Tank Center Cross-brace help - what would you do

afamousjohnson · Sep 2, 2015

Picked this tank up new a lil while back for a screaming deal. It's a shallow 90(almost)g 48x24x17 1/2. 3/4"thick glass
For some reason they put in an all glass center brace which is 3/4" thick by 12"x24 (overkill right?) It was already on my nerves due to me knowing it would be a light diffuser for the center of the tank.

Now there is another issue - I like having heavy turbulence at the top of my water with a wave and circular flow. Noticed that the way to big center brace is glued in under the inner lip of rim - thought it goes on top of that lip to flush across with height of tank

This causes my water to hit the edges and under the brace showing the glass at the top of water when viewing tank.

Any ideas here?
Should I cut it out? I want to lol but not sure. I have noticed 2 oddball/dumb not thought thru moves already from construction of the tank. So it has me in question if thats already so maybe they put it there due to something else they were worried about with the tank to go along with the rest.
Think it's needed on this tank? Has a rim - 3/4" glass - only 17 1/2" high - or I could maybe cut out and put back in higher?

Tried lowering my drain once already - maybe try that again?

Any thoughts or experience - just really getting on my nerves lately so gotta do something about it. Being so wide its always in my way. Gets dirty/dusty with salt creep sides. Just dumb all around lol.

Was going to use it to create a hanging floating shelf in tank center but cant stand the glass look from the inside.

Heres some pics

afamousjohnson · Sep 2, 2015

Heres a pic of how it is attached to rim and where. See it under the inner lip? Is that right? Shouldnt it be on top of that lip securing rim to rim front to back?

143MPCo · Sep 2, 2015

afamousjohnson said:
It's a shallow 90(almost)g 48x24x17 1/2. 3/4"thick glass

Seems a little over kill with the glass being that thick...
...was this a custom build?

ca2or · Sep 2, 2015

I would not cut it out. I cut the brace to a 72g Bowfront. Ended up in a panic a few water changes later when it started making an odd sound.

afamousjohnson · Sep 2, 2015

It was.supposed to be - also was supposed to only be 16 high. Not sure what to think of it - gotta figure something out

143MPCo · Sep 2, 2015

afamousjohnson said:
I have noticed 2 oddball/dumb not thought thru moves already from construction of the tank.

What do you mean by this?

afamousjohnson · Sep 2, 2015

143MPCo said:
Seems a little over kill with the glass being that thick...
...was this a custom build?

ca2or said:
I would not cut it out. I cut the brace to a 72g Bowfront. Ended up in a panic a few water changes later when it started making an odd sound.

Ya I would worry in a bow for sure. This one has me wondering. It is not attached at all to the rim so I wouldnt be cutting that. Its attached to the glass and glued in under the rims bottom edge

afamousjohnson · Sep 2, 2015

143MPCo said:
What do you mean by this?

Not thought thru construction. Check out the overflow. It has the return entering tank a good 3" down from teeth on it. Now that is my drop level for tank say one of my bulkheads fail and leak. Just missed details that couldve been avioded.

143MPCo · Sep 2, 2015

Understood...
...I can only say what I would do, and the fact that it's 3/4" thick glass and only 17"high tells me someone got a bit paranoid and added it. I would check all the seams for signs of air pockets, as that's a clear signal of a pending disaster, but again I feel someone (builder) thought it was a good idea but, IMHO, it's not needed.

afamousjohnson · Sep 2, 2015

143MPCo said:
Understood...
...I can only say what I would do, and the fact that it's 3/4" thick glass and only 17"high tells me someone got a bit paranoid and added it. I would check all the seems for signs of air pockets, as that's a clear signal of a pending disaster, but again I feel someone (builder) thought it was a good idea but IMHO it's not needed.

Thats what I was worried about also - because it makes no sense being there - on the other side tho with the few querks I have found with the tank so far it also could have just been an extra piece of cut glass that fit and took no extra work lol.

I have thought about drilling small holes thru it so any trapped air will be able to escape but pretty far fetched there.
Maybe I will try lowering my drain again but I dont think I can go much lower on it with water level to trim bottom ratio

143MPCo · Sep 2, 2015

if it was my tank, my liability, I would remove it...
...not recommending you do that, just what I would do.

afamousjohnson · Sep 2, 2015

I can get it to only show in small spots here and there if I dial my dc return all the way back - but not sure I like that either lol low turn over

xmas_one · Sep 2, 2015

afamousjohnson said:
Not thought thru construction. Check out the overflow. It has the return entering tank a good 3" down from teeth on it. Now that is my drop level for tank say one of my bulkheads fail and leak. Just missed details that couldve been avioded.

That looks a lot more like 3/8" glass to me from your picture here.