Cracked center brace

[fattubwhale]

What I have is a old school "ALLGLASS" 150g tank that I had sitting outside on my deck for the last couple weeks during a remodel. When I removed the tarp to clean it out I found these cracks on both of the middle braces :cry:
The Question is, is it replaceable or can I repair the cracks with epoxy and clamp it together for a tighter fit/bond???
Let me know what you think!!!
sry for the bad photos taken off of phone
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j387/fattubwhale/wholetank.jpghttp://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j387/fattubwhale/tank2.jpghttp://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j387/fattubwhale/Tank.jpg
This was the tank prior to the breakdown.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j387/fattubwhale/P1020868.jpghttp://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j387/fattubwhale/150.jpg

For the new set up... It will either be a community tank or a bio type! I havent really made a decision on which route to take :p
this has been going on between the right and the left sholder... Bio... Comunnity.... bio :argue: :argue:....

Thanks for looking :)

[uarujoey]

You wont be able to repair that back to the same strength it was, given its location. Your now better off removing that brace and bracing the tank with strips of glass siliconed to the top of the tank.

Your next option is to cement a piece of plastic below and above the crack. Using a plastic cement. The do a test fill once cured. It wont be pretty, but it will be a lot stronger then just cementing the crack together.

[mlov1022]

Try to purchase a replacement top frame from AGA.

[fattubwhale]

Thanks for the feedback guys! Man it's a lot of water.... this repair is gonna have to be done the right way!!! I am a little hesitant with the whole epoxy, silicone and the cementing thing considering the size of the tank! Just to get my nerves down a little.... I think the best bet is to try to replace the whole top.
Hopefully I can find a replacement top for it!

[Me4SweetD]

When I buy a tank, I actually take if the plastic rim and replace with a strip of glass. It's much sleeker looking, you get a rimless tank and the strength is much better than plastic. Just get the glass the sane thickness as the sides and glue it 1/4 " from the top inside the tank, if you can't find 1/2in or thicker glass, you can use twice as many braces spread out with half the thickness if the original glass ie 2 1/4in for every one 1/2in glass Brace

[fattubwhale]

When I buy a tank, I actually take if the plastic rim and replace with a strip of glass. It's much sleeker looking, you get a rimless tank and the strength is much better than plastic. Just get the glass the sane thickness as the sides and glue it 1/4 " from the top inside the tank, if you can't find 1/2in or thicker glass, you can use twice as many braces spread out with half the thickness if the original glass ie 2 1/4in for every one 1/2in glass Brace

I seen it done before with smaller tanks like 55's and 30's but I am a little hesitant doing it with a 150g! Do you have any pics of your work that you can share?

[Skip]

Try to purchase a replacement top frame from AGA.

the tank maker don't like to sell the frames.. have you dont it before?

[mlov1022]

the tank maker don't like to sell the frames.. have you dont it before?Don't know about the tank Mfr, but Glasscages sells replacement frames. I purchased one for a 55g from them.

[fattubwhale]

Try to purchase a replacement top frame from AGA.


the tank maker don't like to sell the frames.. have you dont it before?

You can't find it for sale on the AGA website! I just went through my LFS to find one and it was pretty reasonable in price... It was less than $30! I was expecting it to be like a $100 or so. I'll see if the price holds up when i pick it up on sat.

[mlov1022]

Excellent. Good deal.

[Skip]

glasscages told me they made the frame 1/8" shorter.. then 48".. so its only for their tanks.. i have 2 75's i want to put top on

[fattubwhale]

glasscages told me they made the frame 1/8" shorter.. then 48".. so its only for their tanks.. i have 2 75's i want to put top on

I was told they run smaller as well... But, I also hear many people replace them with no problems!!!
Marc, Any input on the sizes??? Do they fit pretty good or was it a snugg fit on your 55 replacement??

[mlov1022]

I don't know the sizes they offer, but the one I got for my 55 fit perfect.

[ockyra215]

Nice I need a new brace for one of my 55's ill check them out.

[generics]

lol...it was cracked!

[fattubwhale]

lol...it was cracked!

??? Whats your point??? Yea it's cracked! It was cracked from exposer to heat not intentionally!!!

[jcahow]

I used this Super Glue UV Activated Fiberglass Re-enforced Waterproof Patching material to fix a cracked center brace on a 75 gallon tank and it has never given me any problems since.

I did not have a portable UV light so I used sunlight to activate it instead. We flipped the tank over and placed it on saw horses so I could get at the bottom of the center brace from the inside of the tank. Cleaned and roughed up the bottom of the dry center brace surface and then cut the appropriate sized patch so it completely covered the brace crack with plenty of overlap. You need to cut the patch out of the sun (so not to activate). I had layed dark towels over the tank until I had the patch in place and firmly attached. Once cut off the sheet it is like a piece of Duct Tape that you just stick where you want. I then removed the towels and let the sun shine through the tank onto the applied patch. It will slowly change color and harden when the sun's UV rays hit it with more sunlight making it happen faster. It says to wait 30 minutes in the sun but I let it set a couple of hours in the sun to be sure (it was cloudy).

Once it is done being activated it is as hard as a rock and can be sanded or painted. The patch seems stronger than the original brace and is not going anywhere. You can not even tell the center brace was repaired from the top (you could do both sides of the brace for extra support). The hardest part was flipping the tank over and protecting the tank edges from scratches.

supergluecorp.com /super-glue/ job-specific/ permanent-patch (with video showing it use)

Really amazing stuff.........................

[fattubwhale]

Thanks for the info! I will look into this... since I haven't replaced the trim yet! I been waiting for my LFS to order one for me and its been months and they haven't receiced it yet due to it's a "special order item" :flame: I have all winter to work on it now... And I been contiplating with going with the glass strips and silicone as some have mentioned earlier! I was reassurd this weekend that it would work and seen another tank repaired the same way and its been up and running for some time with no issues.

[TURQ64]

If it gets complicated, I have tons of West ystem Marine epoxies here leftover from our ship..all 2 part..I come over that way often (next few days)....Gary

[Darrell Ward]

It's kinda hard to see, but this 240 gal. has 1/2" thick glass bracing in the top. This tank has been in constant use for over 12 years...

[MPETERS]

Hi,

Here are a couple pics of the glass bracing on my 280:

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd479/mpetersaz/DSC_0005.jpg

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd479/mpetersaz/DSC_0004.jpg

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd479/mpetersaz/DSC_0006.jpg

Hope these help

Mike

[Skip]

Mike.. do you have a picture of the corners?

[Darrell Ward]

Mike.. do you have a picture of the corners?

The ends (cross braces) are laid first, the sides are laid on top of the ends. No miters on these.

[MPETERS]

Hi,

Darrell is correct. The front and back are done first and then the two sides are installed:

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd479/mpetersaz/DSC_0008.jpg

[fattubwhale]

Ahh... the photos help :) I think this is what I'm gonna do! Reinforce it with the glass strips!

I see Mike and Darrell has glass going around the inside of the tank any different if the glass strips were to be silconed from front to back vs around or is it just for the looks?

[Darrell Ward]

Well, the design of my tank is that the braces are siliconed to the top of the glass walls. The black trim serves no function except for looks. It also has glass bracing on the tank floor. I suppose the glass bracing all around makes it resist flexing better than plastic to guard against breakage. I'm no engineer, but I guess if the brace were stuck to the top of the tank glass front to back, it would work much like the plastic does now. If it were me, I would probably lose the plastic, and go with 1/2" thick glass all around.

[fattubwhale]

Well, the design of my tank is that the braces are siliconed to the top of the glass walls. The black trim serves no function except for looks. It also has glass bracing on the tank floor. I suppose the glass bracing all around makes it resist flexing better than plastic to guard against breakage. I'm no engineer, but I guess if the brace were stuck to the top of the tank glass front to back, it would work much like the plastic does now. If it were me, I would probably lose the plastic, and go with 1/2" thick glass all around.

Sounds good! Winter project in the works :)


If it gets complicated, I have tons of West ystem Marine epoxies here leftover from our ship..all 2 part..I come over that way often (next few days)....Gary

Gary, will you be in town for some wilds ;););)

[MPETERS]

Hi,

Just make sure that when you silicone the glass on don't clamp to tight. You don't want to push to much silicone out of the joint. Also I think that the glass rim on the inside of the tank would be better, give is more support against bowing. Just my opnion.

Mike

[fattubwhale]

Hi,

Just make sure that when you silicone the glass on don't clamp to tight. You don't want to push to much silicone out of the joint. Also I think that the glass rim on the inside of the tank would be better, give is more support against bowing. Just my opnion.

Mike

Thanks Mike, I will keep that in mind when i start the project!

[MPETERS]

Hi Again,

This is the silicone I use whenever I work on a tank. It is from Germany and works great. It costs a little more, but!!!!

http://www.customaquatic.com/estore/control/product/~product=SA-AB81000

Mike