90 gallon eurobrace

[iGotJokess]

Anyone have experience with eurobracing? I have a traditional 90 gallon with a center brace, saw a few threads on eurobracing and was wondering if anyone has experience doing so.

 

[Ron Reefman]

More info about your tank would be very helpful. I just built a 90g tank (36"x30"x20") with no center brace and no euro brace. Does your tank have a trim around the top? How thick is the glass?

My tank as I was setting it up back in January. You can follow the build in my build thread.

 

[iGotJokess]

More info about your tank would be very helpful. I just built a 90g tank (36"x30"x20") with no center brace and no euro brace. Does your tank have a trim around the top? How thick is the glass?

My tank as I was setting it up back in January. You can follow the build in my build thread.

My tank has the black trim with a center brace. I believe the glass is 3/8”. 48x18x25

 

[Ron Reefman]

My tank is 3/8th inch glass as well.

Since your ends are only 18", I'd suggest you don't need euro bracing at along the ends. It's the 48" front and back that need it in order to ensure the glass does bow over time. I'd think a brace of 3/8" x 48" x 3" would do the job. Just get good RTV silicone or aquarium silicone and attach the braces to the front and back glass (and at the ends).

I had a 4'x2'x20" tank that was euro braced and I liked it a lot! I just wanted more front to back distance in my new tank and at 3' in length and only 20" deep, I don't think a brace was needed.

 

[JCrowe86]

My tank is 3/8th inch glass as well.

Since your ends are only 18", I'd suggest you don't need euro bracing at along the ends. It's the 48" front and back that need it in order to ensure the glass does bow over time. I'd think a brace of 3/8" x 48" x 3" would do the job. Just get good RTV silicone or aquarium silicone and attach the braces to the front and back glass (and at the ends).

I had a 4'x2'x20" tank that was euro braced and I liked it a lot! I just wanted more front to back distance in my new tank and at 3' in length and only 20" deep, I don't think a brace was needed.

Not to hijack but you sound like you know what you are talking about. I currently have a tank 60"x18"x20" that I was looking to de-rim and euro brace. It's 1/2" glass. Sounds like maybe I wouldn't need full euro brace, only cross brace along the top? Would you do multiple cross braces or just one larger one in the middle? When doing a glass cross brace do you silicone to the top of the glass or just inside of it?

 

[Ron Reefman]

Not to hijack but you sound like you know what you are talking about. I currently have a tank 60"x18"x20" that I was looking to de-rim and euro brace. It's 1/2" glass. Sounds like maybe I wouldn't need full euro brace, only cross brace along the top? Would you do multiple cross braces or just one larger one in the middle? When doing a glass cross brace do you silicone to the top of the glass or just inside of it?

Thanks... I think. ;Hilarious;Hilarious

I've built 6 tanks, the biggest being my 90g (36x30x20). I've never done a euro brace, but I've owned a couple.

If your end glass is 1/2" and 18"x20", it shouldn't need a euro brace.
With 1/2" glass and only 20" tall and 5' long, I'm not sure you need a brace. But to be comfortable, I'd either do a euro brace along the front and back glass, or do an 18" x 8" cross brace (front to back) in the center of the tank.

Something to look at: Tell me about the rim at the top of your tank.
What is it made of?
Is the entire thing one piece, or is it 4 pieces with the corners mitered together?
Does the rim also incorporate a center brace?
How thick is the material that makes up the rim? 1/16", 1/8", more?

 

[JCrowe86]

Something to look at: Tell me about the rim at the top of your tank.
What is it made of?
Is the entire thing one piece, or is it 4 pieces with the corners mitered together?
Does the rim also incorporate a center brace?
How thick is the material that makes up the rim? 1/16", 1/8", more?

The rim is either wood or thick plastic. It's still black so it's kind of hard to tell. The tank is a little older and it's definitely not the typical aqueon type trim. It's about an inch thick measured across the top and 1.5" tall. It is 4 pieces that are mitered together in the corners.

It does currently have a glass center brace but it is siliconed inside the tank on these thin glass lips. Those lips interfere with where I wanted to drill for my overflow which is why I wanted to modify it. If I still want the overflow in the middle, it would be drilled to low and the water line would show. I could just offset it and not even worry about it but I'm just curious if it is an option. Id rather have the overflow centered for aesthetics.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Tough call. I suspect the rim doesn't do much for strength of the tank. The center brace is doing the work. If you did a euro brace, you do realize you'd need to do the front and the back.

 

[Aquavaj]

Never derimmed a tank before. How does the glass edges look like under the trim?

 

[JCrowe86]

Tough call. I suspect the rim doesn't do much for strength of the tank. The center brace is doing the work. If you did a euro brace, you do realize you'd need to do the front and the back.

Yes I realize that but the bracing goes on top of the tank glass correct? The issue I have is that the current brace, 1/2" thick glass is on the inside edge of the tank. Siliconed on to another 1/2" glass lip that is attached to the inside of the tank. So that's 1" of space inside the tank that the overflow box has to go under. Putting it that low would give me a visible water line. Bracing on top of the glass would give me the room I needed.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I don't think mounting the center brace or a euro brace inside the tank or on top of the tank makes much difference. It's all about the strength of the bond of the silicone.

Another possibility is to mount it on top of the tank, but rather than using silicone, scuff up the top edge of the tank and the mounting surface of the brace (center or euro) and bond it with 3M Co 5200 adhesive. It's way stronger than silicone, but it does not bond well to slick, smooth glass.