180 gallon acrylic tank buldge......help?

[Tokay]

Just setup my triple stack 60,180, and 95.

Just the front of my 180 is bulging out a litte in the middle.
When i put a flat piece of pvc and hold it in the middle. Id say its about a 1/4" gap from the tank and pvc at the very top and bottom.
The tank has been ran in the past a few times without problems.
There arn't any bulkheads on the side just about 8 or 9 on the bottom (I dont know why so many).
Never had a large acrylic over a long period of time.
The back isn't as bad but u can still tell is does a little.

What would you guys suggest?

SEe if it get worse?
Take it down and consider it not good anymore?
Drain till buldge is gone and put a support beam there, in hope it will stop it from forming?
Or i was considering just running it with only...50-70% full or atleast till buldge is gone....

I need to decide what to do and do it today.
Thank you for your time.

 

[Egon]

Can you explain "triple stack" ?? Do you have a pic?

Are you stacking these tanks on top of each other?

I have a few acrylic tanks and they do buldge a bit even my large 360 with 3/4 thick acrylic buldges, that's normal.

 

[Tokay]

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251135
pictures there.
There is about 6" between each tank.
Ive never ran an acrylic so large, i wasn't aware how much they should bulge if any.
Im going to keep watching it because i dont think it was bulging at all when i first filled it. thanks

 

[Gobrian44]

yeah its a recent thread look for it...

 

[Dragon Hunter]

what is the thickness id the acrylic? if it's 3/8" thats probably why its bowing that much and u cant do anyhing about it. Even 1/2" tanks bows but not as much.

 

[Tokay]

Yeah its 3/8 thick.
Great, thanks for the info.
Im just going to wait to see if it gets worse and hope it doesn't blow.

 

[velanarris]

That's why I'm not a big acryllic fan. The bulge just freaks me out, even if it's minor.

 

[zennzzo]

DO you have foam under those acrylic tanks?

 

[Egon]

DO you have foam under those acrylic tanks?

None of my acrylic tanks have anything under them but 3/4 plywood. Seems to work for me, no issues.

 

[swede]

dude, that structure looks like its bowing under the weight too. i can't say i feel like this triple stack is structurally sound. plus, you have a MASSIVE amount of weight in one spot on the floor. i suggest that you try to spread the tanks out about your home. as for the acrylic, after a while acrylic will bow/bend and hold shape. do you think its possible that the tank could've bowed and held its shape from previous use?