starphire glass scratches

[+Hydro]

I've noticed that my new tank with starphire glass seems to scratch much easier than my old tank with standard glass. Is starphire glass softer? I know it has less iron, that may be the reason.

[NonSequitur]

I believe it is softer.. one of the reasons low iron glass tends to be significantly more expensive than garden variety glass is it is less durable and harder to keep intact through the manufacturing process.

[acropoorer]

Stephen,

I got my low iron glass from glass cages and haven't noticed a problem with scratching. I did have lots of scratches in my old tank which was standard plate -- many from getting sand in the cleaning pad when I had a sand bottom, others from bumping rocks into the side of the tank. My understanding is that low iron glass requires a "cleaner" starting material as iron often exists in varying concentrations in sand, the main ingredient in glass. It's not like the iron is added to make the glass better or stronger, but rather you need a cleaner higher quality starting material to make low iron glass. I think, with exception of reduced iron, it is standard soda-lime float glass with near identical properties.

[pbnj]

I'm pretty sure I read that starphire glass scratches easier than regular glass.