Rimless Acrylic Aquariums bow out
by
, 04-05-2014 at 07:45 AM (3678 Views)
When people tell me they want a rimless tank, I always tell them to use glass because it is more rigid and better suited material-wise. You can use thicker material to overcome the bow, but it will still swell outwards over time. This small frag tank has been running for over 3 years. It's only 10g of liquid volume at 8" tall, and even though I used 3/8" cast acrylic it bows out visibly. The tank is 13" wide and the middle span measures 13.5" wide. It began bowing within a month of being set up. It hasn't caused a problem, but it doesn't look good to me.
If you want an acrylic tank, it's best to get one with a top rim or flange. It will reinforce the aquarium and keep those walls true.