AquaMedic Percula 120 sump removal

[Greenboy]

Hi guys,

I recently got a 2nd hand AquaMedic Percula 120 for free from a local guy who was downsizing. The problem is that it has a sump built into the back of it that takes up a good 48" x 6" x 24", so i plan on just using canister filters so my fish can utilise the extra swimming space.

Basically i need some advise on how to deal with silicone in really tight spaces. I've already attacked the tank with a knife, scalpel, and fishing line. Sadly my many hours of painful labour has only resulted in the removal of one glass panel and 2 acrylic ones, and now i cant seem to progress any further.

I'm loosely following this gentleman's attempt at de-sumping the AquaMedic 90 http://www.ultimatereef.net/threads/the-well-it-was-a-perc-90-build-lots-o-pics.263565/, but i'm at a loss to how he destroyed the silicone seems holding the larger parts of the sump together.

Any tips? Any useful equipment i should use?

Also would the tank need to be braced? It has a trim around the top and wasn't braced before, but it did have a sump spanning the back wall, which i imagine would have given some extra strength. There's some pretty large pieces of glass left so i could create a brace if i had to. Pretty new to all this DIY stuff

 

[Greenboy]

Not sure if i should start a new thread or not, but I've successfully removed the internal sump.

I could still do with some advice regarding bracing a tank. Do i even need to do it? How do i do it? Which style is the easiest or the most efficient with glass? etc

 

[Drstrangelove]

Responded in the other thread. Removing or modifying parts of any structure might have poor results. (I write from experience as I used to audit engineering mistakes and building collapses for an insurance company. Real life building contractors can sometimes make erroneous assumptions when implementing architectural designs, sometimes with horrible results.)

If the tank was free, full of unimportant fish, and going to be seated in my garage, I'd probably just wing it. Otherwise, I'd call the manufacturer and try to get advice.