John Ford February 1, 2014 February 1, 2014 Plus if something goes wrong you'll have a make-shift backup plan with over half your water volume in cans
Piper February 1, 2014 Author February 1, 2014 Anyone have links to online aquarium catalogs? I know glasscages.com but they don't seem to have a gleaming reputation. Yes, I'm thinking replace and repair at this point from advice, which would entail doing whatever I can to stave off additional warping while awaiting delivery. Keep thoughts, ideas, wishes coming. Thanks.
Almon February 1, 2014 February 1, 2014 It will likely last years without doing anything. There is no need to rush to repair it. I strongly advise against applying force to the glass while the tank has water in an attempt to reduce the separation. That will most likely result in 200g of water on the floor. A new tank is certainly an excellent option.
Piper February 1, 2014 Author February 1, 2014 Suggestions on 240gal long would be very welcome. Also outside the box ideas how to get a little insurance in the meantime. Tie wraps?? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
wildcrazyjoker81 February 1, 2014 February 1, 2014 Steve at quantum was able to get ahold of my vender and get me a price quote on my 150 brace. You can give him a shout if your trying to find a direct replacement.
Piper February 1, 2014 Author February 1, 2014 Sorry, Quantum? I will check the vendor section when I have a few, but if they're not a vendor here, where/who are they? Appreciate the tip. Sounds like I really need to change tanks before fixing this one if at all possible. Stinks. I don't get why putting a brace across the front and back with clamps wouldn't work with it completely full, but I do get that I am not the expert and need to listen to them in this instance. 2000lbs of water and a few hundred pounds of glass smashing into me all at once for making one false move is a H-E-double hockey sticks of an incentive and I'm not keen on winning a darwin award.
wildcrazyjoker81 February 1, 2014 February 1, 2014 (edited) Sorry they are a vender. Quantum reefs is the full name of the store. The two guys who run it are Steve and Vince, both extremely helpful. Edited February 1, 2014 by wildcrazyjoker81
lnevo February 1, 2014 February 1, 2014 You need bar clamps and some pieces of wood so that you arent applying the clamp to the glass Tie wraps are not a solution. As someone else said don't panic and rush anything. If you drop the water level down a little you will relieve a LOT of pressure. We had someone not too long ago who bought a "rimless 180" and he successfully repaired and added a euro brace. Its completely fixable without having to replace. Of course if you get an upgrade out of it...
gmerek2 February 1, 2014 February 1, 2014 Dont rush it like everyone has been saying but definitly keep your motivation to fix. I bought my 125 with broken brace. Moved it from baltimore with no problems. Filled back up and still not repaired 6 months later. I need to start looking into getting it fixed.
Piper February 1, 2014 Author February 1, 2014 I would think even just running a couple or three taught pieces of packing tape front to back for now while I'm deciding fix or replace and getting it done would help???
TheyCallMeMr.703 February 1, 2014 February 1, 2014 I'd recommend using the wood, to evenly spread the pressure, from the clamps, over the rim of tank... Slowly depress slightly, All the while Empting At Least a Trashcan worth of water before you do so... This should bring the distance between 2, even closer making it that much easier to tighten it... I'd use, More then recommended amount of clamps, for extra precaution, all the same style tho', so they all tighten at the same intervals as eachother... Should be able to get out a trashcan's worth without it allowing the corals to be out of the water, (BigTank), may be able to do more then a Trashcan, and can always move some corals lower for a temporary time if needed... New Tank, is ultimately the Best ideally... although Just welding metal together as a clamp, with a part to attach/screw the Acrylic Joist to run across, should work just fine, and don't have to worry about moving a sandbed and the others that goes along with a tank move.
zygote2k February 1, 2014 February 1, 2014 I'd recommend using the wood, to evenly spread the pressure, from the clamps, over the rim of tank... Slowly depress slightly, All the while Empting At Least a Trashcan worth of water before you do so... This should bring the distance between 2, even closer making it that much easier to tighten it... I'd use, More then recommended amount of clamps, for extra precaution, all the same style tho', so they all tighten at the same intervals as eachother... Should be able to get out a trashcan's worth without it allowing the corals to be out of the water, (BigTank), may be able to do more then a Trashcan, and can always move some corals lower for a temporary time if needed... New Tank, is ultimately the Best ideally... although Just welding metal together as a clamp, with a part to attach/screw the Acrylic Joist to run across, should work just fine, and don't have to worry about moving a sandbed and the others that goes along with a tank move. 1st candidate to be nominated for a Darwin award if doing it this way. Why take a chance?
TheyCallMeMr.703 February 2, 2014 February 2, 2014 1st candidate to be nominated for a Darwin award if doing it this way. Why take a chance? I agree, don't like chances... Which is why the tank should be emptied first... to a point that is workable, to prevent such problems from arising. but if it needs to be pulled just 1/4" or less, should be alright to squeeze together then???? Half of the water being emptied would allow the tank, to return to its near normal stance, if not just right...
countryboy February 2, 2014 February 2, 2014 My 220 gal braces popped in the middle of the night over a year ago. I took a bar clamp and slowly pulled it back in place and never drained a drop of water out. The next day I took 1/2 inch square steel tubing cut to the exact width of the tank and welded a flat piece of steel to each end that extended about two inches down on the tank frame. I then released the bar clamp and good as new, probably better. I have never had a problem other then I used the wrong paint and they are starting to rust. I am going to make a new set and use marine grade paint this time
Piper February 2, 2014 Author February 2, 2014 My 220 gal braces popped in the middle of the night over a year ago. I took a bar clamp and slowly pulled it back in place and never drained a drop of water out. The next day I took 1/2 inch square steel tubing cut to the exact width of the tank and welded a flat piece of steel to each end that extended about two inches down on the tank frame. I then released the bar clamp and good as new, probably better. I have never had a problem other then I used the wrong paint and they are starting to rust. I am going to make a new set and use marine grade paint this time Doesn't surprise me. Thanks for the feedback. I do think it's riskier to do it full, makes sense that it would be, but also makes sense to me that if you're spreading the load from the clamps somewhat evenly across the top with 2x4's or such that it should certainly lessen the risk. As I'm discussing this in PM's, I think we're down to where we're looking at leaving the sand bed, cleanup crew, several inches of water, but remove 75% of the water and the top of the reef during the process. Monday I'm going to take the advice in this thread to see if Quantum can help me find my replacement top frame. Once it's arrived, surgery. I'm considering a replacement tank but realize that I have to fix this one regardless to reuse or sell, so there's no reason to make the new tank the fix for this particular situation. Fix what needs fixing, upgrading later a separate issue. Thoughts of the day anyway.
DaveS February 2, 2014 February 2, 2014 Unless you think it's going to take hours, I wouldn't bother taking off the top of the reef. Corals are known to come out of the water during low tides. Just do your ground work before draining so that things are out of the water for the minimal amount of time. Turn off the tank lights may help reduce heat/evap. If you're really paranoid, you can take a spayer mist things with saltwater every 10-15 minutes. Taking the top of the reef off will cause more havoc than the other stuff.
Piper February 2, 2014 Author February 2, 2014 My reef is just stacked, not mortared or anything. We should be able to take a significant number of rocks with colonies off the top without worry of replacing them correctly. If we do, that mitigates the possibility that something could go wrong that takes several times longer, say having to clamp and reclamp to get the new frame on, or having trouble getting the old frame off, etc. We'll see, but I think being ready is better. If the tank is damaged in the process and the corals need to go to babysitters, we're halfway there this way as well.
Piper February 3, 2014 Author February 3, 2014 Left messages on both of Quantum's numbers but haven't heard back. So I went out to oceanic's site and left a message. No response yet. With all of this, I'm starting to think again about contacting a machine shop to fabricate a couple of braces for me. Anyone have any idea how to be entirely sure I have an oceanic tank vs Marineland or something? I really don't know, just seem to recall the Pets, etc that sold it to me said it was Oceanic.
lutz123 February 4, 2014 February 4, 2014 On my Oceanic I think there is a serial number on the inside of the top trim (like you can see it through the glass).
lutz123 February 4, 2014 February 4, 2014 No. That tank is in the garage - I will check in the morning. I believe I saw it inside the top trim, like you could see it through the inside of the glass.
gmerek2 March 3, 2014 March 3, 2014 You recall where on the tank? find out what kind of tank? Rim on order?
wildcrazyjoker81 March 3, 2014 March 3, 2014 I figured this had been fixed by now, but I did get my new brace in from here http://www.aquariumf...m/custom-frames and it worked just fine. It is shipped in two pieces and is a bit thinner than the original, but it works just fine and my tank is not bowing at all.
Piper March 4, 2014 Author March 4, 2014 (edited) No, hasn't been fixed yet. Ordered stainless steel corner pieces and a couple of stainless steel 3" screws. Material is in the machine shop now being turned into a custom brace. I was unable to determine with certainty what kind of tank it is. This'll work fine as long as we go slow. I'll empty out a bunch of water before we start tightening. Hopefully this week. Edited March 4, 2014 by Piper
gmerek2 March 4, 2014 March 4, 2014 I figured this had been fixed by now, but I did get my new brace in from here http://www.aquariumf...m/custom-frames and it worked just fine. It is shipped in two pieces and is a bit thinner than the original, but it works just fine and my tank is not bowing at all. How good of a fit is it? Did you drain tank? Did you take the old one off or put it on over top?
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