Center Brace Or No Center Brace 180 Tank Order

jfolley67 · 03/23/2007, 09:05 AM

Will it be much more risk truly if I don't have them put the center brace on my 180 gallon tank I am getting ready to order? they can do it either way they said however they do recommend the brace. Do any of you have experience with issues with or without?

DMBillies · 03/23/2007, 09:24 AM

I'm not sure of who or how the tank is being constructed, but I wouldn't sleep very well unless the tank was braced in some other way (e.g., eurobracing). That's not based on any scientific principal or experience, but I know I had a tank with a loosy goosy center brace and when filled it tightened up hard... which means the tank had quite a bit of deflection from the water.

jfolley67 · 03/23/2007, 09:38 AM

I am getting the tank from glasscages. they said they do recommend but don't have to have...I am thinking might be better to have it, I am sure it must be but wanted others experience on not having it. I can ask about euro bracing but seems hard to clean glass and get into the tank with that.

Nashvegas · 03/23/2007, 10:05 AM

see if they can use a clear material to make the brace...as opposed to what i have this big black thing giving me all kinds of headaches....a clear brace would make the difference and I think be just as strong..

Angela Short · 03/23/2007, 10:06 AM

I thought they just made all of them euro braced? NO? I like my euro bracing. A PH actually fell one day and was shooting water straight up at the side wall and the big glass lip kept the water in the tank and from splashing out. I am having a hard time putting my self feeded on it though!
I would have it braced with 2 centers braces so you have 3 even holes for halides, make sence? That way the halides will not hit any brace in the center. They did get that custom request, and all others right on my tank. I had them make it with 4 holes (3 braces) so all 4 of my halides had a unobstructed window to the tank. It is 6 ft right? Mine was 7 is why I went with 4 lights but 3 MHs will be fine for a 6 footer. I am always using the bracing also as a shelf for things, tongs, cups, the blob of gooey left over nori from the clip between changes....Yuck! I have been known to have quite a pile of those nasty little blobbs of nori up there baking in the halides

When I am in the hood hanging cutting fraggs I stash themn there also in a cup of water till I get done. Very helpfull IMO. They were also a life saver aquascapping the tank. I lined all kind of rock shapes up on the bracing and would pick and choose and didn't have to get up and down from the ladder to get a little hunk of rock. I also couldn't sleep good without a brace or 2. I worry with 3

. Just call my cell if you want to ask me anything else, I am at Moms this week.

luckyfish · 03/23/2007, 10:07 AM

Glasscages has historically eurobraced their tanks with glass. I would be very inclined to get a center brace.

Angela Short · 03/23/2007, 10:08 AM

The bracing they use is glass ( at least the big ones are) but its not a good idea to put a halide right over glass or any brace for that matter

rsteagall · 03/23/2007, 10:19 AM

Angela's point on 2 center braces should be considered. You also want to make sure if they build your hood that they brace it in the same fashion. I think Eyebedamn has an issue wish tank and/or hood because they center braced it in the middle (duh) instead of doing 2 braces in 1/3 sections of the tank.

KAiNE · 03/23/2007, 03:04 PM

My reef is a GC tank, eurobraced with 2 in the center (3 holes for mh). I like the euro but not the braces myself, but I wouldnt think of removing them for structural reasons.
I'm like Angela, I always have algae and crap left up on mine.

Wouldnt you need thicker glass for a non braced? I was talking to Tom awhile back over a tank and the price was higher for a non braced if i remember correctly.

Mdwannabe · 03/23/2007, 05:44 PM

In my ignorance, of the size of the tank when ordering my GC 180, I told him 2 MH would be used.
Guess what, I was wrong and/or stupid. The center brace is directly below one of my 3 MH's. While light gets through, it is much less than the free light areas available to the other 2 MH's.
Go with 2 braces allowing free access to all lights.
What I have found though is some corals like being under the reduced light area, though available knowledge say's they should'nt
JMTCW

Rick

Sir Knight · 03/23/2007, 06:55 PM

What I think GC's is doing is not making a true eurobraced tank.
Tanks that are truly eurobraced do not have any pieces of glass going from the front of the tank to the back. A tank that has true eurobracing only has pieces of glass or if Acrylic around the edges of the tank leaving the entire center free and are made of glass that is a lot thicker glass or Acrylic then normally braced tanks. If that is not what they are doing then go, with the regular bracing with three openings which is the standard for tank 6 feet long. I just looked at a picture of mdwannabe's tank and that is truly not a eurobraced tank. Note by just using glass as bracing doesn't make it eurobraced.

jfolley67 · 03/23/2007, 08:57 PM

I agree....I asked him and he said with the 18 inch overflow in the center back, that will support the back wall of the tank and give support and then he would go around the front of the tank with eurobracing.....he said doing that, it was not necessary to have the bracing across the tank......I did email him to make sure about this again.....just to make sure

03/23/2007, 09:05 AM	#1
jfolley67 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Franklin, Tn Posts: 707	Center Brace Or No Center Brace 180 Tank Order Will it be much more risk truly if I don't have them put the center brace on my 180 gallon tank I am getting ready to order? they can do it either way they said however they do recommend the brace. Do any of you have experience with issues with or without? __________________ Julie and Scott Folley Current Tank Info: 180 gallon Reef....lovin' it!

03/23/2007, 09:24 AM	#2
DMBillies Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,086	I'm not sure of who or how the tank is being constructed, but I wouldn't sleep very well unless the tank was braced in some other way (e.g., eurobracing). That's not based on any scientific principal or experience, but I know I had a tank with a loosy goosy center brace and when filled it tightened up hard... which means the tank had quite a bit of deflection from the water. __________________ Brian

03/23/2007, 09:38 AM	#3
jfolley67 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Franklin, Tn Posts: 707	I am getting the tank from glasscages. they said they do recommend but don't have to have...I am thinking might be better to have it, I am sure it must be but wanted others experience on not having it. I can ask about euro bracing but seems hard to clean glass and get into the tank with that. __________________ Julie and Scott Folley Current Tank Info: 180 gallon Reef....lovin' it!

03/23/2007, 10:06 AM	#5
Angela Short Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Franklin TN Posts: 4,010	I thought they just made all of them euro braced? NO? I like my euro bracing. A PH actually fell one day and was shooting water straight up at the side wall and the big glass lip kept the water in the tank and from splashing out. I am having a hard time putting my self feeded on it though! I would have it braced with 2 centers braces so you have 3 even holes for halides, make sence? That way the halides will not hit any brace in the center. They did get that custom request, and all others right on my tank. I had them make it with 4 holes (3 braces) so all 4 of my halides had a unobstructed window to the tank. It is 6 ft right? Mine was 7 is why I went with 4 lights but 3 MHs will be fine for a 6 footer. I am always using the bracing also as a shelf for things, tongs, cups, the blob of gooey left over nori from the clip between changes....Yuck! I have been known to have quite a pile of those nasty little blobbs of nori up there baking in the halides When I am in the hood hanging cutting fraggs I stash themn there also in a cup of water till I get done. Very helpfull IMO. They were also a life saver aquascapping the tank. I lined all kind of rock shapes up on the bracing and would pick and choose and didn't have to get up and down from the ladder to get a little hunk of rock. I also couldn't sleep good without a brace or 2. I worry with 3 . Just call my cell if you want to ask me anything else, I am at Moms this week. __________________ I wish krogers sold corals so I could hide my habit in the grocery bill Don't judge me because I can't spell. I use my brain space for more important things, like thinking of a fancy user name Current Tank Info: Small FW tank :)

03/23/2007, 10:08 AM	#7
Angela Short Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Franklin TN Posts: 4,010	The bracing they use is glass ( at least the big ones are) but its not a good idea to put a halide right over glass or any brace for that matter __________________ I wish krogers sold corals so I could hide my habit in the grocery bill Don't judge me because I can't spell. I use my brain space for more important things, like thinking of a fancy user name Current Tank Info: Small FW tank :)

03/23/2007, 10:05 AM	#4
Nashvegas Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 696	see if they can use a clear material to make the brace...as opposed to what i have this big black thing giving me all kinds of headaches....a clear brace would make the difference and I think be just as strong..

03/23/2007, 10:07 AM	#6
luckyfish Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 1,135	Glasscages has historically eurobraced their tanks with glass. I would be very inclined to get a center brace.

03/23/2007, 10:19 AM	#8
rsteagall Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Rockvale, TN (close to Murfreesboro) Posts: 1,612	Angela's point on 2 center braces should be considered. You also want to make sure if they build your hood that they brace it in the same fashion. I think Eyebedamn has an issue wish tank and/or hood because they center braced it in the middle (duh) instead of doing 2 braces in 1/3 sections of the tank. __________________ Ryan Current Tank Info: One hand holding a beer, the other in the tank, and my toes typing on the keyboard. Drunks, reefing, and keyboards do mix in a 5GAL bucket with a 1200 MJ!

03/23/2007, 03:04 PM	#9
KAiNE Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Middle TN Posts: 667	My reef is a GC tank, eurobraced with 2 in the center (3 holes for mh). I like the euro but not the braces myself, but I wouldnt think of removing them for structural reasons. I'm like Angela, I always have algae and crap left up on mine. Wouldnt you need thicker glass for a non braced? I was talking to Tom awhile back over a tank and the price was higher for a non braced if i remember correctly. __________________ "When the people fear their government, there is Tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is Liberty." -- Thomas Jefferson

03/23/2007, 05:44 PM	#10
Mdwannabe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Nashville Posts: 653	In my ignorance, of the size of the tank when ordering my GC 180, I told him 2 MH would be used. Guess what, I was wrong and/or stupid. The center brace is directly below one of my 3 MH's. While light gets through, it is much less than the free light areas available to the other 2 MH's. Go with 2 braces allowing free access to all lights. What I have found though is some corals like being under the reduced light area, though available knowledge say's they should'nt JMTCW Rick __________________ While their is no "I" in team-work, there is an "ME".... Current Tank Info: 59" l x 21" W x 31" T (custom 170 gallon), 3-400W/20,000K MH, LED Moon Lights, 1/4 HP Cooler, Ca Reactor, UV Sterilizer, 75 Gallon sump W/Fuge

03/23/2007, 06:55 PM	#11
Sir Knight Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: TN Posts: 1,505	What I think GC's is doing is not making a true eurobraced tank. Tanks that are truly eurobraced do not have any pieces of glass going from the front of the tank to the back. A tank that has true eurobracing only has pieces of glass or if Acrylic around the edges of the tank leaving the entire center free and are made of glass that is a lot thicker glass or Acrylic then normally braced tanks. If that is not what they are doing then go, with the regular bracing with three openings which is the standard for tank 6 feet long. I just looked at a picture of mdwannabe's tank and that is truly not a eurobraced tank. Note by just using glass as bracing doesn't make it eurobraced.

03/23/2007, 08:57 PM	#12
jfolley67 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Franklin, Tn Posts: 707	I agree....I asked him and he said with the 18 inch overflow in the center back, that will support the back wall of the tank and give support and then he would go around the front of the tank with eurobracing.....he said doing that, it was not necessary to have the bracing across the tank......I did email him to make sure about this again.....just to make sure __________________ Julie and Scott Folley Current Tank Info: 180 gallon Reef....lovin' it!