Fixing Bowing in Acrylic Frag Tank

[hers0109]

Curious opinions here… I’m refinishing a used frag tank - 16” x 30” x 8” - about 13 gallons & 1/2” acrylic. The front and back panels are bowing and I see some slight signs of seam separation at the very top. Would you eurobrace it? Triangle dowels in the seams? Or just glue the gaps and send it?


Pics below, it’s mid progress of sanding out the scratches. No crazing or anything that I’m aware of aside from the bowing seams.

I’m leaning towards DIY adding a eurobrace to it.

Will be plumbed into my 240 gallon system so being a little more cautious to mitigate leaks.

 

[me & my baby]

How thick is the acrylic

 

[hers0109]

How thick is the acrylic

1/2” acrylic. Updated post.

 

[me & my baby]

8” high the tank shouldn’t not really be bowing with 1/2 acrylic

 

[hers0109]

8” high the tank shouldn’t not really be bowing with 1/2 acrylic

Well, unfortunately it is.

 

[me & my baby]

Euro brace will definitely help and should correct the bowing

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Acrylic absorbs some water and tha caused the bowing over time. It works better to have a solid top with routed out access openings. Corner braces at the top can help like 3/4" tumbled polished cubes.

 

[hers0109]

Got it squared up. Just need to glue down some euro bracing.