300g Acrylic Problem??????

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indiana hurricane

Gambusia
MFK Member
Feb 17, 2010
119
0
16
Indianapolis
Have acquired a used 300g tank. Well I filled it up today to see if there were any leaks and to clean it out some. This is what I noticed when the tank was filled up. Is this going to be a problem, maybe why they didn't want the tank. BTW no leaks!!!!




The front bowed out. HMmmm?????
 
indiana hurricane;4647750; said:
Have acquired a used 300g tank. Well I filled it up today to see if there were any leaks and to clean it out some. This is what I noticed when the tank was filled up. Is this going to be a problem, maybe why they didn't want the tank. BTW no leaks!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31547772&id=1651832939
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31547772&id=1651832939

The front bowed out. HMmmm?????
Click to expand...

I believe this is simular to a small crack in glass aquariums. I believe it is the first stages of it giving out.
 
Acrylic tanks are supposed to have a certain wall thickness per height (and perhaps volume also). Whoever made that tank may have skimped and gone with thinner acrylic. You can find the recommendations and even wall thickness calculators/spreadsheets online.
 
How thick is the acrylic? My acrylic 55 also does but I don't think it's gonna be a problem, acrylic isn't very rigid but it is plenty strong and shouldn't give out even if it is flexing, I would be more worried about crazing.
 
the first 180 I got bowed out, slightly, even when its brand new. If I were you I sell it. it is not worth it to keep a tank with constant worry about it exploding, though it may never explode, just the thought of it, it's not worth keeping.
300 gallon is a lot of pressure, the BOW is not the issue, but the thickness, and your corners, if that is bowing like that, chances are, it's stressing the the corners. Good luck, I do apologize if I made you worried more.... the thickness has to be .5 thick or more, most of the 300 I've seen are 3/4 thick.
 
I feel better now, reading the responses. Since we have a warm spell here in Indiana. I will leave it filled up. This is not going to be a show tank. I am going to move my tanks into the basement. So water damage will be minimal, I am just worried about the fish that would be in the tank.
 
I agree, bowing is normal on big acrylic tanks that aren't high quality. Granted, thats a lot of bowing, but if it's going in your basement I seriously wouldn't worry about it. Leave it filled like you're doing.
 
Thanks all
 
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