is my 225 gallon aquarium going to break??????
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Topic: is my 225 gallon aquarium going to break??????
Posted By: gmc9sqm
Subject: is my 225 gallon aquarium going to break??????
Date Posted: March 28 2012 at 10:02pm
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i'm in the process of setting up my 225 gallon acrylic aquarium, i finally got it all filled up tonight and stood on the end of it looking along the front, there is quite the bow in the front panel. the dimensions are 72x24x30 and its built out of 1/2" acrylic. its also reinforced around the top and bottom with 1/2"x1/2" square brace. Thanks in advance for any help. I am just trying to figure out if I need to drain this ASAP or if it's okay. |
Replies:
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: March 28 2012 at 10:04pm
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Has it ever held water before or is it a new tank? The 225g I used to own was made of 3/4" acrylic, eurobraced around the top ------------- - My Current Tank: 50g Starfire Cube Reef * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: gmc9sqm
Date Posted: March 28 2012 at 10:10pm
i bought it from a guy that said he had it set up for a while but i never actually saw it with water in it. here is a picture of the bracing on the top, sorry its kinda hard to tell whats going on 
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Posted By: gmc9sqm
Date Posted: March 28 2012 at 10:12pm
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Posted By: Elite-Aquatics
Date Posted: March 29 2012 at 7:15am
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IMHO, 1/2" acrylic is to thin for a tank that size. How bad is it bowing? Are the acrylic joints good? Are the joints very clear or do they have bubbles or crazing going on? ------------- Premium aquarium filtration! |
Posted By: Aquarium Creations
Date Posted: March 29 2012 at 7:18am
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WOW, the top doesnt look like it has enough bracing, I would also agree 1/2 isnt thick enough for a 30" ------------- Aquarium Maintenance,Consulting,Custom Built Glass Aquariums Rimless/Euro,24Hr Emergency Service 8015485201 Www.UtahAquariumDoctors.com [email protected] |
Posted By: gmc9sqm
Date Posted: March 29 2012 at 9:42am
| It is bowing pretty good almost a 1/2 inch. There is a slight bit of crazing, is it bad to have crazing, or is a little bit okay? |
Posted By: Tanuki
Date Posted: March 29 2012 at 10:10am
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Yeah I have a 180 and there is no bowing at all. I would be super nervous to have a 225 that is bowing. Maybe fill the tank halfway, have salt tank below, and iguana cage above ;) ------------- Defending Reefscape Champion (I Think) |
Posted By: laynframe
Date Posted: March 29 2012 at 5:58pm
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I would drain it! Sorry man that sucks! ------------- The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!! |
Posted By: Elite-Aquatics
Date Posted: March 29 2012 at 6:02pm
Yes crazing is bad, that can mean a couple of things but usually means it is getting stressed. Sorry to say, but I would drain it its not worth risking and having 225 gallons on your floor ------------- Premium aquarium filtration! |
Posted By: Tanuki
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 8:28am
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or set up in garage
------------- Defending Reefscape Champion (I Think) |
Posted By: Melissa
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 9:03am
| So is there anything that can be done, or is the tank useless? |
Posted By: arthuriv
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 9:54am
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Would adding additional bracing on top help? ------------- Quality Marines Aquaculturing & Captive Breeding program! Presented by Ashley & Chelsea from Reef On Thursday 6 Oct 2016 |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 9:57am
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I am assuming that the bowing is in the middle of the panels
So I am not sure if addtional bracing would keep those midsections from bowing
Unless you added bracing to all of the seam areas in each corner of the tank? (maybe)
------------- - My Current Tank: 50g Starfire Cube Reef * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Posted By: Tanuki
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 10:23am
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I know exactly what the tank is doing (my 75 did the same thing) and I would personally not trust it. Could make a great sump though! ------------- Defending Reefscape Champion (I Think) |
Posted By: laynframe
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 2:48pm
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i would say more brasing wouldnt help. the damage has already been done and its kinda a time bomb. 30" high tank with 1/2" acrylic is crazy! ------------- The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!! |
Posted By: bstuver
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 2:51pm
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Being someone that had a tank seam burst and having 120 g of water dumped on my floor, I would not set that up. Really sucks and especially if the seller didn't inform you before hand but that's a lot of water! ------------- Jackie Stuver "wait these aren't the happy Hawaiians oompa doompa godly heaven on your face zoas? I dont want them then. lol!" Ksmart |
Posted By: Aquarium Creations
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 6:54pm
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I can build a custom tank if needed pm me... ------------- Aquarium Maintenance,Consulting,Custom Built Glass Aquariums Rimless/Euro,24Hr Emergency Service 8015485201 Www.UtahAquariumDoctors.com [email protected] |
Posted By: herrera
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 7:48pm
| why would anyone design a 225g with 1/2" thick acrylic if it's not even safe enough to hold water?? |
Posted By: ReefdUp
Date Posted: March 30 2012 at 8:31pm
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To save money. Acrylic sheets get expensive, especially with the way gas prices are. I've seen it happen a good bit...someone wants a bigger tank but can't afford a professional glass aquarium, so they try their hand at making their own acrylic tank. They don't design it properly and skimp...and voila...a tank that won't correctly hold water. Not saying that is the case here...just that it happens quite commonly. ------------- www.reefdup.com Diving since 2009, reefkeeping since 2007, & fishkeeping since 1987 200g, 75g, & 15g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water |
Posted By: Boxfish
Date Posted: April 02 2012 at 9:14am
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My existing 170 was acrylic and bowed quite a bit always made me nervous, especially when the kids would hit it with a soccer ball ;-) Luckily it was well constructed but after about 10 years it cracked the bracing and just was a nightmare all the way around. I say cut it up and make a smaller one or use it for a sump half full or do what I did get a starfire :-) theres a nut ball of a guy in Canada that will do them pretty cheap. |
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: April 02 2012 at 10:00am
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If you go Glass, DO yourself a favor and have it built local. Ive had lots of tanks shipped in from glass cages and Lemar. By using some one local you dont risk damage, you have better quality due to the fact that if something goes wrong they are right here. Warranty issues are taken care of without shipping across the country. Both Aquarium Dreams and Aquarium Creations both build custom aquariums at awesome prices. ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: BobC63
Date Posted: April 02 2012 at 10:08am
+1
 ------------- - My Current Tank: 50g Starfire Cube Reef * Marine & Reef tanks since 1977 * |
Dion Richins wrote:Posted By: Boxfish
Date Posted: April 02 2012 at 12:00pm
| Hey I agree on local no one was doing starfire here local when I got mine. Well one guy and it was 3 times the price. Im sure its much better now. |
Posted By: laynframe
Date Posted: April 02 2012 at 6:04pm
Any updates on this..... ------------- The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!! |
Posted By: gmc9sqm
Date Posted: April 02 2012 at 6:35pm
| Sorry i was out of town for a few days. I have decided to look for a new aquarium, its not worth the headache to me to be worried all the time. I have drained about a third of the water right now so it wont break but so i can keep my live rock alive, until, i can find another one. I see a few of you prefere glass, is their any up side to an acrylic aquarium besides the weight? Thanks for all of your help so far. |
Posted By: Dion Richins
Date Posted: April 02 2012 at 6:49pm
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Nope. ------------- http://www.customaquariumfurniture.com" rel="nofollow - Bad "censored" Cabinets Best quality in the valley! He is one sexy bald guy, even with out a finger!(MAC) |
Posted By: jwoo
Date Posted: April 02 2012 at 7:03pm
Agreed. ------------- None at the moment Soon: 72 Gallon Bowfront |
Posted By: laynframe
Date Posted: April 02 2012 at 9:20pm
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something that big id go glass for sure! ------------- The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!! |
Posted By: phys
Date Posted: April 04 2012 at 6:49pm
| put it up on ksl as a terrarium and specify it cant hold water. you can make some money back on it and use it to a new (better) aquarium.. |