Urgent Acrylic Warp - How Much Is Acceptable???

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by BUGz, Feb 4, 2012.

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  1. BUGz

    BUGz Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    Sep 23, 2011
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    Apache Junction, AZ - USA
    1/2" thick or 1/2" bow on your 90?

    I'm going to finish filling it tomorrow with rodi, but decided not to take the chance as I feel it could fail down the road - got to have confidence in a tank this big, anything over 5 gallon for that matter....

    I'm going tank shopping tomorrow, looking for a 150 - 180, might as well go bigger, right?!:cheesy: I will drain this one into 55g Rubbermaids or directly into the new tank depending what I find and where I place it in the room.

    As for this one, I'll resell it as a Bow Front acrylic and I wouldn't be lying ;D Actually I will cut it up and maybe make a small sump or something; always wanted to learn acrylic fab.
    Thanks for the help and I'll keep you posted.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2012
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  3. Bustopher

    Bustopher Skunk Shrimp

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    Should be at least 1/2" if not 3/4". 3/8th's is only good to 18" tall.
     
  4. BUGz

    BUGz Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    That's what I've been reading and probably why the maker went out of business.

    I talked to two other people today about this particular brand name of aquariums and they both said they are notorious for bowing, BUT not for failure. One guy had the same tank as mine (different stand/canopy) and 3/8" panels like mine and it's been setup for 3 years - same bowing as mine. And like mine, you cannot easily see the bow except when you hold a flat surface to the panels as I did. His tank looked great with a good 250lbs of LR/sand and he has no concern of failure issues.

    Still, I'm just not going to take the chance with this tank so I bought another one today.... another acrylic but with 1" panels and a steel stand. It is 185g, 45" long, 25" wide and 38" tall and is perfect for what I really wanted. Built in overflow and also drilled for closed loop. Unlike the bow front tank, this one has a huge space for a large sump/refug below.
    It was a custom made tank and designed for a wall build; I'm renting right now but will be buying a house in the next year and always wanted to do a in-wall tank! Hope to have this one in place this week, doing a water test now and for the next few days, so far so good and absolutely NO bowing!!
    Having piece of mind is better than pieces of acrylic....
    Thanks for the input all!
    :)

    This is the new one:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  5. cgarner

    cgarner Skunk Shrimp

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    wow, that is a tall tank. Looks like a good start.
     
  6. bucksfan1976

    bucksfan1976 Banned

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    Wow this is absolutely crazy with a brace like that and that much of a bow. I wish I could help you in this situation but im not that famalier with acrylic
     
  7. Swisswiss

    Swisswiss Caribbean Reef Squid

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    what car is that?
     
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  9. dskyers

    dskyers Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

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    the real question lol/ i thought the same thing. kind of looks like elenore to me. or a old corvette.


     
  10. hingedthinker

    hingedthinker Fire Worm

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    I'm totally guessing 68-82 C3 vette?

    I like the tank too, but I spent more time looking at the car. :)
     
  11. evolved

    evolved Wrasse Freak

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    Definitely a fastback C3, dating it somewhere between 78-82.
     
  12. coylee_17

    coylee_17 Fire Goby

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    +1!! I def after 77 as it has the dome rear window, rather than the flat back window.