911 is my tank OK???

[rackmsukr]

I was cleaning my 150 gal tank and one of the cross braces on top snapped with a loud "crack", leaving about 3/8" of a gap where the tank appears to have "bowed out" from the released pressure. There was originally 2 cross braces and the other one was already broken so now I have no cross braces holding anything together. Everything looks to be OK but I am worried that I might wake up tomorrow morning with a flood. Anybody have any thoughts on this? Thanks in advance!

[Flightpipe]

Ummm no I dont think that is ok! Make a brace, lower your water level to reduce the bow. Do something!

Edit: You could get a peice of plastic or wood and screw it to the broken peices to join them again but I would still lower the water level.

[James404]

I would be worried about that, those braces are there for a reason...I would reduce the water level and either get it fixed ASAP or get another tank.

[BrokeColoReefer]

not ok. not even close to ok. You can make a temp brace out of a 2x4 that spans across the top with blocks screwed to both ends to keep it together. Time for a new tank. Like the poster above said, remove as much water as you can.

[jcato]

get a couple rachet style tie downs and put them around the tank to keep it from blowing out.

john

[BrokeColoReefer]

get a couple rachet style tie downs and put them around the tank to keep it from blowing out.

john

now thats one hell of a good idea.

[E.intheC]

yeah you definitely need to empty this tank.

[mthomp]

I have purchased new rims for a 55 in the past, cost me like 10 bucks.

[khaosinc]

I had that problem on an old 180 gallon (freshwater) and I used a couple of wood clamps for quite a while until I epoxied in a couple pieces of acrylic. held for a few years after that until I gave it away.

Tie down straps are a good idea as well. Cheap, and available just about everywhere

[jon1985]

be careful with tie down straps as they tend to put alot of pressure on corners so it might only pull the top edges of the tank it.

[rackmsukr]

Thanks to all for the quick replies! I emptied half the water out, superglued the brace back together where it was originally, then I epoxied 1/4" plexiglass along both sides to reinforce the cross brace. I also added an additional brace back where the other one was originally broken. Probably better now than what it was.

[serpentman]

Over the years I believe tank manufacturers have learned to thin down the glass to cut costs without risking structural integrity. However, in doing so, they rely a lot more structural bracing.

I remember cutting out the cross braces on my 150 while it was still full. In hindsight it was a stupid move. However, I used long wood clamps to keep the tank in place while I cut them out and riveted acrylic braces in their place. It worked well but one thing was evident, there is a lot of force being exerted and they are absolutely necessary.

[James404]

Thanks to all for the quick replies! I emptied half the water out, superglued the brace back together where it was originally, then I epoxied 1/4" plexiglass along both sides to reinforce the cross brace. I also added an additional brace back where the other one was originally broken. Probably better now than what it was.

Good job on the fix, I'm sure you'll sleep better at night with that.

[zeusfc]

love that ratchet strap idea... if you put a plank front and back, + polystyrene first, that would definitely work... good "ghetto" fix! ;)

[Dave VG]

Good job on the fix, I'm sure you'll sleep better at night with that.

x2

[da1jewfish]

Thanks to all for the quick replies! I emptied half the water out, superglued the brace back together where it was originally, then I epoxied 1/4" plexiglass along both sides to reinforce the cross brace. I also added an additional brace back where the other one was originally broken. Probably better now than what it was.

Don't meen to jack your thread, but what type of epoxy did you use? Not the kind that we hold our frags in the tank with is it?

[HippieSmell]

be careful with tie down straps as they tend to put alot of pressure on corners so it might only pull the top edges of the tank it.
This is what I was going to say. I wouldn't do it. In fact, the more I think about it, straps will make it worse. It will put almost all of the pressure on the corners and bow the glass even more.

[rackmsukr]

My tank is built into the wall so the ratchet straps weren't an option unless I wanted to tear up my woodwork trim around the tank. I used a strong 2 part epoxy to glue the supports. Everything is back to normal now but I about sh*t when that brace snapped.

[steelhead77]

My tank is built into the wall so the ratchet straps weren't an option unless I wanted to tear up my woodwork trim around the tank. I used a strong 2 part epoxy to glue the supports. Everything is back to normal now but I about sh*t when that brace snapped.

Just to be safe, I would install a couple stainless steel screws, on both sides of the break, thru the supports and tank brace. I would not trust the epoxy alone. I did the exact same thing on a 55 and after a couple days the epoxy let go and scared the you-know-what outta me.

[rackmsukr]

Just to be safe, I would install a couple stainless steel screws, on both sides of the break, thru the supports and tank brace. I would not trust the epoxy alone. I did the exact same thing on a 55 and after a couple days the epoxy let go and scared the you-know-what outta me.

That idea had crossed my mind. I might give it a try. Better safe than sorry!