Rimless Tank Question

Zplay · 07/29/2008, 09:56 AM

A friend of mine bought a rimless tank. The thickness of the glass is 3/8 all around. Tank size @48x22x22. When we added water to check for leaks, the tank bowed a little bit in the middle. Is this normal for a rimless tank? We're thinking that the tank is just settling. Anybody have this experience with a rimless tank?

Tks

WinnipegDragon · 07/29/2008, 11:09 AM

Glass or Acrylic?

dcmander · 07/29/2008, 11:14 AM

he said it is a glass tank and a 48" long rimless tank should probably be 1/2". It may be alright but I would say it is a risk. The glass is bowing because of the pressure and remember that the same amount of pressure is being applied to the silicon seams...and those seams only have 3/8" of silicone between the glass panes.

do you know where he bought the tank?

Zplay · 07/29/2008, 11:45 AM

Bought it from LFS in Cali. LFS said that the tank was imported and made in Hong Kong. We measured the glass thickness and it was 3/8 not 1/2 all around. You guys think that it fall apart because of the bowing??

nikon187 · 07/29/2008, 12:14 PM

It is possible.

I wouldn't use 3/8th for a 22" high braceless/rimless

msobon · 07/29/2008, 02:19 PM

3/4 Rimless @ 48" is kind of pushing it's limits, unless you got a center brace or euroracing around I would probably say don't risk it having to wake up with your water on the floor.

I've got 24x30x24 and it's 12mm glass which is about 1/2" glass and the tank is completely rimless, I can sleep @ night without worries.

IMO better be safe than find out the hard way.

Blazer88 · 07/29/2008, 02:51 PM

My 30x30x24 rimless cube will utilize 1/2" glass, 3/8" would make me nervous.

Zplay · 07/29/2008, 04:59 PM

So I guess the maker should have used at least 1/2 thick glass.....Now it's kind of nerve racking!!

leeweber85 · 07/29/2008, 05:20 PM

Sounds dangerous. I would add a brace to it if you still plan on using it.

Zplay · 07/29/2008, 07:21 PM

He's still planning on using it since he can't return the tank.
For those who own a rimless tank, did you're tank bow at all?
If so, how many inches?

chem-e · 07/29/2008, 07:29 PM

My rimless glass tank does not bow at all. It's about 30"long with glass that's about 3/8" think.

If it bows, I'd be really worried. Glass is not meant to stressed as it's brittle. Once the stress point is overstressed, it'll buckle and blow out. I don't know if it'll ever happen, but I wouldn't risk it.

photobret · 07/29/2008, 07:56 PM

Thats alot of water waiting to go.. I wouldnt use it. Man it gets me when LFS's take the pi$$ and sell people inferior products. Get it braced and you should be fine. If it was me I would be going back to the LFS with pics to prove it and demanding an exchange.

fishtankfactory · 07/29/2008, 09:46 PM

This specific dimension should clearly be built with 1/2" all around. Whenever you go braceless, all the glass panels should be upgraded to a thicker grade as you need to substitute the points of contact you are not going to have by going braceless. Glass is not meant to bow as acrylic aquariums are, so the fact that it is bowing is a sign that there is much stress, which usually means it poses a great risk.

All the aquariums we build similar to that dimension do not bow and we use at least 1/2", even for smaller aquariums than that (safety first).

- just trying to help.

edwinn · 07/29/2008, 10:57 PM

in case he want to put brace in the middle how big,and how he's gonna do it.

07/29/2008, 09:56 AM	#1
Zplay Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chino Hills, California Posts: 212	Rimless Tank Question A friend of mine bought a rimless tank. The thickness of the glass is 3/8 all around. Tank size @48x22x22. When we added water to check for leaks, the tank bowed a little bit in the middle. Is this normal for a rimless tank? We're thinking that the tank is just settling. Anybody have this experience with a rimless tank? Tks

07/29/2008, 11:09 AM	#2
WinnipegDragon Canuckian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Winnipeg, MB Posts: 1,276	Glass or Acrylic? __________________ Working on a neeew tank! http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=25596043

07/29/2008, 11:14 AM	#3
dcmander Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 140	he said it is a glass tank and a 48" long rimless tank should probably be 1/2". It may be alright but I would say it is a risk. The glass is bowing because of the pressure and remember that the same amount of pressure is being applied to the silicon seams...and those seams only have 3/8" of silicone between the glass panes. do you know where he bought the tank? __________________ 55g - 150lbs Fiji Live Rock, 90lbs Live Sand 1 Purple Tang 1 Yellow Coris Wrasse 2 Percula Clows 1 Tiger Pistol Shrimp 1 Coral Banded Shrimp 1 Purple Urchin WTB: Rimless Tank setup

07/29/2008, 12:14 PM	#5
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	It is possible. I wouldn't use 3/8th for a 22" high braceless/rimless __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

07/29/2008, 02:19 PM	#6
msobon Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 80	3/4 Rimless @ 48" is kind of pushing it's limits, unless you got a center brace or euroracing around I would probably say don't risk it having to wake up with your water on the floor. I've got 24x30x24 and it's 12mm glass which is about 1/2" glass and the tank is completely rimless, I can sleep @ night without worries. IMO better be safe than find out the hard way. __________________ 75G Starphire 24X30x24 Coast to Coast Overflow Current Tank Info: 75G Starphire 24X30x24 Coast to Coast Overflow

07/29/2008, 11:45 AM	#4
Zplay Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chino Hills, California Posts: 212	Bought it from LFS in Cali. LFS said that the tank was imported and made in Hong Kong. We measured the glass thickness and it was 3/8 not 1/2 all around. You guys think that it fall apart because of the bowing??

07/29/2008, 02:51 PM	#7
Blazer88 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,415	My 30x30x24 rimless cube will utilize 1/2" glass, 3/8" would make me nervous.

07/29/2008, 04:59 PM	#8
Zplay Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chino Hills, California Posts: 212	So I guess the maker should have used at least 1/2 thick glass.....Now it's kind of nerve racking!!

07/29/2008, 05:20 PM	#9
leeweber85 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 2,482	Sounds dangerous. I would add a brace to it if you still plan on using it. __________________ -Lee Current Tank Info: 120g reef, 20g reef

07/29/2008, 07:21 PM	#10
Zplay Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chino Hills, California Posts: 212	He's still planning on using it since he can't return the tank. For those who own a rimless tank, did you're tank bow at all? If so, how many inches?

07/29/2008, 07:29 PM	#11
chem-e Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: San Francisco Posts: 1,350	My rimless glass tank does not bow at all. It's about 30"long with glass that's about 3/8" think. If it bows, I'd be really worried. Glass is not meant to stressed as it's brittle. Once the stress point is overstressed, it'll buckle and blow out. I don't know if it'll ever happen, but I wouldn't risk it. __________________ "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." ~ Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: Elos [~] 70 powered by Profilux

07/29/2008, 07:56 PM	#12
photobret Rude, Screwd and Tattooed Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oahu, HI Posts: 1,331	Thats alot of water waiting to go.. I wouldnt use it. Man it gets me when LFS's take the pi$$ and sell people inferior products. Get it braced and you should be fine. If it was me I would be going back to the LFS with pics to prove it and demanding an exchange. __________________ Free Discover Scuba Experience - Ask Me How Current Tank Info: Contemplating 40gal Hawaii Tank

07/29/2008, 09:46 PM	#13
fishtankfactory Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 11	This specific dimension should clearly be built with 1/2" all around. Whenever you go braceless, all the glass panels should be upgraded to a thicker grade as you need to substitute the points of contact you are not going to have by going braceless. Glass is not meant to bow as acrylic aquariums are, so the fact that it is bowing is a sign that there is much stress, which usually means it poses a great risk. All the aquariums we build similar to that dimension do not bow and we use at least 1/2", even for smaller aquariums than that (safety first). - just trying to help.

07/29/2008, 10:57 PM	#14
edwinn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Chino Hills CALI Posts: 280	in case he want to put brace in the middle how big,and how he's gonna do it.