"Bow" In Acrylic

[repella42]

Take a half gallon jug of water and dump it on your floor. Now imagine that, only 150x more. Many will tell you that acrylic bowing is normal, but you will need to decide if you can live with it.

EEK! I was fine till this!

if I were to make a brace, how do I make it, and what material to use? is there a thread or link somewhere already? Thank you for all your input, this is my first acrylic tank. Anybody else that has an opinion either way would help put my mind at ease.

 

[idle0095]

you can either brace with a piece of wood and brace from back of wall to center of back of tank. thats the easy way. But you have to empty the tank.

 

[idle0095]

Here is the 1500 Gallon mess.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=378657

 

[repella42]

thanks but that would try to push the tank over instead of braceing it. I would need to push the front as well. If anyone else has any input that would make me sleep way better.

 

[idle0095]

your fine im telling you now. I have owned many acrylic tanks and have many friends that have acrylic. your fine. thats a normal bow. trust me. the only other way to brace is by adding four 6" sticks of 3/8" acrylic by the height of the tank and cement it in the back against the back of the existing acrylic and make sure you cement the top and bottom as well. get black if you want it to match the back.

 

[Bderick67]

75 gallons of water at 1/2" deep will cover 240 square foot of area

 

[repella42]

75 gallons of water at 1/2" deep will cover 240 square foot of area

Thanks mr negative!! But that is no kind of answer. It seems you must not be an acrylic fan.

Idle thanks for your input, makes me feel a lil better. Also judging by the number of views and lack of input it must be pretty normal. I just don't know anyone that has even a fish tank, let alone an acrylic one. I guess time will tell. In the mean time still looking to replace.

 

[Bderick67]

No, I'm a fan of acrylic, just not a fan of water on the floor.

 

[Deep Blue Sea]

This is why I go glass, no worries, or if it bows you know somethings wrong

 

[Bderick67]

This is why I go glass, no worries, or if it bows you know somethings wrong

If the tank is built right there is no problem. My 450g does bow about an 1/8". Though it's 8' long and 30" tall. I had a small 55g that would bow over an inch in the back and a 1/2" in the front. I gave it away, no way I would use that tank