Acrylic bowing should I be concerned? 1/2”

[Rocksor]

Is there crazing in the middle? If it's been like that for 15 years, it could last quite a bit of time. Is it 1/2" acrylic? How do the seams look?

You should see what other 8 foot tanks do as far as bowing.

 

[Rocksor]

I had suspected. I got one of their 50 gallon tanks a few years ago pretty cheap from petco, never bothered to set it up when I got it and saw it was only 1/4" acrylic. Still sitting unused in storage, I intend to make it into a custom sump one day. What size is that one?

I had a 5 foot 125g 1/4" acrylic tank from Lee Mar. It lasted easily 13 years before I sold it. It was tilted by 1/4-1/2" due to uneven tile, causing more crazing in one side than the other. I had no issues with it.

People panic too much with bowing from long time manufacturers of acrylic tanks, and yet we see more glass tanks leaking (with no mention of bowing) than acrylic tanks splitting in the middle.

 

[Backfromthedead]

I had a 5 foot 125g 1/4" acrylic tank from Lee Mar. It lasted easily 13 years before I sold it. It was tilted by 1/4-1/2" due to uneven tile, causing more crazing in one side than the other. I had no issues with it.

People panic too much with bowing from long time manufacturers of acrylic tanks, and yet we see more glass tanks leaking (with no mention of bowing) than acrylic tanks splitting in the middle.

If you say so. I've had glass tanks 30+ years old with original seals. When you start comparing rates of failure, It's all hearsay and opinion as far as I'm concerned without some factual statistics to back it up. I see much more examples of acrylic tanks failing.

 

[Rocksor]

If you say so. I've had glass tanks 30+ years old with original seals. When you start comparing rates of failure, It's all hearsay and opinion as far as I'm concerned without some factual statistics to back it up. I see much more examples of acrylic tanks failing.

I have no doubt the old glass tanks are solid like you said. It's the newer glass tanks in the last 10 years that seem to fail more often. Did your 30 year old 55g glass tank or higher flex? On day 1, I've had the $1g/ glass tanks flex close to 1/8". I just see more complaints about slow leaks, and resealing a glass tank from other sites. I guess this is one of the rare sites where more folks deal with acrylic or plywood tanks.

 

[Backfromthedead]

I have no doubt the old glass tanks are solid like you said. It's the newer glass tanks in the last 10 years that seem to fail more often. Did your 30 year old 55g glass tank or higher flex? On day 1, I've had the $1g/ glass tanks flex close to 1/8". I just see more complaints about slow leaks, and resealing a glass tank from other sites. I guess this is one of the rare sites where more folks deal with acrylic or plywood tanks.

The tank I was mainly referring to was an old 150, manufactured 1987. And no it did not bow or flex, or bowflex for that matter. I installed a glass cross brace before using but it held water until the day I dismantled it to use the glass on my tanks.



Anyways, apologies to the OP for thread jacking.

Edit: I'll admit that the actual figure is probably pretty close between acrylic and glass failing. Especially if you consider seams leaking. I'm biased because I enjoy working with glass much more I guess.

 

[Billyboy283]

Is there crazing in the middle? If it's been like that for 15 years, it could last quite a bit of time. Is it 1/2" acrylic? How do the seams look?

You should see what other 8 foot tanks do as far as bowing.

No crazing at all, but now it’s leaking and unsure if it could be repaired

 

[Toiletcar]

The tank I was mainly referring to was an old 150, manufactured 1987. And no it did not bow or flex, or bowflex for that matter. I installed a glass cross brace before using but it held water until the day I dismantled it to use the glass on my tanks.

View attachment 1452509

Anyways, apologies to the OP for thread jacking.

Edit: I'll admit that the actual figure is probably pretty close between acrylic and glass failing. Especially if you consider seams leaking. I'm biased because I enjoy working with glass much more I guess.

I can vouch for that. It’s probably as old, got it second hand. But am nervous because of the age.

 

[Backfromthedead]

I can vouch for that. It’s probably as old, got it second hand. But am nervous because of the age.

View attachment 1452511

That's awesome. Love your algae wall on the back I try to get that in all my tanks. Sometimes I wish I hadn't cut that old tank up. It was one of my favorite tanks the couple years I had it running.

 

[Toiletcar]

That's awesome. Love your algae wall on the back I try to get that in all my tanks. Sometimes I wish I hadn't cut that old tank up. It was one of my favorite tanks the couple years I had it running.

Thanks! It’s taken a long time to grow that. Fish keep eating off it so it never gets too thick. At the same time it has holes which I use a black background to make less obvious. It’s funny how some people love and some hate any algae.

 

[Backfromthedead]

No crazing at all, but now it’s leaking and unsure if it could be repaired

Leaking now? From the side seam or bottom? That's a bummer. No doubt that bowing is causing it though.

They say cell cast acrylic won't deteriorate in sunlight but I cant help but wonder if the acrylic weakened somehow over time/when in storage.