Aquarium bowing 74inch rimless

[feelingfishy]

Is this a concern? Is any amount of bow in a 3/4 inch 74inch rimless tank acceptable?

 

[edd59]

for that span there should be center braces or euro braced, or it will bow.

 

[ReefPig]

for that span there should be center braces or euro braced, or it will bow.

Agreed. Not sure why anyone thought this was a good idea.

I have a hatred for rimless tanks. Utterly pointless in the vast majority of situation.

Having said that, it’ll probably be fine. Not a lot of options. Maybe stainless cables.

If it were me, I’d drain it and put some euro bracing in.

 

[feelingfishy]

They say worry is like a rocking chair in some situations and I’m rocking.

Draining is not much of an option anymore. I do not know if it matters much but the tank settled slightly more in the back . There are 2 panes of 3/4inch in the back but they are separated for the overflow and ATO,
so does this add strength to the back?

Here is a pic of the full tank. I just added 20 corals so ye…

Thanks for the reply’s.

 

[Phlynamjax]

Glass or acrylic? I don’t think glass tank should bow and very dangerous.

 

[feelingfishy]

Glass or acrylic? I don’t think glass tank should bow and very dangerous.

glass

 

[edd59]

looks like a new set up, i would drain it half way and either euro or center brace it. i personally would not be comfortable like that. who made the tank?

 

[ReefPig]

looks like a new set up, i would drain it half way and either euro or center brace it. i personally would not be comfortable like that. who made the tank?

That’s what’s I’m saying too. It’s a new tank. No need to drain fully, but take at least half the water out. Clean up the glass with scraper and degreaser, fit euro bracing. I’d be tempted to go double braced, one on the inside edge of the glass and one on the top edge, with them stuck together.
Give it a few days and refill 3/4, a few more days and fill up.

So long as there is water movement still, it’ll be fine.

If they wanted to go “belt and braces” approach, just put the rock and fish in a temporary vat and drain the tank fully. (I would actually do this).

 

[ReefPig]

They say worry is like a rocking chair in some situations and I’m rocking.

Draining is not much of an option anymore. I do not know if it matters much but the tank settled slightly more in the back . There are 2 panes of 3/4inch in the back but they are separated for the overflow and ATO,
so does this add strength to the back?

Here is a pic of the full tank. I just added 20 corals so ye…

Thanks for the reply’s.

You’ve got two single panes at the back, as you say, they’re separated for the overflow. In your case having two panes isn’t providing any additional structure support.

Is this an custom designed/built tank or an off the shelf prebuilt tank?

If it’s custom, I’d go back to the builder and get their input on how to resolve this. They may say it’s fine, I’m not sure I would risk it. Custom tanks need a lot more thought, and sometimes it’s not always right. I’m on my 4th custom tank, I’ve learnt that I need to provide a lot of input to the builder, and insist on extra bracing.

If it’s prebuilt, ring the manufacturer and challenge them on this.

 

[ErikVR]

Is 19mm glass even appropriate for a span of almost 1.9 meters? Even my 1.5 meter tank has 20mm glass.

 

[ReefPig]

Is 19mm glass even appropriate for a span of almost 1.9 meters? Even my 1.5 meter tank has 20mm glass.

My 2.1m tank, 0.75m tall, is 15mm.
However, it’s double 15mm laminated base, with double 15mm euro braced at the top.

19mm rimless over 1.9m sounds low.

 

[salty joe]

That’s what’s I’m saying too. It’s a new tank. No need to drain fully, but take at least half the water out. Clean up the glass with scraper and degreaser, fit euro bracing. I’d be tempted to go double braced, one on the inside edge of the glass and one on the top edge, with them stuck together.
Give it a few days and refill 3/4, a few more days and fill up.

This a a really good solution. Laminated double brace. I'd drain 3/4 of the water, maybe store it in Brute trash cans.

All silicones are not created equal. The GE type 1 I get from Home Depot is useful for a lot of things but it isn't nearly as strong as other types of silicone. I can't remember the name but I think it's available at Granger.

If there is even a trace of cured silicone on the glass, new silicone won't stick. All surfaces need to be super clean.

I can't tell from your picture, how much is it bowing? You can pull a string to measure that.

 

[feelingfishy]

Thanks for all the help. I will consult with the manu and take your recommendations into consideration.

I think the floor might actually be uneven which may or may not be twisting the tank. Or it might even be the stand, I do not know. It took my father and I 2 days to get it as level as we could but it’s still not perfect. I would like to brace It, but I’m just so burnt out of trying to level the tank honestly.

My past tank was a 330 gallon that’s seam bursted twice… Here is a picture of it. Lost most of the corals in this picture too, man was it a bummer…..

 

[feelingfishy]

This a a really good solution. Laminated double brace. I'd drain 3/4 of the water, maybe store it in Brute trash cans.

All silicones are not created equal. The GE type 1 I get from Home Depot is useful for a lot of things but it isn't nearly as strong as other types of silicone. I can't remember the name but I think it's available at Granger.

If there is even a trace of cured silicone on the glass, new silicone won't stick. All surfaces need to be super clean.

I can't tell from your picture, how much is it bowing? You can pull a string to measure that.

The tank is bowing near 7/16ths of an inch in the middle. The main thing that concerns me though is in this picture I can physically feel and see the top back left silicone has shifted with the glass. Look close at the picture and you can see it’s pretty significant.

The tank is a prebuilt manu tank that’s fairly common in the hobby.

 

[Jmp998]

I am no expert-maybe @Joe Glass Cages can give an expert opinion.

However I think any unbraced 6 foot span is going to bow.

Also if the stand is uneven at all, you need to fix that now. If the tank is uneven you may put twisting forces on the seams, concentrating most of the force on a small area of silicone.

You should also reach out to Algae Barn especially if you bought directly from them, they have a reputation as very responsive.

 

[feelingfishy]

I am no expert-maybe @Joe Glass Cages can give an expert opinion.

However I think any unbraced 6 foot span is going to bow.

Also if the stand is uneven at all, you need to fix that now. If the tank is uneven you may put twisting forces on the seams, concentrating most of the force on a small area of silicone.

You should also reach out to Algae Barn especially if you bought directly from them, they have a reputation as very responsive.

Thanks, and yes twisting is the main thing I’m afraid of. I’m not the smartest guy though so I don’t know of a real efficient way to tell. I will get with my father and try to find out.

 

[feelingfishy]

Need to correct something. The tank is actually 82 inches I get it confused with my old tank sometimes.

 

[jason2459]

I would drain, brace, and level.

Get some buckets, totes, garbage bins etc to put everything in.

Fill 1/4 and check level, fill half and check level, fill 3/4 and check level. Fill full and check level.

Maybe the tank would have been fine. But being out of level and visually bowing there's no way I'd risk it. Especially after having a seam leak previously.

 

[feelingfishy]

Thanks, I know adding braces is the smartest thing to do. I’m still questioning my plan of action though. After a short consultation with manu I will decide.

I really enjoy my current aqua scape though and don’t want to mess it up. I’m sure you know the feeling, guess it’s pride.

Just to be clear the previous tank is in no relation to the current tank. My previous tank was clearly not built right and from an unknown place.

 

[salty joe]

I agree, get this thing level; as well as braced.

Is the issue with level where the stand rests on the floor?