• We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

Silicone and bracing failure

Assuming proper cleaning and silicone application...that thing looks bulletproof. The Eurobracing on top, especially the width of the central cross piece, is certainly overkill; I'm a big fan of overkill! :)

I feel my blood pressure rising a bit just from thinking about trying to reach into that overflow if it's ever necessary...and let's face it, it will be necessary. Verrrrry limited access.

The vinyl wrap does a nice job of concealing the brace edge, which would have been unavoidably ugly otherwise.

Looking forward to the next step...:)
 
@jjohnwm Darn, you spotted the flaw. Damn you. lol.

The silicone came out pretty good. There’s a bubble here and there but nothing crazy. No schools of micro bubbles or large pockets. I’ll take it. Glass was super clean when I stuck everything.

Overkill? You’re absolutely correct about that.

Yea it’s pretty much impossible to get into the overflow. Fortunately my girlfriend can get her arm in there for the most part. So now I have to keep her around.

Updates to follow!
 
@M1A1 Agreed. Glass was already drilled so moving the overflow was not on the table. Those wide shoulder and center braces are undeniably over kill, but that's the point. Having that bracing dead center was the only option to me. Two smaller braces would have probably worked but I wanted that center point to have a lot of glass and a lot of silicone to prevent bowing. Even removing it from the equation, the horizontal bracing was still going to be in the way. Being that the tank is only 17'' wide on the inside, sticking it further off the back glass enough to make a difference would have put it in the middle of the tank! Other option to gain access would have been to significantly lower the water line. Big negative on that one for me red rider! My lady can get in there jest enough to adjust somethings or catch a fish if needed if one goes MIA.

Looks like I'll be holding the flashlight for once!

I threw around the idea of making a removable access panel. But ended up saying 🤬 it! My plumbing is SOLID. If anything, I could always cut out a section and silicone a piece of acrylic back in to button it up after repair. Hope I never have to do that but at least I have an option.

Only other thing I need to figure out is a mesh/ grated lip and how to attach it for the top of the overflow. The "weir" is toothless. This should have been addressed before installation, but I got a little ahead of myself. Oh well, I'll figure something out. Always do!
 
Oh my...you are, sooner or later, going to hear The Phrase...that horrid warning that things are about to stop going your way. I hear it regularly, whenever I rope/cajole/plead/inveigle my wife into doing something aquarium-related for me. It started way back when I was still in the workforce, and I would travel out of town for three-week work rotations at some northern work-camp/project. No matter how simple a task you are asking her to do for you...no matter how well you set it up ahead of time, to make it as easy as possible...no matter that it takes a mere few seconds...the task will be thrown into your face at some future point, portrayed as though you are flogging her with a whip to perform some Herculean labour. And it always starts with...The Phrase:

"This is your hobby, you know, not mine!" :nono:

And if, God forbid, she gets scratched or bitten or (horror of horrors!) breaks a nail...your life, as you have known it, is over...:nilly:
 
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