Removing center brace from 65 gallon aquarium

[tclaw]

I am in the planning stages for a new tank and I'd rather not have to buy 2x metal halides in order to effectively light the tank. What I would like to do is remove the center brace from a standard AGA 65 gallon tank (36x18x24).

I am looking for other people who have done this successfully in order to get their feedback. Initially, I recieved quotes for a custom tank without the brace but the prices where $800+.

Thanks in advance for any and all feedback.

 

[Anonymous]

Why not go with a 58G Oceanic? Same footprint (36x18x21) only a3 inches shorter? No center brace.

 

[Anonymous]

Whatever you do, don't just cut it out without replacing/bracing the tank.
you could change it to a glass center brace. Or just get the pieces cut and eurobrace it yourself.

B

 

[trido]

I have the AGA 65 and cut out the center brace so I could light it with a single MH.
I replaced it with a piece of 3/16"x2"x17 3/4" special ordered tempered glass that I siliconed and epoxied under the place of the piece I cut out. There is no doubt in my mind that it will last the life of the tank as long as I dont break it adding LR.

 

[SnowManSnow]

<-- speaking from experiance
the same thing also happened to RANGER, wherever he is....

I had a 37g tall tank and removed the center brace. I actually replaced it with stainless cables, and it held... really good.. for about 5 months. What happed was that the plastic around the TOP of the tank, that was also connected to the brace, began to give. I was left with a bow in my tank, which ultimately led to my upgrade hehe.

IMO don't cut it out... there are ppl who have done it.. but many of them, myself included, experienced problems down the road because of it.

B

 

[Anonymous]

I cut mine out and replaced it with 3/8 acrylic. It is bolted with nylon bolts. It's been over 2 years. But, my MH are a few inches away.

 

[SnowManSnow]

I tried the acrylic bolted at the beginning.... eventually went to cables, cause it still had a big shadow.

Just not worth the gamble IMO.

B

 

[trido]

IMO don't cut it out... there are ppl who have done it.. but many of them, myself included, experienced problems down the road because of it. Just not worth the gamble IMO.

Just for arguments sake. I dont like to gamble much but I do like to build things. Elos has a beautiful 40G frameless tank with no eurobracing or additional supports whatsoever. Granted, the glass is thicker than on most standard tanks, but it is held only with silicone on all the joints. IMO the glass replacement center brace, if done properly, can be just as strong as the original thin plastic piece.

I wonder how many of the people with center brace mods that failed have done it with a plan from the birth of the tank or as a "fix it" after some unforseen event that caused a rush job while the tank was running. Also, how many of the failed tanks actually tried to silicone glass to glass as alot of manufactures do right out of the factory. My old 70G (4'x18"x24") for instance had a 3/16" x 4" glass center brace siliconed underneath the plastic trim much like I did to my new 65G.

Snowmansnow, Im not trying to pick a fight with you. I always agree with 99.9% of what you say. Im just fishing for more info and trying to look closely at this from all angles. I remember yours, and Rangers tanks all too well.

 

[SnowManSnow]

disagreement is part of life!

the thin glass on the eclipse tank didnt help any with mine. Like u say... if it were built out of 1/2 inch glass like my tank is now, it would have never had an issue.

b