Broken Center Brace!

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by ultramafic, Sep 7, 2010.

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  1. NASAGeek

    NASAGeek Eyelash Blennie

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    That is part of why I recommended bonding and through hole bolts... it won't go anywhere.

    Eyesore? It'll be under the lights and maybe under the hood if he has a hood. Paint or coat it black to match the existing trim.... it won't be that bad.

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    Separate point.... since you don't know how long the failure has been there two things.... can you measure any bowing currently??? have you closely inspected the silicone for any signs of delamination???

    M

    PS -- Reefsparky, Really nice of you to offer to help him find parts. :)
     
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  3. ReefSparky

    ReefSparky Super Moderator

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    yeah. . I'm funny that way.

    My wife can never make sense of me. I have a stand made of 2x4's, unpainted, no doors, and I love the way it looks. :)
     
  4. NASAGeek

    NASAGeek Eyelash Blennie

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    I wanted to call attention to these questions beause they are important....

    That really tells you how bad this problem is.

    M
     
  5. grinder37

    grinder37 Whip-Lash Squid

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    Not sure if this is the correct way to do this,but a friends 55 broke just the other day and i noticed the bulge.(he didn't know it was broke)We took a 4 ft level across the front of the tank(horizontal)and with touching the center of it to the glass,we had at least a 1/2 inch gap on both ends,and the same across the back.He has small children and was concerned,but luckily it was a freshwater with glass marbles for gravel and just a few guppies and platties,so i ended up giving him a spare 10g setup i had to get him buy until he can replace the tank.Sorry if i jumped off topic for a minute.But for reference,i put the level across my 29 g with no center brace and had less than 1/16"gap at each end.
     
  6. ReefSparky

    ReefSparky Super Moderator

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    That's exactly how you do it, grinder37. The longer the level, the better is the reference to flat. Well done. :)
     
  7. NASAGeek

    NASAGeek Eyelash Blennie

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    My concern is that if the tank has been broken for a while undetected and bow or delamination has already started, we have a different problem than just a patch.

    M
     
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  9. schackmel

    schackmel Giant Squid

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    whatever you decide, I wouldnt mess around too much before draining it and doing whatever. If it is bowing, then the other seams are being stressed, and it is going to do something, either start leaking or blow out (which I am not sure how/if that could happen) but I know a seam can blow out.

    I am wondering if there is something with the 135g tanks? They no longer make 135g. I had my bottom seam give out the begining of summer and I had 135g (more then that)water dump into my living room. We tried to repair the silicone 2 times and both times it leaked at the exact same spot so it made me think that the silicone between the glass blew out.

    Definately check the stand when you take it down/repair it, etc. Curt found out that my tank blew because it wasnt positioned on the stand properly when I bought it and had it installed. We are going to use the same stand but he is going to mod it so this doesnt happen again!

    Good luck, i feel your pain!
     
  10. ultramafic

    ultramafic Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    I do have a hood and it covers the trim on my tank so the patch (which is going to be on the back side of the tank anyway) will be color matched black and hidden from view unless the hood is open.
     
  11. ultramafic

    ultramafic Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    I measured the tank from front to back wall on the sides and in the middle. The middle is about half an inch wider, which is why i thought it was bowing and kinda freaked out about it. I'm not sure why the center brace cracked, second hand tank that only a few years old, must have gotten brittle. Either way the tank is second hand the guy i bought it from moved away to who knows where so there goes any warranty for the tank.

    It's not leaking, i'm not sure how else i could tell if anything is delaminating
     
  12. ultramafic

    ultramafic Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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    This is more of what i was thinking of doing, but make it 1 solid piece. The smaller version you made earlier actually looks pretty great too. Thanks for the visualiztion, really helps.