Do you have an acrylic tank?

I'm planning on buying a new tank in the coming weeks and I'm considering an acrylic tank from either Sea Clear, Clear for Life, or TruVu. I'm planning on something in the 100 gallon range, 60x18x20-ish.

Any members out there that have one of these tanks that you purchased new in the last 1 - 3 years? There are a handful of reviews online from much older tanks but I'm curious if new stock is well built from these manufacturers. My main concerns are bowing and top bracing configuration. All three manufactures use 3/8" acrylic for this size tank and I don't want to pay even more for a custom tank in 1/2"+ just to avoid bowing. If you have a fairly recent tank as described above, then please chime in and post pics. Thanks for reading.

I may also consider a 90 gallon 48x18x24. The long walls still use 3/8" but are a foot shorter that the 60", so I suppose there's less of a chance for bowing.

 

I have a 3 year old clear for life in the 125 class that I bought *used* recently, it is 3/8" construction. It has the corner weir and big sump kit they sell, and is on one of their branded 3 door cabinets. Previous owner had set up a pair of 36" fluval aquasky 2.0 lights sitting directly on top of it, so nothing really heavy but, there is no significant bowing anywhere on the tank that I have found yet. There is minor crazing at the outside edges of the seams.

 

I have the 125,90 and 180 clear for life tanks. Yes they bow. It’s normal there acrylic. A type of very strong plastic. You don’t notice it. To see it you need at least a 4foot level and place it across the center of the tank. Then you’ll see the bow. I also have a 50 and 36g sea clear tanks I bought used. All tank are great! Yes they craze at seams. After having a 200g glass tank break on me and a few months later an 80 glass split a seam and leak out I will never use glass again!
Acrylics scratch so you need to be careful. But scratches can be removed! My clear for life tanks. 90,125 and 180.


I advise getting the clear back and not the tank with the internal filter. The filter take away swimming space and it’s easy enough to put a wet/dry or sump under it.

 

I have a 3 year old clear for life in the 125 class that I bought *used* recently, it is 3/8" construction. It has the corner weir and big sump kit they sell, and is on one of their branded 3 door cabinets. Previous owner had set up a pair of 36" fluval aquasky 2.0 lights sitting directly on top of it, so nothing really heavy but, there is no significant bowing anywhere on the tank that I have found yet. There is minor crazing at the outside edges of the seams.
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I have the 125,90 and 180 clear for life tanks. Yes they bow. It’s normal there acrylic. A type of very strong plastic. You don’t notice it. To see it you need at least a 4foot level and place it across the center of the tank. Then you’ll see the bow. I also have a 50 and 36g sea clear tanks I bought used. All tank are great! Yes they craze at seams. After having a 200g glass tank break on me and a few months later an 80 glass split a seam and leak out I will never use glass again!
Acrylics scratch so you need to be careful. But scratches can be removed! My clear for life tanks. 90,125 and 180.View attachment 880715View attachment 880716View attachment 880717I advise getting the clear back and not the tank with the internal filter. The filter take away swimming space and it’s easy enough to put a wet/dry or sump under it.

Great looking tanks! Good to hear an expected amount of bowing, yet imperceivable from the pics, is nothing to worry about.

John58ford it's interesting to see the crazing appear to be starting from the outside and progressing inward. I wonder if it's caused by cleaning chemicals/ cleaning materials.

86 ssinit I'll reference a pic from an old post ( Acrylic Tank--How Much Bowing Is Too Much? | Freshwater Tank Equipment Forum ) where the OP states his 55g 1/4" panel tank is bowing quite a bit:




I would say this amount of bowing is the scenario I'm really trying to avoid, either in the short run or the long run when the tank is older.

Any specific reason you both went with Clear for Life and not Sea Clear or TruVu?

 

TruVu is new to the market. Havnt read any bad reviews on them. I have 2 smaller sea clears and they’re fine.
As to crazing I has a clarity plus 125. This was a 30 yr old tank with a 1” craze in the front of the tank. It was fine! Crazing happens.

 

went with Clear for Life

I didn't go by choice of brand but availability. I'm one of our community diy cheapos, and never expected to see a tank like this one for what I considered "extremely affordable". I had been thinking of doing a custom 8' glass tank a bit shorter/shallower and deeper to the wall, but this one with sump, pump, stand and some odds and ends was less than the glass alone would have cost me, before considering time and materials for building another stand.

The crazing, I have no idea about, and do not know what chemicals came in contact with it, one of the many joys of second hand ownership. I do know the gentleman I bought it from would never recommend another acrylic tank in the space where he had it. He had it behind a sofa, between his kitchen and movie room. The glare was so much distraction for him he taped every seam with electric tape, and black contact papered the whole top. I believe he may be looking for a glass alternative with a hood.

The bowing on this tank though, extremely minimal, with a straight edge placed horizontal in the middle of the view panel, the measurable bowing is actually inward slightly at the centers of both cut outs, and only about 1/16". With a shorter straight edge placed vertically, the only noticable bow outwards is right in the true center, and again only about 1/16". I have seen tanks like you pictured in person, they are usually the taller form factor tanks. As a tank gets taller the pressures increase. I've honestly seen glass tanks in the 55 gallon range with more measurable bow than some of the nicer acrylics. I just got rid of a pair that bowed nearly 1/8" and as 86 ssinit mentions, when glass under load goes, it goes quickly and energetically.