Need for a cross brace?

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nrmattila

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 13, 2008
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Minnesota
So I am setting up a 55g reef w/15 gallon sump. I bought the 55 used and everything looked great (All Glass, <10 y.o.). As I am filling the tank to water-test the system, the cross brace breaks in the front of the tank. I see the glass bow slightly and then remains stable. I tried using 2-part plastic epoxy to repair the break, but after proper drying and refilling the tank it broke again.

My question - do I need to repair the broken cross brace or will the tank hold? Any recommendations on how to repair it? Everything seems stable as I am water testing now, but 55 gallons of mess and dead fish/coral would make for a real bad day. Any advice?

Thanks Everyone.
 
I would never trust a tank with a broken cross brace. Manufacturers do not spend the money to put it there unless it's needed...

I have an old 55 gal that hand a broken cross bar and this is how I fixed it... I took two thin strips of metal and ran them along the center brace... Drilled 4 holes through the metal/brace/metal (two holes on either side of the break)... and put stainless steel bolts & nuts through the holes.

I did that repair about 3 years ago and the tanks been inconstant use and has been through a couple moves since then. No problems at all. I am careful not to kill the tank to the point where the metal strips are touching water, as I could not find stainless steel strips to use and I always try to error on the side of safety, although I doubt this step is really all that important.

I've heard several approaches on how to fix this, but I'll only elaborate on the one I have first hand experinece with.

Recreating the brace by siliconing glass also works, and some manufacturers use glass as their center brace (my old Oceanic is like this). Just make sure you know what your doing so the silicone adheres properly.
 
I have two AGA's (110 and 75) that came without center braces, but the glass is really thick. If they had a brace and they broke I would replace or repair it. Since mine never had one I never really gave it any thought.
 
I like the way everyone is thinking thanks! The brace is plastic and only connects the top plastic edges seeming to act only as a place to put the glass cover pieces - does this make a difference in the decision to repair?

I like the idea of metal straps and bolts, but the break is right on the front edge where the brace meets the top plastic edging - there is no where around the put the bolts. Any ideas?
 
nrmattila;2596485; said:
I like the way everyone is thinking thanks! The brace is plastic and only connects the top plastic edges seeming to act only as a place to put the glass cover pieces - does this make a difference in the decision to repair?

I like the idea of metal straps and bolts, but the break is right on the front edge where the brace meets the top plastic edging - there is no where around the put the bolts. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

The tank I repaired had the exact same cheap looking/feeling "brace"...

But now look how thin the glass is. The glass is so thin/weak even that cheap flimsy brace makes a big difference.

My brace broke while moving the tank (empty) and when I first started setting it back up, at half way filled the 55 gal w/o a brace was bowed more than a completely filled 55 gal w/ a brace… I stopped filling and repaired it.

But mine broke right in the middle... What if you used a piece of L stock, bolted one side to the brace and let the lip of the L hook over the edge. Just put the repair on the back so it's not seen.

You could also put a thin (1~2") strip of glass beneath the broken brace and silicone it in place. Just be sure to do some research to make sure you adhere it right. I chose not to do this because I was concerned the silicone would fail and then the tank would fail... I was probably being overly cautious, but with the threat of 55 gal of water pouring on my floor and killing a tank full of fish (and in your case coral), I think cautious is responsible. Since I have more experience with nuts & bolts & metal, I chose that route.

I've also had/seen 4' and even 6' tanks that were made without center braces. These are old tanks and were designed to hold up without one. That's a totally different story.
 
You can also contact your Local Fish Store with the brand and exact dimensions of your tank. They will be able to order you a new top frame and may even tell you how easy it is to install it.
 
You need across brace for sure, You can order them online for around 15bucks. If your glass is bowing then it can break. They are not too hard to replace either. Using a piece of wood and a hammer to bang the top off after you use a razor to clear the silicone.
 
Use plastic peg board and bolt/rivet it under the center as described above. Dont use it without the brace intact unless U dont care about 55 gal of water on your floor.
 
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