aquarium bowing?

[mark razmandi]

my 38g has bowing in the front and back glass....i dont really care as long as it wont be a problem...is this something to worry about? i also had to re seal the top trim because it came off...let me know!

[supadave]

I think you'll be fine. I have 2 30gal. tanks and neither one has a center brace. But just to be sure... take a tape measure and measure the right side from front to back and then measure the left side from front to back. These two measurements will most likely be the same. Now lastly, move your tape measure to the center and measure from front to back. This will tell you how much your tank is bowing.... if in fact it is bowing.

[geoff_tropheus]

I had a 55 gallon that bowed until I fixed the center brace.

Its ultimately up to you, are you willing to risk it

[Somefishguy]

i added a center brace to a 30g that bowed slightly.....

[Gapzero]

Hey I had that same problem, And I know how to fix it so never a worry about it bustin.
Ok measure your tank at the bottom trim front to back. Go to home depot and have them cut you a piece of plexiglass/acrylic that is the same measurement and only 1 inch wide. then get some GE window and door SILICONE 1. remove enough water that the top now measures the same as the bottom(because if it is bowing it will be wider at the top). now take the little acrylic piece and silicone it in the middle of the tank at the top. silicone it in the little lip on the trim(the one that holds the lid) let it dry for 2 hours, then you can refill the tank. It takes 15 minutes and the silicone is like $4 and the acrylic will be around $6. And that is way cheaper and easier than if the tank busts. I had a 55 bust on me(the fault of a mantis shrimp) but it still sucked.

[mark razmandi]

you had one bust on you?!?!?!?! well ima measure tonight then!!

[FIREFISH]

Better to be safe than sorry. I would put a center brace on it. Just my 2 cents.

FF

[mark razmandi]

13" on each side and 13 1/4" in the middle....1/4" bowing....

[mark razmandi]

so should i make a brace? im pretty sure it bows when empty too.....so how would i keep it in place while its drying?

[fshfrk]

If a 30gal is bowing theres somthing wrong. The reason it does not have a center brace is because when full of water it should not bow. Gat a new or used one for $15.00-30.00 and use the old one for your new homemade wet/dry. Better yet get a 75-90gal and put your new homemade w/d on it.

[mark razmandi]

damn i dont have any money right now, this was my cheapest option. i paid 45$ for the tank and two filters....its a 38G though, not a 30g....a center brace really wouldnt fix it? this sucks

[Somefishguy]

ive read on various forums it is common for 30g longs to bow..... i think a brace would work fine

[fshfrk]

I know a temp fix. get a motor cycle strap hook on each side and ratchet it down snug. I meet a guy who held a 210 together like this for 10 yrs.

[mark razmandi]

thats freakin genius! until i can get the brace made which will be a day or two considering im at school all the time....thanks both of you! ill go grab one from the garage now

[mark razmandi]

ok i did the strap and tightened it until it was 13" on each side and in the middle...while i was doing this i noticed micro bubbles in the top eighth of the silicone on each side of the tank, i think this is a disaster waiting to happen