Can I remove the top brace from a 20L?

[minimasterflash]

Can i remove the top brace from a 20L, I desire to make the tank look cleaner.

Can i do this safely without the bracing or do I need to explore a euro brace style option?

[Ebisan]

I have a std 30g and it didn't come with a top brace. I see the middle part of the glass is bowed outward slightly at the top with all the water. Makes me nervous and wish it had a brace. But it's holding even with a HOB skimmer and HOB refugium on the back glass. I'm amazed it can hold all that extra weight. I'm not sure if you should remove the bracing.

[Ree4]

The brace is there by design. I wouldn't remove it.

[Saltz Creep]

I've never seen a 20L glass with a top brace. I don't think a brace is necessary unless maybe your tank is acrylic.


Came back and edited typos. Am I not anal?

[minimasterflash]

Heres a pic of it.... maybe the top brace is just to fit lights and lids and such?

reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/222890021.gif

[needyreefer]

cant see pic.....

[reefer04]

I have a 38 gallon and my brace broke. I haven't noticed any bowing or anything. I think it will be fine.

[Saltz Creep]

Looks like a standard glass 20 gallon long. Should be fine to remove the brace.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/222890021.gif

[jjmg]

I doubt that the company spent the extra money to install the brace for nothing. Maybe thinner glass? If I removed it I'd replace it with a clear brace.

[scooterreef]

I removed two braces one my 120 gallon and noticed bowing right away. I regret it, but so far it is holding out. I no it voided the warranty.

[Saltz Creep]

Scooterreef, that's crazy for a tank that size. You're asking for 120 gallons eventually to be on your floor. I'd advise you to get a bar or even better a pipe clamp to squeeze your tank back to it's orginal dimensions and rebuild those braces ASAP out of thick acrylic. You can only push your luck but so far.

[3_high_low]

Like I always say when someone asks this question.

DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!:lol:

[scooterreef]

ya I know it was stupid, how would I go about reattaching the braces. Do you think there is a chance I will damage it further by squeezing the glass back together. So far it has lasted over a year with no problems.

[tomterreefic]

Originally posted by scooterreef
ya I know it was stupid, how would I go about reattaching the braces. Do you think there is a chance I will damage it further by squeezing the glass back together. So far it has lasted over a year with no problems.

I don't know how to reattach the braces, but I can tell you that I have destroyed alot of stuff by trying to fix the mess I created, which usually made a bigger mess. I would suggest talking with a glass shop about how to go about this. JMO

[Saltz Creep]

I removed my opaque plastic brace and replaced it with a clear acrylic one while my tank was still full. I drained the tank a few inches, put a bar clamp on it and cut out the brace, but I left 3/4 inch nubs so that I could have something which to bolt the new acrylic brace. Since you probably left no nubs, you can use glass braces like GlassCages does and just silicone them on. This would require you to temporarily drain your tank a few inches, and clean and dry the areas at the top inside your tank. Your fish and corals would probably have to endure an overnite period of just an airstone while the silcone cures.

[aberg12012]

Thats amazing its lasted over a year that way... You have lucked out so far... I wouldn't push it any further. Do something at least temporarily. Ever seen what 120 gallons of salt water can do when it escapes from the tank? :eek1:

On that note, I have a 55 that came standard w/o a center brace, but the glass is much thicker than the average 55. I do, however, want to add a brace, as it is bowed slightly. Makes me very nervous.

[scooterreef]

I removed my braces for the same reason as Saltz Creep because I had metal halides right above the braces and the braces were blocking much of the light from getting in the tank, but never replaced them. Luckily I still have the nubs left by the old braces so I can replace them with bolts. I will most likely drain the tank more that half way because the tank it bowing outward probably an inch and a half so I will need to readjust it to where it was before I removed the braces. Just to be on the safe side.

[aberg12012]

Oh yea... and don't try to silocone an acrylic pice from front to back. the silicone won't hold to the acrylic. must use glass if you are going to try that.

[Saltz Creep]

Scooter, just a couple more tips:
Just put the bar or pipe clamp centered at the top and crank it until the top of your tank is as wide as the bottom. Get some thick nylon nuts and bolts and you will be fine.

[scooterreef]

Originally posted by aberg12012
Thats amazing its lasted over a year that way... You have lucked out so far... I wouldn't push it any further. Do something at least temporarily. Ever seen what 120 gallons of salt water can do when it escapes from the tank? :eek1:

On that note, I have a 55 that came standard w/o a center brace, but the glass is much thicker than the average 55. I do, however, want to add a brace, as it is bowed slightly. Makes me very nervous.

Actually I have seen a 120 gallon of salt water on the floor. When I first put water in the tank I had 1/2 inch clear tube that went to the bottom of the tank(not very smart) and was siphoning out water into a sump with a pump in it that was pumping it back into the tank. Well I had the tubes only resting in the tank not attached to anything just something heavy on it holding the tube in the tank. Well I had friends over and left the room for a couple of hours, and when I came back into my room I was shocked:eek1: to see that there was no water in the tank. the tube fell out of tank from return pump, so all the water was being siphoned out of the tak then pumped onto the floor. I didn't no where all that water went a first, but when I walked closer to the tank the floor was soaking wet.(carpet) I freaked out and my friends and I ran around the house grabbing all the not nice blankets and towels we could and tried to soak up the water before my parents got home. I don't no why I thought I could pull it off. But my parents came home from dinner and found out that night when my dad came into my room to say goodnight. He was furious :mad2: because he thought the carpet would be ruined. But luckily we soaked up enough water that it dried in a couple off weeks. I was a very new reefer at the time and had not discovered reefcentral yet. Also the tank was empty.

[scooterreef]

Thanks for the advice Saltz Creep. Doesn't sound too hard.

[aberg12012]

Originally posted by scooterreef
Actually I have seen a 120 gallon of salt water on the floor. When I first put water in the tank I had 1/2 inch clear tube that went to the bottom of the tank(not very smart) and was siphoning out water into a sump with a pump in it that was pumping it back into the tank. Well I had the tubes only resting in the tank not attached to anything just something heavy on it holding the tube in the tank. Well I had friends over and left the room for a couple of hours, and when I came back into my room I was shocked:eek1: to see that there was no water in the tank. the tube fell out of tank from return pump, so all the water was being siphoned out of the tak then pumped onto the floor. I didn't no where all that water went a first, but when I walked closer to the tank the floor was soaking wet.(carpet) I freaked out and my friends and I ran around the house grabbing all the not nice blankets and towels we could and tried to soak up the water before my parents got home. I don't no why I thought I could pull it off. But my parents came home from dinner and found out that night when my dad came into my room to say goodnight. He was furious :mad2: because he thought the carpet would be ruined. But luckily we soaked up enough water that it dried in a couple off weeks. I was a very new reefer at the time and had not discovered reefcentral yet. Also the tank was empty.

YIKES!!! Well I've never seen 120 empty on the floor... but I assumed it would be more water than the carpet could soak up, but it's not huh? Intaresting. I hope you had a wet/dry vac to help clean up! :D

[reefer04]

I used to work for a carpet cleaner and I can almost guarentee that there is all kinds of mold growing underneath the carpet. It can actually become quite harmful.

[reefdood]

20 gallons had my room (as a kid) smelling like a 30 yr. old ymca locker room. I can only imagine how 120 gallons was.