Middle Stress Bar Disconnected

[ThatPhillyReefer]

Given that this brace has been repaired at least twice, maybe 3 times judging by the various patch jobs visible in the pictures I would say goodbye to this tank. It's had a rough life for this to happen considering normally this is an easy fix. How is the condition of the seams or even the glass?

everything else is great just the middle brace

 

[andrewkw]

Look at it this way. You know whoever fixed it in the past die a poor job more than once. You don't know how quickly they fixed the problem.

 

[Rjramos]

All tanks have a lifespan. I was once placing rock in a used tank and a very slight downward pressure on one of these braces broke it. Between exposure to lights and salt over time, the plastic gets brittle. Silicone bonds also have a lifespan. And a repair on the inner silicone bead on a tank is a temporary fix awaiting a short term failure. This I learned the hard way! Luckily, I was around to quickly drain the tank and save the livestock. Check to see if you can find a manufactured date on the bottom of tank if it’s 20 years in use, give and take, don’t risk it if you value the contents of it or your home. Believe me I have an Oceanic 175 bowfront sitting upside down outside. A beautiful tank, I dare not to fill. My plan is to carefully disassemble it and build it again with glass eurobracIng.

 

[DCR]

You don't have to trash the tank. You can install a glass brace (probably 3/8" or 1/2" by 4-8" wide depending on the length of the tank). That is the way they used to brace tanks before they went to the cheaper plastic rim brace. You will give up some depth and some convenience with regard to access. It is not that difficult to do if you do not want to purchase a new tank.

 

[JohnnyBlowfish]

In the long run it will be much cheaper to just replace the tank now. 100 gallons of water on the floor can cause repairs far more costly than a new tank. Add in any coral or fish that will die from a failed tank and the cost goes up even further. It's just not worth the risk IMO.

 

[Rjramos]

In the long run it will be much cheaper to just replace the tank now. 100 gallons of water on the floor can cause repairs far more costly than a new tank. Add in any coral or fish that will die from a failed tank and the cost goes up even further. It's just not worth the risk IMO.

This is true. I was just on another thread debating if acrylic tanks were better than glass tanks. I was on the glass tank side as there are truly many advantages. Then a member, which favors acrylic mentioned $14,000 On house damage due to a glass tank failure. I’ve never had this happen with precautions with glass tanks, but I definitely saw his point!

 

[ThatPhillyReefer]

I have to agree with replacing the tank.
If thats not possible then drain and measure the outside dimentions.
Go to a metal shop and have them build you a new top frame out of aluminum. You can then use aquarium silicone to affix it in place.

what do u mean by new frame? put it on top of old one?

 

[K7BMG]

No. Remove the old one and have a new one made.

 

[DCR]

You can certainly replace the frame with a metal frame, but I think it would be much cheaper and easier to silicon a glass brace to the front and back panels directly underneath the broken plastic brace. Then you can leave the existing plastic rim.

 

[ThatPhillyReefer]

You can certainly replace the frame with a metal frame, but I think it would be much cheaper and easier to silicon a glass brace to the front and back panels directly underneath the broken plastic brace. Then you can leave the existing plastic rim.

Okay Thank you

 

[GillMeister]

The top brace is made of ABS plastic. DO NOT DRILL INTO IT OR USE SCREWS TO REPAIR IT. This will only weaken it further. Since ABS is a styrenic material it can be easily solvent bonded. Just find a strip of ABS or styrene and use Testors model glue to attach it to the old plastic. McMaster Carr might have something. Always use an overlap joint rather than a butt joint for a strong interface.

If too much of the brace has been torn away from previous repair attempts you'll have to replace the entire top frame as suggested by others or buy a new tank.

You could Eurobrace as DCR suggested but I personally think that is something that takes a bit more fine craftsmanship to accomplish. You would have to be comfortable with your skill level to take this on.

 

[DCR]

The top brace is made of ABS plastic. DO NOT DRILL INTO IT OR USE SCREWS TO REPAIR IT. This will only weaken it further. Since ABS is a styrenic material it can be easily solvent bonded. Just find a strip of ABS or styrene and use Testors model glue to attach it to the old plastic. McMaster Carr might have something. Always use an overlap joint rather than a butt joint for a strong interface.

If too much of the brace has been torn away from previous repair attempts you'll have to replace the entire top frame as suggested by others or buy a new tank.

You could Eurobrace as DCR suggested but I personally think that is something that takes a bit more fine craftsmanship to accomplish. You would have to be comfortable with your skill level to take this on.

I was not suggesting a full Eurobrace, although that would also be a (more expensive) option. I am suggesting a siliconing 6-8" wide glass cross-brace like the old Oceanic tanks used to have. I do like your idea of gluing a strip of ABS as a cross brace better than replacing the entire top rim. I would worry that the rim material has been compromised around the area or the brace and the gluing a new brace to it will cause it to tear away.