Cutting center brace off of tank top, help me decide!

[dakota9]

I have a single 250 watt MH fixture for my new tank, which also has this ugly center brace across the top that will cast a shadow thoughout my tank. I've researched it, and came up with this plan......

I can router/saw/RotoZip the center brace out and already have two pieces of glass (1/4" thickness, 5 1/2" wide, each) that I could silicone in place on either side of where the old brace was. The Two glass pieces would be about six inches apart, allowing the MH to shine unobstructedly through the tank.

My tank is 36" long , 25" high and 18" from front to back it is a 65g.

Please sound off if you think this will work or not, as I'd like to operate on the tank tonight to let the silicone cure a day or so before I fill it on Tuesday.

 

[blind1993]

wow that kinda sounds like alot of work and a big chance.

what about useing aclrick(dont know how to spell) in the middle of those.

 

[dakota9]

Thought about that aswell, but acrylic wont age well under the MH light, but would provide more give if the tank suffers minor twists after filling.


It's risky, I know, but the prospect of living with an ugly shadow in my tank for years needlessly isn't great either

 

[blind1993]

what about a metal dowel rod those are strong.

 

[linda lee]

Quick question ~ Is this something you absolutely need to decide before you set up the tank? I was just wondering if you could give it a trial run with the brace in place, to see how bad the shadow actually is, and if it turns out to be a big problem, lower the water level and do the mod later?

 

[blind1993]

i think the tank would fall apart if you leave more than 10% the water in there.

 

[jeep9783]

ask jdav he did it and now he has to take his tank down b/c of a leak he has a 46bow front

 

[linda lee]

blind1993;79844 wrote: what about a metal dowel rod those are strong.

metal + salt water = not-a-good-idea

but maybe an acrylic dowell, like the ones used in bathroom towel holders

 

[dakota9]

Well Linda, I think laziness will prevail if I set it up with the brace on. I'm the kinda guy that will have every intention of fixing it everytime I look at it, but never find the time. Besides, doing something like this is best done when its completely empty, from what I've researched..

 

[dakota9]

Chris, did he just remove the center brace, or try changing it out with something else? I've done enough research to now know to NEVER just remove the center brace, as I've read some real horror stories....

 

[jeep9783]

i am not sure i think he reinforced it...i don't know i think i would try one of them braces from lowes they use to hold wood and stuff together before i would just cut it but i don't know

 

[linda lee]

I'm not an engineer (I don't even know the weight of a gallon of water), but it just seems risky.

The term *brace* is actually misleading, since that piece is not really braced between two sides to keep them apart, but it's put there to keep two sides together, right? So if you do the mod, you'll end up with two silicon seals with the weight of ________ pounds of water pressing against both sides?

There's probably some kind of engineering/mathematical formula out there somewhere that could project what an end result would be?

 

[blind1993]

you could have it wrap around the trim of the tank instead of using silicone. if you dont understand tell me.

 

[jeep9783]

water weights 8. some odd lbs per gallon i think i would get diff tank or trade out or something before cutting and stuff

 

[blind1993]

i read it was 9.8ppg

 

[dakota9]

But Linda, that's all that every aquarium is, as they are all just glass held together with silicone.

In my research on this, it seems to be somewhat of urban legend status, as several sources say it can be done, but not one incodent of anyone actually having done it and written of it......

Kinda like all those post that tell of a great way of fragging leather corals is to use a blender to grind them....

 

[jeep9783]

that is with the avg of rock sand and all of that other stuff included i think hang on

 

[jeep9783]

Ready Reference Files

Weight of One Gallon (U.S.) of Water, Gasoline, and Ethanol

<ul>
<li>1 gallon of water equals 8.33 lbs.</li>
<li>1 gallon of gasoline equals 5.8 to 6.5 lbs.</li>
<li>1 gallon of ethanol equals 6.59 lbs.</li>
</ul>Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy. Fuel From Farms: a Guide to Small Scale Ethanol Production. May 1980. Page D-3.
Verified by: JT, 9/98

 

[jeep9783]

I think that i am going to do a gasoline build shortly that is why i included that...

 

[jefft]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Murphy’s Law will eventually have an effect if you do not put something on there to hold the front and back together. It will take effect when no one is home.</span>