[booba5]

hey guys, so i have a 55 gallon all glass, and i just converted it into a fish tank (was a lizard tank) and i'm now sacred. There's no center brace on the tank, but it is all glass, just as my 75 gallon (same thinkness, and same height etc.) and it's bowing, enough to where the lids dont fit in the middle (barely miss fitting) so I'm worried that the tank is gonna crack\combust. It's been full for 2 days with no issues, but i'm kinda scared. The frame on top never originally had a brace, however theres to holes in the middle directly accross from one another, and of course one of the sides it broke (just on the inside). so should I be worried?

 

[Gibbs]

I would empty the tank before i had to replace my flooring

 

[booba5]

oh yea, i searched and didn't come up with anything, but i only looked through 3 pages since everytime i try to go back to my search results the website says there are no matching terms or i searched to soon and to try again later. What i dont get is my 75 is the same way and it's fine, about the same amount of bowing and it's been fine for months and months

 

[all4game]

The 75g might have thicker glass.

 

[booba5]

nope, i measured it, same thickness, i'll measure again when i get home, but last night it was the same

 

[booba5]

k both tanks have 3\8 inch glass, seeings how the 75 is the same thickness, and the same dimensions, and has more water behind it, shouldn't it be safe?

 

[quiksilver]

the strenght/quality of the glass might be different

 

[Hoggy Boss]

and it's bowing, enough to where the lids dont fit in the middle (barely miss fitting)

That would be reason enough for me to empty the tank.

 

[edouthirt]

empty it!!! I promise if left alone it will eventually fail.

 

[rosemerry]

I would empty the tank as well.

 

[mambee]

I had a similar 55 gallon tank with a center brace that broke. The tank starting bowing out, so I had to do an emergency tank replacement.

Mike

 

[booba5]

the center brace was never there, thats what i'm tryin to say, there's 2 holes in the plastic frame, like 2 eyelets. The tank was my step moms before and she said it was bought as a fish tank (before i got it it was a turtle tank), and there was never a center brace or anything like that that came with it on it or in it.

 

[TailorO]

I had a 55 also with no center brace and it started bowing and i had to do an emergency tank change

 

[edouthirt]

I've never heard of a 55 gallon glass aquarium without a center brace. I bet it was manufactured to be a terrarium.

 

[booba5]

I'm just having a really hard time understanding why the 75g has the same glass, but the 55 needs the brace where the 75 doesn't.

 

[edouthirt]

generally the glass in a 75 gallon is thicker... I think the point is that regardless of anything else... your tank is bowing and that is a sure sign of a disaster waiting to happen.

Even if it had a center brace a bowing tank would still worry me to the point of taking it down.

If you have everything else you need... a 55 gallon tank only will not cost you a lot to replace.

 

[booba5]

I've been looking around and just to be safe I'm gonna drain it until the just high enough for the filter to continue working, then buy a new frame and put it on (i'll drain it all the way for that lol)

 

[gbleeker]

If it was bowed - I wouldn't waste my time with a new frame. I'd buy a new tank.

Everyone here has pretty much said the same thing, so best of luck to you - I'd buy a new tank if I were you!

 

[booba5]

why would i need a new tank? Does glass loose its strength when it gets old or something? I've been reading numerous threads on people replacing them and it being fine, the tank consists of 3 things, glass, plastic frames, and silicon, the silicon is great, the frame might need to be replaced (debateable, but prolly will to be safe), and the glass for lack of better words is still glass. i guess the major question is What warrants an entirly new tank?

 

[edouthirt]

the fact that it was bowing means that it is most likely the case that both the glass panes and siliconed joints were under much more stress than they were supposed to be...

The damage already caused will probably not be fixed by adding a frame and cross bar...

for instance... from personal experience...

I had a 55 gallon that I know for a fact was put under too much stress (at the joints) when it was being moved to my house...

I set it up and for 4 months it was fine... and then one day I came home to a completely empty tank with dead fish and ruined flooring...

I know for a fact that the extra stress compromised the integrity of the silicone seals and it eventually sprung a leak...

Do what you want... but ditching the tank altogether is by far my advice... not worth the risk in my opinion.