Question on Pricing

[Amba]

I am looking at bigger tanks and I notice that having tanks built for you (for example a 250gal) is over $1000 using regular materials, but one bought from my LFS is like $300. Why is this? This doesn't include shipping, this is flat out.

Also for my INFO, for a big tank 250gal+, which is the best, glass, acrylic, tempered?

 

[fastrd400]

Glass, Starfire glass.

 

[Marines_Wife]

If I were to go with a bigger tank I would do Starphire as well. Acrylic scratches easily. To coarse of sand can scratch it....lots of things. While it does buff out, the eventuality of buffing it out is that it will wear thin (at least in my opinion)

Starphire, while expensive doesnt have the green tinge that you are used to seeing in normal tanks, it has a crystal clear view that will make your tank look unbelievable. There are a lot of things that make the tank more expensive, quality of glass used being the foremost.

 

[Zissou]

Starphire glass (or low iron glass) is also softer, so you still have to be gentle with it. It's nothing like acrylic but I wouldn't abuse it either.

 

[grumpy]

starphire is nice but it scratches just as easily as acrylic.

 

[BL1]

The reason you're paying more in most cases is because of quality. With the tanks from your LFS, you're buying mass produced tanks at mass produced quality. It's not nessecarily a bad thing but, if you put one of those next to a custom built tank by a reputable manufacturer you'll see the difference. And if you do go custom make sure you check out feedback from other customers, there are a lot of companies out there that do poor quality work.

 

[BL1]

starphire is nice but it scratches just as easily as acrylic.

It scratches easier then regular glass but, no where as easily as acrylic. If that were true you wouldn't be able to use a regular glass magnet to clean it yet many people do.

 

[d2mini]

starphire is nice but it scratches just as easily as acrylic.

I have starphire.
I use an Algae Free magnet with no problem and that magnet is STRONG.
I'm afraid the glass is going to break when it snaps around the corners.
My glass is fine. One rear panel does have some scratches (evidence of it being softer than regular glass) but this was from moving my frag rack around.

Anyway, it's nothing like acrylic.

As far as price....
The answer is higher manufacturing costs. Materials, labor, time, craftsmanship, etc. Custom anything will always cost more. And the more unique (less being made, lower production count) the more it will cost.
The tanks in your LFS are churned out in large factories.