Removal of 75 gallon center brace for clear?

halffrozen · 12-12-2012, 04:17 AM

Would love to see a write up for this...

I want to remove the black center piece and replace it with clear acrylic. I am getting tired of the split striking in my tank..

Have searched all over.. I must not be wording it right or something..

Thanks!

**JoeGREEEN** · 12-12-2012, 04:35 AM

Is the tank acrylic with plastic outer bracing?

If its glass then you need to place a thick piece of glass instead of the aforementioned acrylic.

I really doubt that removing the thin center brace will change the light much.

Even If you do remove the center plastic and place a clear piece, you would just add to the tank maintenance, since it will cake up with humidity\muck and algae in no time.

halffrozen · 12-12-2012, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeGREEEN

Is the tank acrylic with plastic outer bracing?

If its glass then you need to place a thick piece of glass instead of the aforementioned acrylic.

I really doubt that removing the thin center brace will change the light much.

Even If you do remove the center plastic and place a clear piece, you would just add to the tank maintenance, since it will cake up with humidity\muck and algae in no time.

It is mostly for FTS's..

Kind of petty... I know.. lol

**JoeGREEEN** · 12-12-2012, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by halffrozen

It is mostly for FTS's..

the only FTS i know about is (explicative) this (explicative)

sowNreap · 12-12-2012, 06:26 AM

Try searching for cross brace. I got a lot of results using that term when I was looking at buying used aquariums and wanted to know how much trouble/cost to fix one that didn't have it.

Got lots of results about how to replace it using glass/silicone with suggestions on glass thickness & size or doing euro style bracing instead.

halffrozen · 12-12-2012, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeGREEEN

the only FTS i know about is (explicative) this (explicative)

Full Tank Shot.

**JoeGREEEN** · 12-12-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by halffrozen

Full Tank Shot.

Oh thats a first for me, I guess I'm not as old as I used to be

**Hoppy** · 12-12-2012, 05:22 PM

For full tank shots (FTS) you can just make a duplicate of your photo, then use Photoshop to adjust the exposure of the shaded portion and patch that portion into the original shot - eliminating the shading. It's a lot easier than replacing the brace. If you have a Mac, as I do, you can do this with iPhoto and Pages - easier than Photoshop.

dbosman@msu.edu · 12-13-2012, 01:51 AM

The center brace is there to help keep thinner glass tanks from bursting.
Replacing it isn't easy unless you find a better adhesive or solvent than most people can acquire.

Using something to photoshop your pictures would be safer.

captnphil · 12-13-2012, 02:24 AM

You can remove the brace and replace it with an Euro-Brace
You can omit the 2 end braces as you will leave the brace all around

**pweifan** · 12-13-2012, 03:23 AM

My old 75 gallon had a 12" wide 1/2" thick section of glass in the middle. I can say that Joe is correct in that it collects gunk. That said, I'd still rather keep the center piece clean than have my tank's light split in half by an opaque center brace.

**JoeGREEEN** · 12-13-2012, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pweifan

My old 75 gallon had a 12" wide 1/2" thick section of glass in the middle.

Did this tank have any other bracing besides the 12" wide (plastic rim brace perhaps)

I could understand using 1/2" glass but 12" wide that's allot

**pweifan** · 12-13-2012, 03:38 AM

It had the typical plastic brace round the perimeters, but that was all that used in the middle.

sowNreap · 12-13-2012, 06:30 AM

I wonder if that 12" brace was either a repair or someone removed the brace because they didn't like it and put that one on instead. The brace on my 75 gal is only 3" wide. Never saw one 12" wide. But did see mention of making a repair using really wide piece of glass. Did you buy the tank new that way?

halffrozen · 12-13-2012, 02:57 PM

I have seen quite a few 75's like that.

They are mostly on the regular black or wooden support frames... with caulking/sealant holding the glass piece to the frame.

I was hoping for another solution, since it is 12"... that would make things very difficult to move things around...

12-12-2012, 04:17 AM	#1
halffrozen Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Buckeye, AZ Posts: 151	Removal of 75 gallon center brace for clear? Would love to see a write up for this... I want to remove the black center piece and replace it with clear acrylic. I am getting tired of the split striking in my tank.. Have searched all over.. I must not be wording it right or something.. Thanks! __________________ Bolivian Rams make everything better. 75 gallon Bolivian Ram tank Journal

12-12-2012, 04:35 AM	#2
JoeGREEEN Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 224	Is the tank acrylic with plastic outer bracing? If its glass then you need to place a thick piece of glass instead of the aforementioned acrylic. I really doubt that removing the thin center brace will change the light much. Even If you do remove the center plastic and place a clear piece, you would just add to the tank maintenance, since it will cake up with humidity\muck and algae in no time. __________________ Jelly Babies?

12-12-2012, 05:22 PM	#8
Hoppy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (57/100%) Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 17,288	For full tank shots (FTS) you can just make a duplicate of your photo, then use Photoshop to adjust the exposure of the shaded portion and patch that portion into the original shot - eliminating the shading. It's a lot easier than replacing the brace. If you have a Mac, as I do, you can do this with iPhoto and Pages - easier than Photoshop. __________________ Hoppy

12-13-2012, 02:57 PM	#15
halffrozen Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Buckeye, AZ Posts: 151	I have seen quite a few 75's like that. They are mostly on the regular black or wooden support frames... with caulking/sealant holding the glass piece to the frame. I was hoping for another solution, since it is 12"... that would make things very difficult to move things around... __________________ Bolivian Rams make everything better. 75 gallon Bolivian Ram tank Journal

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12-12-2012, 06:26 AM	#5
sowNreap Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NE TN Posts: 330	Try searching for cross brace. I got a lot of results using that term when I was looking at buying used aquariums and wanted to know how much trouble/cost to fix one that didn't have it. Got lots of results about how to replace it using glass/silicone with suggestions on glass thickness & size or doing euro style bracing instead.

12-13-2012, 01:51 AM	#9
dbosman@msu.edu Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (16/100%) Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: East Lansing, MI, USA Posts: 2,710	The center brace is there to help keep thinner glass tanks from bursting. Replacing it isn't easy unless you find a better adhesive or solvent than most people can acquire. Using something to photoshop your pictures would be safer.

12-13-2012, 02:24 AM	#10
captnphil Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Quebec city Posts: 20	You can remove the brace and replace it with an Euro-Brace You can omit the 2 end braces as you will leave the brace all around

12-13-2012, 03:23 AM	#11
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	My old 75 gallon had a 12" wide 1/2" thick section of glass in the middle. I can say that Joe is correct in that it collects gunk. That said, I'd still rather keep the center piece clean than have my tank's light split in half by an opaque center brace.

12-13-2012, 03:38 AM	#13
pweifan Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (46/100%) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 608	It had the typical plastic brace round the perimeters, but that was all that used in the middle.

12-13-2012, 06:30 AM	#14
sowNreap Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: NE TN Posts: 330	I wonder if that 12" brace was either a repair or someone removed the brace because they didn't like it and put that one on instead. The brace on my 75 gal is only 3" wide. Never saw one 12" wide. But did see mention of making a repair using really wide piece of glass. Did you buy the tank new that way?