Did he not provide a pic?
150g..No Brace
I maybe coming into possession of a used 150g tank fairly soon but I'm a little worried as it has no bracing on it. For sure no center brace and I'll see it later this week to see if there some type of euro bracing. Assuming there is no euro bracing...does that seem kind of sketchy? The guy said the tank was custom made and uses 1/2" glass.
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Well there's a possibility that the 150 gallon tank is just like my 100 gallon tank which was made in the 70's-80's when tanks were made using 1/2" thick glass and were manufactured without any kind of center brace. Back in the early 50's-60's tanks were made using metal frames, then they transitioned into using thick glass in order to eliminate the need for the metal framing, as aquariums transitioned into the recent times the need for thinner glass came around causing the need for a center brace and most recently euro bracing.
Did he not provide a pic?
He did but it's head on, no top shot. I'll find out for sure in a couple days but the idea of no bracing seemed strange.
It really depends on the height of the tank/water. That will determine the pressure on the glass. What are the dimensions of the tank?
It's a standard 72x18x28.
When I first got my 100 gallon tank (72"x18"x18") and noticed there wasn't a center brace I was a bit confused lol, but I decided to do some research on how aquariums have changed since the 1960's that's when I discovered that in the later 70's and through the 1980's that they started using 1/2" thick glass, and because of using thick glass tanks were made without understanding the "center brace" effect.
As aquarium manufacturers started to test with thinner glass they realized the need for a center brace in the bigger tanks because of bowing caused by water pressure in the tank.
As aquarium manufacturers started to test with thinner glass they realized the need for a center brace in the bigger tanks because of bowing caused by water pressure in the tank.
There are sites dedicated to building tanks that discuss the engineering aspect. They offer the math for building.It's a standard 72x18x28.
Without finding one of those sites I used to build my 40, I believe you will be fine with 1/2" glass. The concern is the height vs. length of the long panes of glass.
Be sure to have several strong friends that big tank is going to be heavy.
It is hard to tell from the picture if the tank is bowing or not. That would be your best indication of whether a brace is needed. Go view it when the tank is full. Bring a tape measure and measure the depth across at multiple points. Bowing at the top will stress the tank but it will survive most likely. Bowing at the bottom will cause the seams to fail.
Look at the thickness of that glass.
Is that not backwards ?? Everything I've read is bowing at the top will put too much stress on the seams & cause it to fail. I've never heard of bowing at the bottom doing anything. And why I've seen it mentioned that a bottom brace is not even needed.It is hard to tell from the picture if the tank is bowing or not. That would be your best indication of whether a brace is needed. Go view it when the tank is full. Bring a tape measure and measure the depth across at multiple points. Bowing at the top will stress the tank but it will survive most likely. Bowing at the bottom will cause the seams to fail.
Won't the sheet of glass at the bottom of the tank work as the brace? Think of it as a brace that run the entire length of the tank.Is that not backwards ?? Everything I've read is bowing at the top will put too much stress on the seams & cause it to fail. I've never heard of bowing at the bottom doing anything. And why I've seen it mentioned that a bottom brace is not even needed.
The tank is fine with the 1/2" thick glass, if it indeed was going to fail it would of done it a long time ago. As I referenced in a earlier post, in the 1970's is when they started making tanks without the metal frames, and during the 70's & early 80's they used 1/2" thick glass for tanks 55 gallons and larger.
The tanks were manufactured without a center brace because the 1/2" thick glass is able to withstand the water pressure without bowing, as long as the tanks built in that time period were built long and not high there was no need for a brace.
If you're still worried about the tank bowing out, and don't trust it without a center brace, you can always install metal braces made out of sheet metal to solve the issue.
The tanks were manufactured without a center brace because the 1/2" thick glass is able to withstand the water pressure without bowing, as long as the tanks built in that time period were built long and not high there was no need for a brace.
If you're still worried about the tank bowing out, and don't trust it without a center brace, you can always install metal braces made out of sheet metal to solve the issue.
I agree that looks like an older tank when they used thicker glass so no center brace was needed. The newer tanks use thinner glass which needs a center brace. It makes the tanks lighter but I would much rather have one with the thicker glass myself. You better find some friends to help you move that thing because I guarantee it's heavy.The tank is fine with the 1/2" thick glass, if it indeed was going to fail it would of done it a long time ago. As I referenced in a earlier post, in the 1970's is when they started making tanks without the metal frames, and during the 70's & early 80's they used 1/2" thick glass for tanks 55 gallons and larger.
The tanks were manufactured without a center brace because the 1/2" thick glass is able to withstand the water pressure without bowing, as long as the tanks built in that time period were built long and not high there was no need for a brace.
If you're still worried about the tank bowing out, and don't trust it without a center brace, you can always install metal braces made out of sheet metal to solve the issue.
Yes .. that's why I pointed out that posters comment made no sense about bowing at the bottom being more harmful than bowing at the top.Won't the sheet of glass at the bottom of the tank work as the brace? Think of it as a brace that run the entire length of the tank.
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