center brace removal

[Guest tgallo]

Well we all know how valuable real estate is in our tanks and with my 125 gallon tank, the center brace was robbing my corals of light.

 

I thought i could live with it so i never botherd to remove it before the tank was full.

 

first step for me was to pickup two woodworkers clamps and mount them on the center of the tank, to keep pressure of the center brace while the madness begins.

 

 

 

Second step was to pickup a masons trowl, small one. I could of just broke out my dremal or hacksaw etc but i wanted to avoid plastic bits from cutting ending up in my fishes stomachs and in my pumps etc.

 

I heated the trowel over my range top and burned my way thru the center brace.

 

After the center brace was removed, i installed a clear piece of acrylic by burning holes thru it and what was left of my center brace and inserting nylon bolts thru it, worked like a charm and no more shadow.

[scott711]

very cool

[BeltwayBandit]

Nice, but I can live with the shadow.

[zoozilla]

Very Nice

[ReeferMan]

I did something similiar to my 55g. I installed the braced before i cut the old brace and decided not to cut it. After time the MH weakened the old brace and snapped it on the edge so it was impossible to install a new one and the new brace came off with it. This happened within the first year. Good Luck

[NRehman]

Has anyone got any information on the testile strength of acrylic or glass. Do you really a wide brace or can an hourglass shape work, especially if there are no shearing forces? How about installing a (glass/acrylic) brace vertically (with a strong T-mount) as this would significantly reduce the shadow?

 

SO three questions, but no answers!

 

Nice job Tony.

[Guest tgallo]

Thanks Nadir,im not sure i follow you with the t shape design of a brace.