Replacing Center Brace w/ Acrylic

[Ekudl]

Hi All, I just went and upgraded my 20 Gl Nano tank to a 36 Gl Bow tank, looks great problem is of course I didn't think about the MH and Center brace shadowing problem I have now. After searching around here I saw one thread from a "Goby" on how to replace the center brace with a Strip of Acrylic. Sounds good and easy but I also saw one thread suggesting to use Lexan Plastic.

Question is which one is better to use ? My 150 MH light is about 8" from the brace. Since the current brace is plastic I don't see why I couldn't use plastic to replace it. I would use Nylon Screws / Wingnuts with some type of adhesive to bond them together for more support.

Any comments or has someone done this already ?

Thanks in advance.

[dedfish]

If it was me, I would cut the brace out and not worry about it.

But hey, I have wacky ideas sometimes.

[Geoff]

Originally posted by dedfish
If it was me, I would cut the brace out and not worry about it.

But hey, I have wacky ideas sometimes.

that is a very risky thing to do. those braces are used to keep consistant pressure along the entire length of the vertical corner seals. without the brace the top of the tank will flex outward and add pressure to the top of the vertical seals. may eventually fail.

i am trying to hunt down an URL for someone who has replaced one.

G~

[Psymon]

I've already done this.

I did it about a year ago, but did it for a different reason.
My MH Light when only 8 inches away from the brace began to heat up the black plastic and it would sag. I put a clamp on my tank to pick up the load that the brace was bearing, It wasn't much so i really just snugged it donw, careful not to tighten it and damage my aquarium. Since it was obviously not doing its job, I cut the center of it, then with a sharp razor blade scored a line on the edge to remove it, and bent along the scored line, it broke clean, and couldn't tell the brace was there to begin with; repeat this for both sides, since you had to break the brace in half to bend it. I then took a section of 3/16 cell cast acrylic from the Home Depot, and Cut it at the same shape the old brace was, used some fine sand paper to make the edges perfectly clear, then cleaned the brace and LIP of the aquarium. Using some 1h Marine Epoxy, I attached the now clear center brace, waited 1 hour and removed my clamp. Looks great.

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by Psymon

I've already done this.

I did it about a year ago, but did it for a different reason.
My MH Light when only 8 inches away from the brace began to heat up the black plastic and it would sag. I put a clamp on my tank to pick up the load that the brace was bearing, It wasn't much so i really just snugged it donw, careful not to tighten it and damage my aquarium. Since it was obviously not doing its job, I cut the center of it, then with a sharp razor blade scored a line on the edge to remove it, and bent along the scored line, it broke clean, and couldn't tell the brace was there to begin with; repeat this for both sides, since you had to break the brace in half to bend it. I then took a section of 3/16 cell cast acrylic from the Home Depot, and Cut it at the same shape the old brace was, used some fine sand paper to make the edges perfectly clear, then cleaned the brace and LIP of the aquarium. Using some 1h Marine Epoxy, I attached the now clear center brace, waited 1 hour and removed my clamp. Looks great.

Welcome to TRT!!



i have also replaced mine since this thread last appeared.

did you do yours with the tank full or empty?

G~

[Psymon]

Mine was full, thats why I used the clamps JUST incase hehe.