Minor setbacks on the test fill of the 75...

[Blorton]

Well, today could've gone better, but wasn't a disaster. Ran into a couple of minor issues that mean this tank probably won't be up and running this weekend.

I picked up a used 75 from a local reefer that he'd purchased and never gotten around to setting up, other than a test fill with the dodgy bulkhead arrangement it had before.

First unsettling discovery is that the middle bows out 1/8" when the tank is full to the brim. Since the tank never had a center brace, I'll have to put one on. I haven't decided yet whether I want to do a 6" wide piece of glass underneath the plastic trim or go for an outside clamping arrangement. Any suggestions? It's got 3/8" glass for all five pieces and was made by Ocean View.

The other issue:
I found much better bulkhead pieces to fit the undersized holes at HD and siliconed them in earlier this week. I used the DAP aquarium silicone from Ace Hardware. It's labeled as 24 hour curing but advises 48 hours before aquarium use.

I used lots of silicone on the tank side of the fittings, but used several wraps of teflon tape for the threaded portion that passes through the tank and connects into the ball valves. I get a very good mechanical joint with these fittings.

So I did a test fill on it today and the return fitting had a very slow drip that was most likely due to insufficient tape. (I used two wraps due to these pvc fittings already being very snug.)

I pulled the valve sections back off on both holes and shot a bunch of silicone into the underside as well as on the threads. Followed that up with a nice thick bead around the bottom glass side of the assemblies. I went with the teflon tape originally to make future teardowns easier, but should've done this to begin with.

So I'll let this cure up and try again. Any suggestions on other things I should look at to ensure the test fill on Sunday goes well? If it leaks again I'm taking a hammer to it.

Thanks,
Dan

[Doug1]

Hi Dan have you looked to see if the mfgr has a website? were they made with no center brace? 3/8 is thicker than my All Glass tank, it uses a thin center strip of plastic moulded as part of the top trim, if the dimensions are the same made you could get one of those and use it. My sump is a low,wide 55 with a 6" glass strip and it was a pain in the butt, blocks light , gets crudded up with salt creep and is generally in the way

[Geoff]

i have a very old 55 that does not have a brace. this tank bows close to a 1/2" total between the front and the back. some were just made this way. i am going to put a brace on it, just for giggles more than anything else. i am going to just cement and nylon bolt a piece of acrylic to form a brace. it has worked fine this way on my 125g that i replaced the brown plastic brace with an acrylic one.



G~

[RobinsonFam1]

late post here.
i have had several large tanks over 100 gal each. they were all made several decades ago. none had bracing. one i have now does not even have frames, and previous owner said it was almost 40 yrs old! these types of old tanks had really green glass. drilling this glass is a chore! this stuff is so dang hard!
anyways......