Center brace upgrade-- clear

[H.crispa]

OK! For those of you who remember my "900watts over 75 gallon reef" post, it cooked my center brace. So now I fixed it and soon after I make the chiller, I'll make the 400 watt center mount permanent (higher up though) and run one of those really blue 12,000k bulbs from aquaticlight.com in it. This is going to be really cool!

In the mean time, here are pics of what I did to my center brace:
http://www.netpix.org/pix/01/11/05/front-badbrace-web.jpg
http://www.netpix.org/pix/01/11/05/badbrace-side-web.jpg

And here is what I did about it:
http://www.netpix.org/pix/01/11/05/acr-center-tall-web.jpg
http://www.netpix.org/pix/01/11/05/acr-brace-side-web.jpg
http://www.netpix.org/pix/01/11/05/acr-close-side-web.jpg

I made it out of 1/4 inch thick acrylic sheet and chemically welded it in place. It ain't goin' nowhere folks. And since it's clear, it won't cast a shadow in the tank like the original brace would have.

By the way, the coat hangers are going to be removed as soon as the weld sets up.

Woo-hoo!

[Shikaroka]

Cool! Good Idea.
Where did you get the acrylic?

[H.crispa]

Mouldegraph corporation at the end of nitro nearest to Poca. Across the tracks.

[mickey57]

....What ****es me of is that the friggin companies know what a huge mistake that solid color brace is.I have four bowfronts that I have to get around to doing that to.Thanks for the tip on the clothes hanger temp braces.That one hurddle.Hoing to run into some acylic on my scavenger hunts:smokin:
..................Mickey

[Shikaroka]

Originally posted by H.crispa
Mouldegraph corporation

That's what I thought. Thanks.

[firefish2020]

I think the tank manufacturers are going to realize this fact sooner or later. It just should'nt take this long but then again eggos just started making syrup last year :)

[H.crispa]

Mouldagraph Corporation
4134 1st Avenue
Nitro, WV 25143
304-759-2150

Don't forget, use at least 1/4" thickness and use acrylic! Lexan whitens and becomes brittle with exposure to UV light and halides generate plenty of UV. Also, don't forget to pick up some acrylic cement and a thing they call a "capillary applicator".

To bend the acylic: Hold it up square with the rim of the aquarium and mark it with a sharpie. Then use a low flame on a propane torch to heat it on one side, then the other-- flipping the strip over and over until it gets hot enough to bend. Don't hold the torch in one spot too long or you will blister the acrylic. Likewise with turning the flame up too high. Heat it slowly and evenly. Then just bend it over 90 degrees keeping it square with the frame of the tank and hold it in place until it cools and hardens. Then flip it around and repeat the process with the other side. Next, install the coat hangers by drilling four small holes in the rim next to where the center brace is attached and put the hangers through. Make sure to pull them tight. Next, cut the center brace loose and toss it out. Weld the new one in place, one end at a time applying pressure for up to 10 or 15 minutes to make sure the plastics melt together well. Wait a few hours (3 or 4) to ensure the welds are set up, then remove the coat hangers.

Now you are ready to mount that new 400 watt halide right in the center to compliment the ones on the sides!

[Shikaroka]

Good info! I had wondered if Mouldagraph sold acyrlic. I have been meaning to call them.

[H.crispa]

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b25/Hcrispa/100_0944.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b25/Hcrispa/100_0943.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b25/Hcrispa/100_0942.jpg