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Broken Tank Support

16K views 57 replies 8 participants last post by  Tazman 
#1 ·
My cat went after a fly, like usual, except he knocked a picture off the wall and broke the middle support of my gallon tank. :cry: I managed to pull the broken pieces out before to much damage was done. I did take it down below half mark on the tank. I only have a few guppies left after the accident and the lower water doesn't seem to be messing with them. All my plants besides the Anubias and my floating hornwart have been moved to my other betta tanks till I can get it fixed. Do you guys have any suggestions on what I could do with it for now since I have to get to a glass shop to have a new piece cut? What would you all do about it?

PS: sorry if this is in the wrong forum.
 
#29 ·
I don't mean to bud in, but I have a 35,38, or 40 gallon tank with a broken center brace. It was broken during moving, but when it was set up I never had problems. I took it down to set up my 55, but I want to set it back up. Could I have any future problems?
 
#32 · (Edited)
Not so fast - I would like to reiterate again that if the manufacturer thought the tank is safe without a brace, why on earth would they bother to spend their resources in putting one in?

The only way to really tell is to gradually fill the tank, say up to 1/4 full and take a measurement with a tape measure to see how far it's bowing, then at 1/3 full, measure, 1/2 full, etc... I'm going to go with the German industry standards here and say the bowing should be less than the length divided by 500, so for a 3 foot tank (36 inches / 500) that would be 0.072 inches of bowing that is the allowable maximum. That's the amount of bowing for one side by the way, so if you're taking the measurement from front to back in the middle of the tank, this measurement would be for both panes combined so your maximum allowable would be double that.

I have just a 30 gallon tank, and in an experiement in removing braces, I found that the amount of bowing exceeded these guidelines, and therefore I quickly had to build a new bracing solution. Again, the manufacturer put those braces there for a reason, and wouldn't randomly waste an expensive piece of glass just for the heck of it.
 
#33 ·
If its a plastic brace and it just broke in the middle you can drill 2 holes in each side and bolt it back together with a piece of metal, At that height I would say fix it just to be safe and it shouldn't cost too much - if your willing to risk woods slow deterioration you can simply use screws through the underside into a piece of hardwood above but I would still drill holes before using the screws so you don't damage the brace any further

Btw I love how this forum doesn't have a hissy about derailed topics
 
#34 ·
Derailed? In the wrong forum, definitely, but we're still very much on topic! :)

With the drilling/bolting method, because basically all of the force is going to land on the bolt joint, I'd be afraid of the plastic eventually cracking under the pressure. I think it's safe to say the wider the area you can distribute the force, the less chance of failure. A plastic brace that is integrated with the frame that is well designed can ensure this, but if you DIY by just adding a hole or two, a) the drilling might compromise the strength of the plastic and b) as I said, the stress will be concentrated on the plastic directly around the bolts.

I do believe a glass strip siliconed directly to the front and back panes is actually one of the best methods, and also prevents light from being blocked out. The only downside to a glass cross brace is, as this thread illustrates, it doesn't hold up very well to hard impacts caused by falling objects, etc. The strip of glass also needs to be wide enough to provide an adequate sized surface for silicone to adhere to, although I can't say for sure how wide that actually is.

Jayy, it would be really useful to provide some more information, since there are several different types of braces commonly seen in aquaria. A photo would be best. It's hard to give good advice otherwise.
 
#36 ·
We acquired a 55 with a broken brace. It's been up for three months. Upon reading the thread Friday, I put a tape measure to it when I got home. Sure enough, it is 1/4" wider in the middle.
I drained twenty gallons into a tub, clamped the brace in place and smeared silicone around.
This morning I drained another ten gallons to minimize the bow and fabricated a brace of a 1/4" threaded rod, large fender washers bolted into position at each end; two nuts to each washer.
There was a moment of panic-no, sheer terror-when the second tub had a large hole in it, and I thought I'd cracked the tank.
We're back together, refilled and looking good.
Sorry I chickened out and didn't wait to see of the silicone held it together.
 
#37 · (Edited)
Jayy,

Did you get around to making photos of this broken brace?

cwmorrow,

1/4 inch is definitely enough to be worried about. It's definitely good you chose to build a new brace, because smearing silicone around the old plastic brace was unlikely to hold - silicone is only really good if it's joining two pieces of glass together. From your description though it sounds like the brace is contacting the glass in a fairly concentrated small area? I understand what the cross brace is made of, but I'm not sure how you attached it to the front and back panes. Can you provide photos? Because the point where the glass meets the brace will see a lot of strain, it's best to make that area of contact as wide as possible to spread out the force from the water pressure pushing outwards. Basically the same idea as when for example the tank bottom glass is sitting on an uneven surface, and thus the localtion of the tank stand where there's a bump in the surface will be the place where most of the weight of the tank will be concentrated on, and therefore will be the likely place for an eventual catastrophic breakage.
 
#39 ·
Yeah that's what I thought from your description.

I guess because since the brace is supporting the bit against the plastic frame which should even out the forces a bit, it's probably fine, although I would personally take the time to make the brace sit more flush with the tank frame somehow instead of having it sticking out like that, and make the "hook" that holds the glass panes in place a bit wider.
 
#41 ·
I like yuor idea! Since I have been unable to get the stinking glass cut for the new brace for mine I might use your idea. I am also considering using my 55g as a Fire Bellied Toad tank since they don't need much water anyhow. I will be putting the guppies back in with the toads though since I have them in a little fish bowel. =( I know it is not ideal with them so I am working as fast as I can. WIll get you guys pics of the tank after I finish getting it set up.
 
#43 ·
Your right, they just might lol. There are only 3 of them and I have finished transfering them on over to this HUGE froggy condo lol. I kept checking to see if there was any bowing while I was filling it and there is only 1/16th in the middle with it this full. I am going to see if I can find some more surface plants so that I don't have to worry so much about the little buggers trying to drown themselves.
Aquarium decor Aquarium Freshwater aquarium Aquatic plant Organism

Full shot
Aquarium decor Freshwater aquarium Aquarium Majorelle blue Organism

Left
Aquarium decor Freshwater aquarium Aquarium Aquatic plant Plant

Right
Thank you for the info on how to fix this break and giving me a great idea.
 
#45 ·
Glad everyone is bracing their tanks my 120 Gallon has a sticker on it warning you not to fill it if the brace is broken on it both my tanks have braces on them.

I remember back in the old days when I was young my aquariums never had braces on them I never had a really large aquarium either
 
#46 ·
I remember back in the old days when I was young my aquariums never had braces on them I never had a really large aquarium either
Our thirty and everything below it have no center braces; the forty high does. The new fifties have wider braces than the older, used one. It really looks as if that fifty only has it to hold up the lighting, but the 1/4" bow proves me wrong. I've not done the math, but it doesn't seem that plastic can take that much tension. I guess that is why newer tanks have wider braces.
 
#47 · (Edited)
I noticed alot of the new tanks, 29g and up, have braces. The original brace was 1/4th inch glass that was fairly wide. I had a newer 55g that had one of those plastic braces that broke when I had not been home and the front glass cracked as well, leaving my poor fish stranded with only 3 inches of water. I have since gotten rid of that perticular tank.
As for the Pathos you see in my pics I have actually had the roots growing in my tank since before I first joined this forum..... I want to say about October, 2011. I have not had any fish deaths due to them, the guppies love to swim amungst the roots though. :) I don't put the stems in the water, only the roots and that is after I have gotten a decent amount of root growth before I put them into the fish water.
 
#48 ·
As for the Pathos you see in my pics I have actually had the roots growing in my tank since before I first joined this forum..... I want to say about October, 2011. I have not had any fish deaths due to them, the guppies love to swim amungst the roots though. :) I don't put the stems in the water, only the roots and that is after I have gotten a decent amount of root growth before I put them into the fish water.
Cool.
Are they not philodendrons, then?
 
#53 ·
To tell you the truth I do not know if Plexigass would work.... maybe if it was thick enough it would, thick enugh being that the heat from the lights and pressure of the tank wouldn't cause it to bow. I would still use silicone (aquarium safe) to hold it in place. I will let someone who is more familiar with plexiglass tell you if it would work.
Reguardless if it is plexi or actual glass I would have it cut so that it fits snugly against the inside of the planes of glass.
 
#56 ·
Stop! Plexiglass does not permanently bond with silicone. It will eventually release itself from the silicone's grip and you'll have a major problem.

Glass is best as coydog mentioned - and it should be attached to the glass panes under the plastic frame, not onto the plastic frame, because silicone will again possibly have issues bonding to the plastic. You're looking for a glass-on-glass joint with a bead of silicone in between. 1/4 inch glass should be ok as mentioned, and I would make it at least as wide as the original plastic brace.

The alternative would be to fashion some piece of metal like one of the previous poster has done.
 
#58 ·
I would not use any metal for the bracing as over time it will corrode and potentially contaminate your tank.

Plexiglass unless it is very thick is useless as the bowing of the tank will only bow the plexiglass.

Glass is by far the best option..The silicone does not need to aquarium safe as it will unlikely be ever covered in water and therefore able to leech any chemicals into the tank. Curing it for 48 hours before filling with water will allow the harmful stuff to gas off.

The only silicone you CANNOT use is anything with fungicide or mildew resistors in it...this WILL leech stuff constantly.
 
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