires other components such as soda and dolomite. Oxide compounds such as iron oxide or titanium oxide in the raw materials affect the color neutrality of the glass. Iron oxide, for example, causes a slight green tint, titanium oxide a brown tint. The purity of the raw materials is therefore crucial for the quality of the end product. If the iron oxide content in the glass is below 200 ppm (parts per million), it is defined as white glass. So the fewer oxide compounds there are in the glass, the weaker the color tint.

The thicker the glass, the more noticeable such a tint becomes. In a nano aquarium with side panels 4 to 5 mm thick, the effect isn't very obvious at first glance, but it's still clearly visible, especially at the glued joints and when viewed from an angle. The slight green tint is also visible when you take photos through the glass.

White glass, on the other hand, not only has an almost neutral color but also offers the advantage of higher light transmission than lower-quality glass. This results in much less pronounced reflections on the pane. In direct comparison, white glass looks absolutely clear and anti-reflective, whereas float glass, due to its stronger reflections, looks as if you were looking through a light veil. This effect is especially noticeable in daylight.

The almost color-neutral transparency and less reflective surface of white glass therefore make it ideal for elaborate aquascapes with a well-thought-out layout and sophisticated design. An aquarium with varied contrasts and colorful plants in particular goes perfectly with a high-quality white glass aquarium.

Since it's more expensive and more difficult for manufacturers to produce glass of such high material purity - beyond a certain degree of purity, even the humidity, the location of the plant and the origin of the raw materials play a role - these glass tanks are often somewhat more expensive. So if you want to buy a white glass aquarium, you get premium quality, but due to the high-quality materials and craftsmanship you usually have to accept a slightly higher price.

Not every manufacturer uses the same processes and raw material compositions, which is why white glass aquariums can differ significantly from one another. Manufacturers such as Aqua Design Amano (ADA), DOOA and Ultum Nature Systems (UNS) are well-known producers of extremely high-quality white glass aquariums.

Scapers Tanks and 30 l Nano Cubes from Dennerle are available in our online shop not only in the established and affordable float glass versions, but also as white glass versions.