Sea Clear acrylic tank is bowing out - help!
Chris Carlo
Hello, I hope someone can help. I recently bought a 55 gallon tall 15x36
sea clear plexi glass fish tank. About 10 minutes ago, we filled it with
water and it appears that the front and back is bowing out from the
pressure of the water. We used cold tap water to fill it. Does anyone
know if this is normal? Am I about to flood our kitchen? Any comments
would be appreciated. Thank you...
Chris
Rooster
Take it back to the store and get a glass one.
Reefer Roger
My advice to you is to call the mftr.
Roger
On Mon, 02 Feb 1998 22:50:54 -0800, Chris Carlo <cca...@ix.netcom.com>
Ostrich
Chris,
It appears that you received advice from some people in this group that
have never owned an acrylic tank.
Acrylic tanks DO bow out from the pressure of the water. The tall
models especially do this. If the amount of it bowing is too much for you
to enjoy your tank, then take it back. Otherwise, there is no threat of the
water spilling out. In fact, you have a much greater chance of cracking a
glass tank than having any leak whatsoever in an acrylic tank.
Sea Clear makes great tanks, I tend to stay with the shorter acrylic
tanks, but the bowing of my tanks doesn't bother me in the slightest and
isn't even noticable unless I get alongside the tank and stare down the
edge.
Your tank is in no danger!!!
Chris George
Chris Carlo wrote:
> Hello, I hope someone can help. I recently bought a 55 gallon tall 15x36
> sea clear plexi glass fish tank. About 10 minutes ago, we filled it with
> water and it appears that the front and back is bowing out from the
> pressure of the water. We used cold tap water to fill it. Does anyone
> know if this is normal? Am I about to flood our kitchen? Any comments
> would be appreciated. Thank you...
> Chris
--
Chris George
Oxnard, CA.
NerveGas
> Take it back to the store and get a glass one.
Why? The bowing is perfectly normal, even in a *glass* aquarium.
steve
>
> Chris Carlo wrote:
>
> > Hello, I hope someone can help. I recently bought a 55 gallon tall 15x36
> > sea clear plexi glass fish tank. About 10 minutes ago, we filled it with
> > water and it appears that the front and back is bowing out from the
> > pressure of the water. We used cold tap water to fill it. Does anyone
> > know if this is normal? Am I about to flood our kitchen? Any comments
> > would be appreciated. Thank you...
> > Chris
--
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Domain name for replying is "inconnect".
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Chris Carlo
Thank you all for your advice - let me tell you what happenned. The bowing was
in excess of 1/4 inch (more like 3/4 or 1 at the widest point on each side). My
wife called Sea Clear to inquire, and they checked their specifications (they
have only sold a few of that size so far), and decided that 1/4 acrylic was not
thick enough, so they are changing that size to 3/8, and are building a new one
for us to the new specifications asap. How's that for great customer service!
No hassles and they were very nice about it - we were very impressed. Thanks
again to all who responded!
-Chris
Ostrich wrote:
> Chris,
>
> It appears that you received advice from some people in this group that
> have never owned an acrylic tank.
> Acrylic tanks DO bow out from the pressure of the water. The tall
> models especially do this. If the amount of it bowing is too much for you
> to enjoy your tank, then take it back. Otherwise, there is no threat of the
> water spilling out. In fact, you have a much greater chance of cracking a
> glass tank than having any leak whatsoever in an acrylic tank.
> Sea Clear makes great tanks, I tend to stay with the shorter acrylic
> tanks, but the bowing of my tanks doesn't bother me in the slightest and
> isn't even noticable unless I get alongside the tank and stare down the
> edge.
> Your tank is in no danger!!!
>
> Chris George
>
> Chris Carlo wrote:
>
> > Hello, I hope someone can help. I recently bought a 55 gallon tall 15x36
> > sea clear plexi glass fish tank. About 10 minutes ago, we filled it with
> > water and it appears that the front and back is bowing out from the
> > pressure of the water. We used cold tap water to fill it. Does anyone
> > know if this is normal? Am I about to flood our kitchen? Any comments
> > would be appreciated. Thank you...
> > Chris
>
> --
Gardiner M Morse
I have a 40 gal Sea Clear II acrylic. It seems to bow a little (judging
from distortions in reflections) but this hasn't posed a problem.
SeaClear has a website and email address (don't have those offhand, but
you can get them with a search engine). Their customer service responds
quickly to emailed questions.
Kevin
Chris,
I realize that acrylic tanks are nice because of they minimumize the seams but, I
have noticed a few questions from people that have them, that they seem to have a
problem with the corraline algae growth on the sides and front of the tank. Removing
the corraline from the acrylic is apparently something that needs to be looked into.
As you probably know, acrylic scratches very easily and corraline loves plastics.
I would ask a few questions of those that have acrylic marine/reef setups before you
get to indepth with the setup ! ;-)
Mark W. Davis
All it takes is an old credit card to scrape the corraline from the tank sides
and front. The credit card method doesn't mar the tank finish. Carelessly
moving rock will, though...
--
Mark W. Davis <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> da...@aa.net
0x8659F7F9 96 9D 44 C1 1D E4 A7 13 2F 8D 7A C5 3A A7 4D 1A
Kevin wrote in message <34DE5A25...@ma.ultranet.com>...
Terry Pond
Wow! A way to use a credit card in this hobby which won't bankrupt you -
what a concept!