My brace broke

ASH · 04-07-2008, 02:45 PM

Ok my brace broke on my 55 gal. I think that's what it is called. It's the plastic piece that holds the front and back glass together. I've called so many companys to see if they can fix it but no one can. So I have to do it myself. I talked to 2 guys and they said that they went to steel city here in PCB and got them to make a brace that would fit over the sides of the tank.

This is all I have to go on. Can someone please tell me if they know a different or better way to fix this?

Varga · 04-07-2008, 02:47 PM

Wood braces work just as good. Just a frame that fits on top

tbittner · 04-07-2008, 02:51 PM

You can use the pipe clamps that you can get at Lowes or Home Depot temporarily. Then get a piece of glass about 3" wide and how ever wide your tank is. Silicone it in place. Give it a week to cure and then remove the clamps. Now you have a center brace that the light will shine through, no more shadows in the tank.

JoJo · 04-07-2008, 03:00 PM

Terry's right, & while you're at Lowes you can pick the aquarium silicone needed to adhere the glass brace to the front/back glass. if your Lowes doesnt cut glass you should be able to get a 1/4"x3"x12" glass cut from a glass shop for less than $5. the glue is about $4 & to went an oversized C-clamp for a week is probably $10, you should be able to fix it for about $25

ASH · 04-07-2008, 03:33 PM

Thank you guys....

tippMANn98 · 04-07-2008, 04:44 PM

Wait, you should be able to BUY a brace from a retail store.....Central Pet sells them to retailers. I know..I have ordered them for customers before, they just silicone back on.....not bad priced either, usually only A.G.A has replacement frames.

Tru2nr · 04-07-2008, 05:13 PM

sorry to hijack but how important is this middle brace? because i had the fact of having the light being blocked which makes me have to buy two metal halide fixtures(when i get one) because i don't want that ugly shadow i have a 55g AGA as well and if i can just kinda cut that brace and then only use one MH fixture that would be awesome

lcstorc · 04-07-2008, 05:24 PM

I wouldn't do it. That brace is what takes the weight of the sides of the tank. Perhaps I am being paranoid. I would love to take mine out since it is a 2ft piece of glass that is always blocked with salt creep but I wouldn't remove it no matter how bad I wanted to.

Tru2nr · 04-07-2008, 05:40 PM

bah heh cuz i know some tanks dont have it which is why i wonder

lcstorc · 04-07-2008, 05:44 PM

I have a tech tank without it but it has a brace all of the way around it. If it was designed to have it, I wouldn't remove it. Like I said, maybe I am just paranoid but then again I really don't want 125g of water plus many fish, corals, etc on my floor.

cracker · 04-07-2008, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tru2nr

bah heh cuz i know some tanks dont have it which is why i wonder

Tanks can be designed in such a way that top braces are not needed. Please consider that if Your tank has one or more top center braces, it was designed that way & "need" to be there. Sure the tank may hold together but your asking for trouble in the long run.

JoJo · 04-07-2008, 07:56 PM

listen to Lynn & Brian, they know what they're talking about. the last thing you want to hear in the middle of the night is cracking & thing a gush of water going everywhere because of a shadow

Ash, check into what Tipp is saying, if its just a matter of removing old trim and siliconing a new then its well worth the price. good luck

tippMANn98 · 04-08-2008, 09:20 AM

i have seen a tank that HAD a middle brace filled with water, my eyes could plainly see the weight of the water BOWING THE FRONT AND BACK panels of the glass, VERY VERY SCARY, i was like...I dont want to be here when this thing breaks....YOU NEED THAT BRACE...period, the end.

ASH · 04-08-2008, 02:46 PM

Yes I agree I totally need it......we measured the tank last night and found out that the tank has bowed 1/4 of an inch. So something has to be done quick.....I was thinking about just getting a new tank LOL. No really I could get a new one for only 150. That would just be easier than fixing the old one and I would know for a fact that it's ok...

Frankie · 04-08-2008, 03:34 PM

You need the center brace on a 55 because of the glass being so thin.
If you can afford a new tank go for it. That would be the best thing to do.
If you want to tinker around with DIY you can get some weldon #4, a piece of acrylic and replace the center brace with a clear one. The brace on a 55 is plastic so silicone won't do you any good. neither will glass to glass because of the surface area you would be gluing. The ends of glass siliconed to the front and back won't hold. getting the old brace off will be a PITA!
The best bet is what i said and weldon #4 a clear acrylic strip to the existing brace.

04-07-2008, 02:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
ASH Plate Coral Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Panama City Beach FL Posts: 751 View Gallery Karma Komment	My brace broke Ok my brace broke on my 55 gal. I think that's what it is called. It's the plastic piece that holds the front and back glass together. I've called so many companys to see if they can fix it but no one can. So I have to do it myself. I talked to 2 guys and they said that they went to steel city here in PCB and got them to make a brace that would fit over the sides of the tank. This is all I have to go on. Can someone please tell me if they know a different or better way to fix this? __________________ Have a look at our "work in progress" http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...5gal-gift.html

04-07-2008, 02:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
Varga Golden Moray Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,317 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My brace broke Wood braces work just as good. Just a frame that fits on top

04-07-2008, 02:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
tbittner Watch this Ma! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 5,562 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My brace broke You can use the pipe clamps that you can get at Lowes or Home Depot temporarily. Then get a piece of glass about 3" wide and how ever wide your tank is. Silicone it in place. Give it a week to cure and then remove the clamps. Now you have a center brace that the light will shine through, no more shadows in the tank. __________________ Terry 150g predator tank full of killers. Soon to be upgraded to a 360g. 450g reef 300g sump.

04-07-2008, 03:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
ASH Plate Coral Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Panama City Beach FL Posts: 751 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My brace broke Thank you guys.... __________________ Have a look at our "work in progress" http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...5gal-gift.html

04-07-2008, 04:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
tippMANn98 Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Port Richey, FL Posts: 2,705 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My brace broke Wait, you should be able to BUY a brace from a retail store.....Central Pet sells them to retailers. I know..I have ordered them for customers before, they just silicone back on.....not bad priced either, usually only A.G.A has replacement frames.

04-07-2008, 05:13 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My brace broke sorry to hijack but how important is this middle brace? because i had the fact of having the light being blocked which makes me have to buy two metal halide fixtures(when i get one) because i don't want that ugly shadow i have a 55g AGA as well and if i can just kinda cut that brace and then only use one MH fixture that would be awesome __________________ My 55g Chronical of addiction... Mistakes Have been made in the past.....still trying to clean up from them in the present....mistakes will be made in the future.....so what do we do?...... we party until we make another mistake!!!! WARNING: Corals in Tank, Add Crabs at own risk

04-07-2008, 05:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,953 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My brace broke I wouldn't do it. That brace is what takes the weight of the sides of the tank. Perhaps I am being paranoid. I would love to take mine out since it is a 2ft piece of glass that is always blocked with salt creep but I wouldn't remove it no matter how bad I wanted to. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

04-07-2008, 05:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
Tru2nr Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My brace broke bah heh cuz i know some tanks dont have it which is why i wonder __________________ My 55g Chronical of addiction... Mistakes Have been made in the past.....still trying to clean up from them in the present....mistakes will be made in the future.....so what do we do?...... we party until we make another mistake!!!! WARNING: Corals in Tank, Add Crabs at own risk

04-07-2008, 05:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 20,953 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My brace broke I have a tech tank without it but it has a brace all of the way around it. If it was designed to have it, I wouldn't remove it. Like I said, maybe I am just paranoid but then again I really don't want 125g of water plus many fish, corals, etc on my floor. __________________ Peace LYNN You can't change the past but you can change how you view it. A reef tank is like a racecar. The faster you go the harder you crash. Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. In Loving Memory Of Z 01/22/07 - 08/19/08

04-08-2008, 09:20 AM	#13 (permalink)
tippMANn98 Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Port Richey, FL Posts: 2,705 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My brace broke i have seen a tank that HAD a middle brace filled with water, my eyes could plainly see the weight of the water BOWING THE FRONT AND BACK panels of the glass, VERY VERY SCARY, i was like...I dont want to be here when this thing breaks....YOU NEED THAT BRACE...period, the end.

04-08-2008, 02:46 PM	#14 (permalink)
ASH Plate Coral Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Panama City Beach FL Posts: 751 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My brace broke Yes I agree I totally need it......we measured the tank last night and found out that the tank has bowed 1/4 of an inch. So something has to be done quick.....I was thinking about just getting a new tank LOL. No really I could get a new one for only 150. That would just be easier than fixing the old one and I would know for a fact that it's ok... __________________ Have a look at our "work in progress" http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...5gal-gift.html

04-08-2008, 03:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
Frankie Angel Girl's Daddy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: The End Of The World Posts: 8,583 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My brace broke You need the center brace on a 55 because of the glass being so thin. If you can afford a new tank go for it. That would be the best thing to do. If you want to tinker around with DIY you can get some weldon #4, a piece of acrylic and replace the center brace with a clear one. The brace on a 55 is plastic so silicone won't do you any good. neither will glass to glass because of the surface area you would be gluing. The ends of glass siliconed to the front and back won't hold. getting the old brace off will be a PITA! The best bet is what i said and weldon #4 a clear acrylic strip to the existing brace. __________________ If we ignore the environment maybe it will just go away....

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