Stand Center Brace Prohibiting Sump/Fuge Installation

[Salamander]

I have a 120g AGA tank and stand that has a center brace between the two doors which is making it hard to fit a good sump/fuge. When I put it together I was able to get a sump in from the top but then it cracked and had to be removed.

Now I can't get anything of adequate size underneath. I'm currently running a 20 tall? and a 15g connected by a HOT overflow. I want a better designed sump/fuge that is shorter and has more surface area and room. Its hard to fit anything in the current set up and the lack of verticle clearance is a problem.

I'm afraid to cut out the brace or the apparent load bearing side of the stand with a full tank on top.

Any one have any suggestions on how I can get a good sump/ fuge in there?

Pics would be great.

Thanks,

Mark

[rgulrich]

I managed to sneak in a 65 gallon sump under my AGA 180. I used a tape measure to see the maximum length, width, and (obviously) height I could slide in on an angle and then turn into place. Remember to leave room for maintenance and such. The 65 I managed without removing the doors; I probably could have gotten in a 75-85 by removing a door temporarily. The font brace (off center with the 180 stand) stayed in place. The rear brace (centered) likewise.

After you make your measurements, lay it out on a piece of cardboard box to double check (capital letters, italics, etc. for emphasis) your measurements. Test fit it in your stand. Build it yourself or take your measurements to a custom builder. I used Glass Cages and had them build the 65 acrylic sump to my design (large skimmer area, refugium, and sump return area). It works fine.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Ray

[Salamander]

I tried to fit in several other tanks. I can't even slide a 20L in due to the center brace. The doors don't really get in the way either. The two tanks I have in there are the only ones I could fit.

[Salamander]

The tank is running. The fuge I had before cracked and had to be cut out in pieces. I was able to fit it in from the top before putting on the tank.

I've thought of cutting out some panels but on this stand they are structural. There are no other supporting braces inside the stand. SO that really worries me and makes me a little apprehensive about cutting them.

[Mr James]

Let's try this again....

It can be done!! Members Melev or Lunchbucket have it documented on their website. Check them out.

[DarG]

Whatever you do, I would not cut the braces. I suppose there is no way to remove an entire side panel? If the side panels arent structural, maybe you could cut out an entire side panel and then use some nice trim stained or painted to match to cover the cut marks. You could just make it into a removable panel.

Definitely check the sites Mr James provided but if it dont fit, it dont fit.

[DarG]

Double post.

[HippieSmell]

Originally posted by DarG
If the side panels arent structural

They are structural.

[Redbellyjx]

this is how WE did it.

1) get out the rubbermaid bins (you already dont like where this is going)

2) empty the tank

3) coax 4 buddies to lift the tank. remove the center brace on the top of the stand, put the sump in, and nail the brace back in place.

unfortunately, its about the only way to do it on the AGA tank stands

[reeferoo]

I had this problem as well (though much smaller- 48" stand)

The center brace was there for acrylic tanks, as glass tanks put their weight on their corners. We hammered the center support out with ease and put the sump on in. This was on the back. We left the front center support alone.

[Salamander]

I'll check out Melev's and Lunchbuckets videos. I hope it truly can be done.

I know lots of guys who lift heavy things but I'm still a little bit weary about a few of us lifting nearly half a ton.

I'm not sure about the center brace being a structural member but its not so easily removed on my stand. Its recessed into the bottom of the stand and may be difficult to remove.

I'll post some pics of my stand tonight so you may have a better idea of what I'm dealing with.

Mark

[sjm817]

I removed the center brace when I put a new sump under my 90G. Mine was not hard at all to modify. I'll post a link later with pics.

[Salamander]

Pics would be a great help.

Thanks everyone for all your advice. It hurts my brain trying to figure this out on my own.

[sjm817]

I'd be able to post them now if this site wasn't so terrible for searching. I have it bookmarked at home.

We're Sorry

You've encountered an error. While the search engine is frequently the cause of the error, it may not have been your 'click' that caused the error. Ordinarily this error is caused by our search engine because the term entered caused too many results to be returned. If you encoutered this error while searching, you can try doing the search again and changing the term, or including more terms to limit the number of results. Words like "skimmer" or "sand" all by themselves are present in too many posts to make them useful as search terms.

[sjm817]

Here is how I removed the brace on my 90G. It was very easy with that stand.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=708262

[Salamander]

Great thread SJM817. That and Melev's idea are two options for me but I think I like the idea of doing it your way better. I've yet to look at Lunchbucket's site.

So does anyone know for sure if the front brace on a AGA pine stand is structural or not? It'd sure make me feel better to know.

[sjm817]

Just before I did my stand I went to an LFS and looked at a few. My stand was 3/4" plywood with the one brace between the doors, none in the back. The LFS had a stand under a 110 that was only 1/2" plywood, no center brace front or rear (the doors touched). When I saw that, I felt better about removing mine. I never put it back in permanently. I just wedged fit it in. It was great to be able to pull it out when I was working in the sump area.

[rgulrich]

Here's Aqueon's web site; they own All Glass Aquarium (and a series of others) att:
http://www.aqueonproducts.com/about/contact-us/

M-F 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM CST @ 1-800-255-4527

It might be worthwhile to call the folks that designed and built it, FWIW. I did that before I decided against putting any styrofoam under this 180-they told me that not only would it void the warranty, it would redistribute stress to the glass on the bottom of the aquarium, not the frame and edges where it was designed to deal with it. Their frame was designed to support their aquariums, I guess.

Cheers,
Ray

[tboneman]

I have removed the front center brace on my 90 gal aga pine stand when I wanted to replace the old sump and also had no disasters. I did have to jack up the center with a car jack and block of wood to get the center brace back in! I only needed to jack it up about an eighth of an inch though.
Good Luck!

[Salamander]

I was just thinking I should give AGA a call. Thanks for the link and number Ray!

Well here are a few pics of my stand. Is this stand similar to any that you all have removed the brace on?


Stand



Side of stand



Inside of stand where front center vertical brace meets center cross brace



Inside corner. Notice there's no additional bracing inside.

[sjm817]

Hmm. That stand doesn't look as sturdy as mine was. Mine was solid sheets of 3/4" plywood, not pine slats. The center on yours also looks more structural than mine did. I had no cross brace like you do.

Is there a rear divider like the front?

[tboneman]

My stand is identical to that.

[DarG]

Originally posted by rgulrich
Here's Aqueon's web site; they own All Glass Aquarium (and a series of others) att:
http://www.aqueonproducts.com/about/contact-us/

M-F 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM CST @ 1-800-255-4527

It might be worthwhile to call the folks that designed and built it, FWIW. I did that before I decided against putting any styrofoam under this 180-they told me that not only would it void the warranty, it would redistribute stress to the glass on the bottom of the aquarium, not the frame and edges where it was designed to deal with it. Their frame was designed to support their aquariums, I guess.

Cheers,
Ray

I always have used styrofoam but I cut the bottom areas out so that only the frame can sit on it, not the glass on the bottom.

My stand was built by my hands 20 years ago. Overbuilt I should say. The wood panels were cosmetic only. Only the 2x4's were structural including the center bracing and center cross brace. I should have thought about that before suggesting maybe the sides could be removed. Looks like everything is structural in alot of the store bought stands.

[Salamander]

Yeah, there's not interior frame in the stand. It is the wood panels that support the tank. They just don't make things like they used...

And there is a brace in the back identical to the one in the front.

So has anyone else besides Tboneman pulled the brace on a stand like this?

Mark

[Doe]