Acrylic Tank Bowing! Help!

[DarkShadow435]

I currently am setting up a 55 gallon Sea Clear acrylic aquarium. The acrylic is 1/4" thick. As i was filling the tank, I noticed that the tank had been bowing. I measured it with a carpenter's square. The bow is 1/2" on the front, and 1/2" on the back. Is this safe? I read a few sites that said it is. I also emailed the manufacturer. Can someone help me please?

 

[NoRp]

hmm if it was glass id be panicking but i have not used plastic tanks before sorry =[ tank the water out of it to be on the safe side, or maybe just drop it to half full for now and await somone with greater knowledge

 

[jgray152]

1/4" seems very thin for acrylic on a 55. I have no experience on this but I thought it would have to be thicker.

Anyways, usually there is bracing at the top of the tank, looks like they use a full sheet of acrylic on the top and cut two large holes in it to allow you to gain access to the inside and this usually stops to bowing at the top of the tank. No matter what respectable size of acrylic you use, you will always of some bowing, its just the nature of the product.

 

[Gazoo]

I have a (17 year old ) 36" Clarity Plus acrylic tank that is manufactured by the same company (CASCO) as yours. To be honest, I've never payed any attention to bowing. After a quick measurement, it looks like mine bows ~1/3" in the front and back.

I'm not concerned. ................................

 

[T1KARMANN]

its normal

 

[nukeonekitty]

Yeah, my buddies acrylic tank bows a little too, I believe it is normal as well.

 

[DarkShadow435]

Yea, i checked a few of the larger (150-500+ gallon) acrylic tanks that i maintain at work, and they all bow a pretty good amount. I talked to one of my co-workers, he said he's seen it alot, especially with tanks from CASCO, which is why we usually have larger tanks custom made out of 3/8"-1/2" sheets of acrylic.

 

[Adrinal]

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...p;#entry1893140"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...p;#entry1893140[/URL]

Since I have the link handy... These tanks are 4'x1'x1' But since they have a fixed baffel they are really 2'x1'x1' The one I made out of 1/4" (because I am cheep and its all I had left (these were all made out of scrap from other projects). They bowed too much for my taste. I ended up welding in some extra pieces inside the tank. to pull them together (tanks too small for eurobracing IMO(you can see the rods in the picture if you look close). You could do the same thing at the top of the tank.

how tall is your tank? is it a normal 55g? I would never go over 12" with 1/4" even euro-braced. Personally if its already bowing 1/2" I would find a way to pull it together.

Be safe, for you, your house, and your critters.

JIMO