I've recently noticed on my 55 gal (acrylic)that the front glass is bending kinda like a bubble. I havent noticed this before and im starting to get a little worried about it giving out
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bending glass
- Thread starter NikkO
- Start date
Most acrylic tanks have a certain degree of flex when filled, unless they are custom-made of quite heavy stock - unlike commercial ready-made tanks. Flat acrylic is a high-dollar option.
String your tank, and see how much bend it actually has. Then go to the LFS or a friend and string similar tanks ( make sure they are acrylic and the same size) if yours is similar to other I wouldn't worry at all. Glass does the same thing, especially 10g's and 30 g's
I did put a straight piece of wood against the tank to see how mch it has actually bent, which was a lot compared to i think it should be or comared to my 240 gal.
The thing to bear in mind is that it is weight vs the surface, one reason a 30 g bends more than most other tanks is that it is the largest tank before manufacturers jump to the next thickness of glass. Your 240 is probably put together with some very serious materials while the smaller tank will have thinner material which bends more under it''s respective load. In any case an even bend with no other stress indicators is probably normal, but comparisons to the same size tank elsewhere may help to ease your mind.
WharfRat
Don't Panic / Always Carry A Towel
Another thing that needs to be pointed out is that there are different "grades" of acrylic based on how much defelection will occur over a given length. Higher grade acrylics will deflect less and lower grade will deflect more. You get what you pay for.
That said acrylic is tough stuff, I have never seen or heard of a sheet of acrylic breaking due to stress. I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you see stress cracks/lines in the acrylic.
That said acrylic is tough stuff, I have never seen or heard of a sheet of acrylic breaking due to stress. I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you see stress cracks/lines in the acrylic.