Center Brace.... on a 65g

nseawater · 06/25/2006, 10:13 PM

I know this question has floated around here but....

Would it be okay cut the plastic center brace of my 65g tank and put a 3 inch wide 1/4 inch thick glass? Has anyone done this and have any advice pictures to share?

Thanks,

chadfarmer · 06/25/2006, 10:47 PM

has been done just make sure you use a lot of silcone and let it dry for atleast 24-48 hours same as glass cages tanks i would just double up on the glass for extra strength

Skorpinok · 06/26/2006, 08:27 AM

I too am curious about it and would like to know more about it... Free bump.

jman77 · 06/26/2006, 09:34 AM

or eruo brace it

Scottdl99 · 06/26/2006, 09:38 AM

crazy

sleizure · 06/26/2006, 02:22 PM

Call me crazy but I took a hacksaw with the tank full and took my center brace off 2 years ago. If I was to do it now I think I'd do it a bit differently - like euro brace the tank.

dgtlwrx · 06/26/2006, 06:32 PM

I have a 65 AGA with no center brace. Am I the onyl one with this tank?

compulou · 06/26/2006, 07:14 PM

No problem, I cut mine out and replaced it with a 1/4 plexi about 2" wide. Much easier to do if tank is empty.

nseawater · 06/26/2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by compulou
No problem, I cut mine out and replaced it with a 1/4 plexi about 2" wide. Much easier to do if tank is empty.

That's great.! Do you have a picture of the tank now? And why use acrylic? Wouldn't glass be a better choice - easier to clean? What type of glue did you use to glue acrylic to glass?

hahnmeister · 06/27/2006, 12:18 AM

If you can use plexi to replace the frame, I would do that instead of glass because 1/4" thick glass is kinda fragile. Just use nylon bolts. If you aspire to do more with glass, then I would go with 3/8" thick instead of 1/4"...more ridgidity. OR, as was pointed out before, pick up two 35" long strips of 3/8" thick x 2" wide glass and silicone these strips to the glass right under the plastic trim...glass on glass. Then you can remove the need for a center brace all together.

compulou · 06/27/2006, 06:09 AM

Seawater, just check out my gallery for a pic of how I did it.

horkn · 06/27/2006, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hahnmeister
If you can use plexi to replace the frame, I would do that instead of glass because 1/4" thick glass is kinda fragile. Just use nylon bolts. If you aspire to do more with glass, then I would go with 3/8" thick instead of 1/4"...more ridgidity. OR, as was pointed out before, pick up two 35" long strips of 3/8" thick x 2" wide glass and silicone these strips to the glass right under the plastic trim...glass on glass. Then you can remove the need for a center brace all together.

the plexi mod is easy, but when i get around to it, i am eurobrace modding my 90g just like hahn explains for your 65g.

nseawater · 06/27/2006, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by hahnmeister
If you can use plexi to replace the frame, I would do that instead of glass because 1/4" thick glass is kinda fragile. Just use nylon bolts. If you aspire to do more with glass, then I would go with 3/8" thick instead of 1/4"...more ridgidity. OR, as was pointed out before, pick up two 35" long strips of 3/8" thick x 2" wide glass and silicone these strips to the glass right under the plastic trim...glass on glass. Then you can remove the need for a center brace all together.

That's actually a good idea. So, get two 35" long X 3/8" thick X 2" wide glass glue, length wise, it just below the plastic support would eliminate the need for the center brace. What about the sides of the tank? Wouldn't also be a good idea? I think I would feel much more at ease if there's a glass on those two sides as well.

I originally thought of getting a glass strip and gluing the glass strip just below the plastic support (glass on glass) and completely getting rid of the center brace. But your idea sound like a better one and improve the tank's strength.

When measuring the length of the inside of the tank, do I measure it point to point and have the glass cutter cut the glass for me at the precise measurement? Or do I need some space for the silicone when gluing the glass strip? I hope I'm explaining this clearly...

And thanks for the idea.

Quote:

Originally posted by horkn
the plexi mod is easy, but when i get around to it, i am eurobrace modding my 90g just like hahn explains for your 65g.

Have you started on that mod?

hahnmeister · 06/27/2006, 01:54 PM

yep, that pic right there is the acrylic mod...nice example compulou.

Thats the easiest mod to do...Evan J. did it to his 75g as well horkn because he has that single central 250watt halide over it...he loves it. My only concern would be heat for some...the proximity can make things a little hot, esp over time when the sea-spray starts to crud things up.

So there is the option of using glass as well as a cross-brace...but yeah, if you are going that far, you might as well eliminate the need for a cross brace all together and euro-brace it.

nseawater, the plastic frame on a 65g is pretty much only to prevent the front and back panels from bowing. The cross brace is really the only critical support structure of the whole thing. Some may argue that it reinforces the corners because otherwise all that would hold the tank together would be silicone...but those people have obviously never made their own tank out of nothing but glass and silicone, or seen one made that way. So you dont need to add something to the sides at all. They are fine as is.

The sides need no support from the frame really...they are too short to bow. Its just the wide front and back panels that need the extra strength. I have made a couple tanks of thazt size w/o bracing at all, but we has to use 5/8" glasss for the front and back...lol. For the eurobrace mod, a strip along the front and back is all you need. Its length should be about 1/8-1/4" less than the place where it has to fit. If your front and back panels on a 65 are 36" long, and your side glass is 1/2" thick, then you would have 35" to play with, but better make it 34-7/8" to be sure. When in doubt, err on the smaller side. Technically, the eurobrace doesnt even need to be connected at the ends to the side panel...its simply a reinforcement for the front and back. Your tank right now might have a bead of silicone between the glass and trim...this might have to be removed ( razorblade time!)on the front and back to fit the glass snuggly into this corner where the glass meets the trim. Now worries though, when you silicone the new brace in this will all get sealed back up. When putting in the euro-brace, you silicone the corner that the strip of glass will be pressed into (the same place you might have just removed the old silicone, the corner that is 1/2 plastic trim, 1/2 glass), and then go back and add a filet of silicone, glass to glass, in the corner where they meet.

For the true 'euro' look, people then go and remove the plastic all together...but I wouldnt. The plastic trim is somewhat ugly compared to a true euro-braced tank, but it does protect the corners from chipping. It has a track for a glass lid, and besides...sometimes with those AGA tanks, the glass under the trim is some jagged-edged, beat-up looking stuff that you dont want to see anyways (hey, they built it to be covered up, so why would they bother grinding and polishing it, right?).

compulou · 06/27/2006, 05:35 PM

Thanks

Took me all of 20 minutes to do it (with a dremel of course). I bought two plexi 1/4 thick braces already cut from a local acrylic cutter for $10 bux for both. Nice to have a spare just in case.

horkn · 06/28/2006, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nseawater

Have you started on that mod?

not yet, but i am doing the glass strip euro brace mod while leaving the rest of the top trim in place. when i get around to it, i will be ordering the 250w DE mh for the center and all the 4x54 t5ho stuff for it as well.

right now i dont have a place for the 90g, so it sits as my GF and I look for a house.... but i guess i could get modding on the euro brace so its done when we finally find a house....

i would love to have the 90g up by fall, so i have some time to collect my equipment, and make my mods....

miwoodar · 05/22/2007, 11:24 AM

I replaced my center brace on my 65. I glued a 2" wide piece of glass under the plastic brace using silicone (no glue toward the center of the brace. After letting it dry for a few days I heated a garden hachet on the stove and melted through the plastic brace towards the ends.

06/25/2006, 10:13 PM	#1
nseawater Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 191	Center Brace.... on a 65g I know this question has floated around here but.... Would it be okay cut the plastic center brace of my 65g tank and put a 3 inch wide 1/4 inch thick glass? Has anyone done this and have any advice pictures to share? Thanks,

06/25/2006, 10:47 PM	#2
chadfarmer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: ST Charles, MO far from nanook Posts: 11,045 Blog Entries: 1	has been done just make sure you use a lot of silcone and let it dry for atleast 24-48 hours same as glass cages tanks i would just double up on the glass for extra strength __________________ If you think you know the answer than ask 3 more people the question Current Tank Info: 200 Gal RR,ATB medium, 4 AI blue sol,230 LBS LIVE ROCK, no sand , 40 GAL sump, airstar1800, 3 tunze 6105 1- 6205 1-6305, Geo 818, profilux3ex with toys

06/26/2006, 09:38 AM	#5
Scottdl99 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Indy Posts: 411	crazy __________________ 80g Shallow Deep Blue: 200w LED, SWC 160, MP 10's 120g Shallow Frag Tank: 200w LED, 150w HQI's, SRO1000, WP 10's

05/22/2007, 11:24 AM	#17
miwoodar Likey the bikey Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,371	I replaced my center brace on my 65. I glued a 2" wide piece of glass under the plastic brace using silicone (no glue toward the center of the brace. After letting it dry for a few days I heated a garden hachet on the stove and melted through the plastic brace towards the ends. __________________ Mike On hiatus. I'm either out riding my bicycle, playing with my family, or throwing ferts in my planted tank. Or working. I hope I'm not doing that though. Current Tank Info: 140 DIY Cube

06/26/2006, 08:27 AM	#3
Skorpinok Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,194	I too am curious about it and would like to know more about it... Free bump.

06/26/2006, 09:34 AM	#4
jman77 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 2,391	or eruo brace it

06/26/2006, 02:22 PM	#6
sleizure Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 58	Call me crazy but I took a hacksaw with the tank full and took my center brace off 2 years ago. If I was to do it now I think I'd do it a bit differently - like euro brace the tank.

06/26/2006, 06:32 PM	#7
dgtlwrx Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 79	I have a 65 AGA with no center brace. Am I the onyl one with this tank?

06/26/2006, 07:14 PM	#8
compulou Moved On Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 951	No problem, I cut mine out and replaced it with a 1/4 plexi about 2" wide. Much easier to do if tank is empty.

06/27/2006, 12:18 AM	#10
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	If you can use plexi to replace the frame, I would do that instead of glass because 1/4" thick glass is kinda fragile. Just use nylon bolts. If you aspire to do more with glass, then I would go with 3/8" thick instead of 1/4"...more ridgidity. OR, as was pointed out before, pick up two 35" long strips of 3/8" thick x 2" wide glass and silicone these strips to the glass right under the plastic trim...glass on glass. Then you can remove the need for a center brace all together.

06/27/2006, 06:09 AM	#11
compulou Moved On Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 951	Seawater, just check out my gallery for a pic of how I did it.

06/27/2006, 01:54 PM	#14
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	yep, that pic right there is the acrylic mod...nice example compulou. Thats the easiest mod to do...Evan J. did it to his 75g as well horkn because he has that single central 250watt halide over it...he loves it. My only concern would be heat for some...the proximity can make things a little hot, esp over time when the sea-spray starts to crud things up. So there is the option of using glass as well as a cross-brace...but yeah, if you are going that far, you might as well eliminate the need for a cross brace all together and euro-brace it. nseawater, the plastic frame on a 65g is pretty much only to prevent the front and back panels from bowing. The cross brace is really the only critical support structure of the whole thing. Some may argue that it reinforces the corners because otherwise all that would hold the tank together would be silicone...but those people have obviously never made their own tank out of nothing but glass and silicone, or seen one made that way. So you dont need to add something to the sides at all. They are fine as is. The sides need no support from the frame really...they are too short to bow. Its just the wide front and back panels that need the extra strength. I have made a couple tanks of thazt size w/o bracing at all, but we has to use 5/8" glasss for the front and back...lol. For the eurobrace mod, a strip along the front and back is all you need. Its length should be about 1/8-1/4" less than the place where it has to fit. If your front and back panels on a 65 are 36" long, and your side glass is 1/2" thick, then you would have 35" to play with, but better make it 34-7/8" to be sure. When in doubt, err on the smaller side. Technically, the eurobrace doesnt even need to be connected at the ends to the side panel...its simply a reinforcement for the front and back. Your tank right now might have a bead of silicone between the glass and trim...this might have to be removed ( razorblade time!)on the front and back to fit the glass snuggly into this corner where the glass meets the trim. Now worries though, when you silicone the new brace in this will all get sealed back up. When putting in the euro-brace, you silicone the corner that the strip of glass will be pressed into (the same place you might have just removed the old silicone, the corner that is 1/2 plastic trim, 1/2 glass), and then go back and add a filet of silicone, glass to glass, in the corner where they meet. For the true 'euro' look, people then go and remove the plastic all together...but I wouldnt. The plastic trim is somewhat ugly compared to a true euro-braced tank, but it does protect the corners from chipping. It has a track for a glass lid, and besides...sometimes with those AGA tanks, the glass under the trim is some jagged-edged, beat-up looking stuff that you dont want to see anyways (hey, they built it to be covered up, so why would they bother grinding and polishing it, right?).

06/27/2006, 05:35 PM	#15
compulou Moved On Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 951	Thanks Took me all of 20 minutes to do it (with a dremel of course). I bought two plexi 1/4 thick braces already cut from a local acrylic cutter for $10 bux for both. Nice to have a spare just in case.