HELP!! Do I have a pending tank disaster? (1 Viewer)

[dbrock12]

Woke up this morning to what could be a pending tank disaster. My 180 gallon tank has (or should I say had) two center braces. Each brace is approx. one foot wide and two feet long. One of the center braces had come loose from the back of the tank and was resting on the sump return plumbing. Thank goodness it did have something to rest on or it would have crashed into the rocks and coral. I have since cut it loose from the front glass and removed it from the tank. I inspected the other brace and everything seems to be secure.

Couple of questions:

First: How concerned do I need to be about the integity of the tank without the one center brace? They are obviously there for a reason. The tank is level, (double checked this morning to make sure that nothing had changed.)

Second: How would I go about reattaching this brace?

Thanks
Don

 

[GreenGoby]

Don't know the best way to go about re-attaching it, but I would be somewhat concerned about it not being there... There is a lot of force on that glass....although it probably won't break..if something bumped into it ,etc...then you might have a huge mess.

Mel

 

[Guest]

Have you contacted the manufacturer about it?

 

[dbrock12]

The tank is at least 8 - 9 years old. I purchased it used about 3 years ago, and I am not sure who the manufacturer is. I have never had a problem with it until now.

Don

 

[Guest]

Oh wow Don, sorry for your troubles. I don't know how big a problem it is. If it was on the inside of the tank trim held with silicon could it have really been providing that much support.

Total temp solution if your worried but could you get some lumber clamps from the hardware store and use it as a temp brace just to hold things in place till you figure out a perm solution.

I'd ask John at Global or someone else who builds tanks what they think. Maybe the other sponsor OceanHomes.

 

[Guest]

Perhaps you could find a tank that is like yours, of which you know the manufacturer, and maybe give them a call for advice?

 

[Guest]

Trey may be able to help here... As I recall, his presentation on the tank calculator included some very interesting facts about acceptable glass deflection etc..

JT

 

[troypham]

this is what i did when my center brace cracked.

i drained the tank to 2/3 full.. i had a new glass cut( your isn't broken) cleaned the glass of the old silicon with a razor blade. tank and brace. i used clamps to hold the brace of the plastic trim and long pipe clamps to pull the glass together.(did this very slowly and evenly)

1. i layed a bead of silicon on the front and back glass after cleaning.

2. clamped the brace up with the pinch clamps( not sure what they are called. look like large cloths pins) after clamping i put another bead of silicon between the brace and tank glass. smooth with my finger.

3. use the pipe clamps to make sure there is no deflection in the glass and to make sure there is good contact with the brace and glass.

4. let it sit for at least 48hrs before removing the clamps. but leave the pipe clamps on.

5. fill with water and you should be good to go. leave the pipe clamps on for another 24hrs then you can remove them.

make sure that all the glass is clean and dry. if the silicon hits the salt water it will not form a bond.

i used GE silicon 1 clear. with out mold protection

good luck

 

[dbrock12]

Thanks for everyones replys. I have decided to try something similar to what troypham suggested, but it will have to wait until Tuesday (my next day off). Using a 3 foot carpenters square, I see no deflection in either the rear or front glass.

I am still puzzeled as to what caused this brace to come loose in the first place. I am also wondering how much of a brace can this really be for outward deflection, when all that is holding it in place is silicone?????

Don

 

[troypham]

silicone is stronger than you think. i had hell trying to get what was left of the center brace off. you have one brace left on there. so it's doing a lot of work. you still need to drain the tank so you can get in and scrap, clean, dry and put a need bead down. a good time for a water change.

good luck