Notching rim/frame

[Bayareareefer18]

Hi guys what is the general feeling on this? Not talking about cutting the structural portion but the 1/4" lip that the tops would rest upon

I just got some new brackets for my lights. They claim to fit a 1' rim. My rim is 1" but that ~1/4" lip has me stuck

Thanks

 

[P-Dub]

Hi guys what is the general feeling on this? Not talking about cutting the structural portion but the 1/4" lip that the tops would rest upon

I just got some new brackets for my lights. They claim to fit a 1' rim. My rim is 1" but that ~1/4" lip has me stuck

Thanks

I have done it no problem. Go very slow and use a coping saw. You do not want to nick the glass. It's a slow PITA but better than cracked glass...

 

[Greybeard]

Can you? Sure... and I don't believe it'll have _any_ impact on tank integrity.

But I wouldn't do it.

Get a mount that fits, without altering the tank... or alter the MOUNT, to fit the tank. Cutting up the frame of a perfectly good aquarium so that you can mount a light? Nope. Not me.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

I have done it no problem. Go very slow and use a coping saw. You do not want to nick the glass. It's a slow PITA but better than cracked glass...

Thanks

I was talking about just the small lip so it's plenty far enough away from the glass. Was just thinking a dremmel and a cut off wheel

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Can you? Sure... and I don't believe it'll have _any_ impact on tank integrity.

But I wouldn't do it.

Get a mount that fits, without altering the tank... or alter the MOUNT, to fit the tank. Cutting up the frame of a perfectly good aquarium so that you can mount a light? Nope. Not me.

Makes sense to me. Wouldn't be much cutting up of the frame. The main frame will be intact just that tiny little lip for the glass tops to rest on is what I was going to notch

 

[P-Dub]

Thanks

I was talking about just the small lip so it's plenty far enough away from the glass. Was just thinking a dremmel and a cut off wheel

I know that power tools are tempting but that Dremmel can get away from you. I would seriously go the slow-go hand tool route. I'm old with shaky hands and poor eyesight though...

 

[AdamNC]

I’ve done it just recently when I drilled my overflow just a tad too high. No issues as of yet.

 

[Greybeard]

^^^ That ^^^ right there, is why I'd not do it.

That's about how I suspected it'd look... and that rough edge would drive me NUTZ. Maybe I go a bit overboard on stuff like this, but after all the time, effort, and money I put into my tank, looking at a hacked up plastic rim every day would just ruin the experience for me.

I say again... get a mount that works, or alter the mount. On that overflow, I'd have taken it to my table saw, and trimmed the top half inch off, so that it'd clear the rim. A few minutes on the buffing wheel, it'd have looked just fine.

 

[AdamNC]

^^^ That ^^^ right there, is why I'd not do it.

That's about how I suspected it'd look... and that rough edge would drive me NUTZ. Maybe I go a bit overboard on stuff like this, but after all the time, effort, and money I put into my tank, looking at a hacked up plastic rim every day would just ruin the experience for me.

I say again... get a mount that works, or alter the mount. On that overflow, I'd have taken it to my table saw, and trimmed the top half inch off, so that it'd clear the rim. A few minutes on the buffing wheel, it'd have looked just fine.

Lol trust me you don’t even see it when I have the screen top on. When I get home I’ll post a pic of it.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I did that little cut-away for my sump, where I attach an Eheim Everyday Feeder.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

I did that little cut-away for my sump, where I attach an Eheim Everyday Feeder.

Yep that's the area I was talking about

 

[Bayareareefer18]

I’ve done it just recently when I drilled my overflow just a tad too high. No issues as of yet.

That's a lot further into the rim that I would like to go

When I drilled my tank my overflow wouldn't fit by 1/4" on one edge. I just took it to tap plastic and had them cut the end off, remove a 1/4", then weld it back together.

 

[ca1ore]

I've done it many times. Most recently on a 29 to fit the eclipse overflow skim box. Trim is not structural unless it involves a cross brace.

 

[AdamNC]

After the top is on, this is what it looks like now. I actually like it this way as now my waterline is a good bit above the rim edge. And I have less fear of fish jumping into it.

 

[Jo P White]

Yep that's the area I was talking about

We did this type of cute on our tank with a dremel for our light mounts, just have to watch out for plastic going into the tank. No issues yet and it’s been about 10 months.

 

[SFKINNC]

Thanks

I was talking about just the small lip so it's plenty far enough away from the glass. Was just thinking a dremmel and a cut off wheel

A dremel with a cut off wheel might melt that thin plastic and make a mess. Dremel will require a very steady hand and be too close to the glass for safety. I wouldn’t try it.

 

[cracker]

I see no prob with just notching the lip ( the part that hold a cover.) Use a dremil & cutting wheel.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Ended up notching the lip of the rim with a dremel and cut off wheel. Worked perfectly. Nice and clean and the dremel cut made no mess with shavings or anything in the tank.