Jump to content

32Chop
 Share

Recommended Posts

Does anyone know if you can remove the middle plastic brace on a 150 gallon tall tank. The tank is 24" deep x 30" tall and 48" wide. I can't imagine the brace does anything accept support the glass lids. It is flimsy and not under tension when you grab it.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I once had the middle brace on a 150 break. The result was the front and back glass bowed out alarmingly (it seemed like an inch or more on either side).

But the tank never actually catastrophically failed, even through it always looked like it was about to so.

  • Like 1
  • Confused 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Steph’s Fish and Plants said:

@Danielmy anxiety would never have been able to handle that. How long was the tank in that condition and running?

Several years (at least 5) including a couple of moves to different locations. Once I figured it out it wasn’t gonna pop I just learned to live with it.

It is what really taught me just how darn flexible glass is. It seems like it’s stiff, but it’s really more like plastic.

But it also showed me what the value of that center brace really is.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can of course do what you want, but my advice is DON'T DO IT!

the pressure is the highest at the bottom of a tank as I've described in another post, but the mfr put that "brace" in for a reason. Think about it, it's more complicated to make a tank that way. it's a more complicated mold, more raw materials (plastic) and more to make sure is correct (think quality). If it was not needed, you can bet it would not be there from a cost cutting perspective. I'm sure you know how cheap things are made these days.

My 2 cents.

Good luck which ever way you go.

Edited by Dandy Pearl
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the responses. So it is not there to strictly support the glass lids. My old 600 gallon reef tank didn't have a brace but it was custom built. For the small amount of extra light I will get in the tank it is not worth the risk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/17/2020 at 12:06 PM, Daniel said:

Several years (at least 5) including a couple of moves to different locations. Once I figured it out it wasn’t gonna pop I just learned to live with it.

It is what really taught me just how darn flexible glass is. It seems like it’s stiff, but it’s really more like plastic.

But it also showed me what the value of that center brace really is.

I lived in a house built in the 1930s that still had the original glass windows. You could see the warped "drip marks" in the glass from decades of sun exposure and heat/cold cycles.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agree with others. The middle brace is there for a reason. I wouldn't attempt to remove it. 

If it doesn't right away....at some point, there's a high probability of your tank bowing out...glass breaking.

Edited by Jeff
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I once removed the brace from a 30-gallon tall tank (24" x 12" x 24"). 

REALLY bad move. The front glass was literally bowing outward from the water pressure!

Removing the brace WILL add to the water pressure on your front and back glass. The taller the tank, the greater the risk.

Highly recommended not to do it. 🙂

Edited by Bill Smith
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The challenge with adding a brace back is the method of connection. plastic tank rims are made of is notoriously weak when drilling holes through it. However a good epoxy may be a good solution. I would use aluminum vs steel though for corrosion resistance. It's likely @Ken Burke was only using 'angle iron' as a what if. Also keep in mind the radiuses used where the cross brace meets the rim. This radius of material reduces stress at the joint. Whatever cross brace material is used it should replicate these radiuses in some way. An easy way is to add gusset 'wings' on each side of the brace at each end.

If I had thought about the epoxy when my tank cross brace failed, I could have saved the cost of a new tank!

Happy fish keeping 🐟

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all of the responses. They idea about removing the brace, which I now will not be doing, was decrease the obstruction to allow more light into the tank. Adding different braces was not the idea. Changing it over to cast iron is to much work. I will just leave the brace in place and replace the glass panel with acrylic panels that are solid without an ugly black hinge.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...