I painted my oak trim black.
I would worry about removing it. The glass would likely bow.
I would worry about removing it. The glass would likely bow.
Derimming a 125 gallon tank?
Only the top edge. Anyone successfully do this? I am planning a paludarium so the water would only be a little over halfway up. It is an older tank and the glass is 3/8" thick. It is 72" long x 18" wide x 21" tall. I may just try and remove the wood grain, assuming it is contact paper or some type of stickery thing. I figure I can keep the rim so if I would every want to add full water, I can put the rim back on. Just so you know I am not trolling, just curious. I saw threads where people were doing it to 75 gallon tanks and was just thinking maybe someone has done it to a 125.
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If you try remove it the plastic will likely snap. It is siliconed down onto the glass of the tank.
You can turn the tank trim black if you use some acetone (from home depot) to rub the printed oak pattern off the black plastic under it. Then take some olive oil and use a paper towel to rub it into the black plastic trim. Then wipe off any excess oil. This will seal up any tiny cracks in the black plastic and help give it a healthy shine.
Much cheaper than buying a new plastic trim.
You can turn the tank trim black if you use some acetone (from home depot) to rub the printed oak pattern off the black plastic under it. Then take some olive oil and use a paper towel to rub it into the black plastic trim. Then wipe off any excess oil. This will seal up any tiny cracks in the black plastic and help give it a healthy shine.
Much cheaper than buying a new plastic trim.
I'd just paint over it to give you the black look.
The trim will not snap if done right and the glass will not bow just from removing the bracing. When you de-rim the purpose is to add euro bracing. Without it, yes it could bow once filled with water. The only way to go without euro bracing, it to have thicker glass. Since the tank is existing, thicker glass is out of the question. Euro bracing just gives you that cleaner look which is why people do it. Don't go without it on a 6ft tank though.
I did de-rim my125g tank I bought on craigslist last year. It only cost me 60 as it was scratch up fairly good. If you have patience, it would go smoothly. I got near the end and rushed a bit and I got careless. I ended up breaking off a piece of glass on one top edge but it was clearly my fault. It was only a 1x1 triangular piece that I was able to silicone it back in place. This tank was going to be used as a plant only grow out so I wouldn't fill it all the way to the top.
To do the task, you need a strong long blade utility type knife and a hacksaw. Break the silicone seal on the inside and outside. You may want to score several times to be for sure. On all four corners, use the hacksaw to cut the trim in two places. This allows for easier breaking of the trim. Also cut out the bracing in the middle. I did this on 3 corners of my 125g and it worked great. For some reason I got careless and I used my angle grinder and cut the trim on that last corner. Well, the blade cut thru the glass and chipped out that triangular piece I mentioned. If you want to retain the trim, you will have to really go slow and take your time. You must break the silicone seal completely or else you could snap the trim. I used this method to de-rim (4) 40g breeders as well and it worked great. I didn't want any of the trim so I did snap mine. Just avoid prying too much against the glass. The thinner the glass, the easier it is to break/crack it.
I did de-rim my125g tank I bought on craigslist last year. It only cost me 60 as it was scratch up fairly good. If you have patience, it would go smoothly. I got near the end and rushed a bit and I got careless. I ended up breaking off a piece of glass on one top edge but it was clearly my fault. It was only a 1x1 triangular piece that I was able to silicone it back in place. This tank was going to be used as a plant only grow out so I wouldn't fill it all the way to the top.
To do the task, you need a strong long blade utility type knife and a hacksaw. Break the silicone seal on the inside and outside. You may want to score several times to be for sure. On all four corners, use the hacksaw to cut the trim in two places. This allows for easier breaking of the trim. Also cut out the bracing in the middle. I did this on 3 corners of my 125g and it worked great. For some reason I got careless and I used my angle grinder and cut the trim on that last corner. Well, the blade cut thru the glass and chipped out that triangular piece I mentioned. If you want to retain the trim, you will have to really go slow and take your time. You must break the silicone seal completely or else you could snap the trim. I used this method to de-rim (4) 40g breeders as well and it worked great. I didn't want any of the trim so I did snap mine. Just avoid prying too much against the glass. The thinner the glass, the easier it is to break/crack it.
Flight50. Did you put some water in the 125 after derrimming it? I only want to have about half water. I have not looked into euro bracing. I see most tanks that are rimless in this size are 1/2" glass. I wish I had paid only $60. I needed the stand as well. Of course once I got the tank emptied I realized how cheap the stand really was. Live and learn.
* I am conveying my true thoughts telepathically *
* I am conveying my true thoughts telepathically *
Unfortunately I didn't. Once I de-rimmed, I cleaned the tank up and debated the next move. The person I bought it from had it in their shed for a long period of time. Most of the dusk masked the heavy scarring. When I figured this out, I realized why it was so cheap. I was hoping to use it as a euro braced display tank but it wasn't worthy so that's when I decided to use it as a growout tank. They gave me the stand as well as part of the deal. It needed some rebuild work or perhaps I would just build another one. By this time it was getting too cold in my garage to work so I stopped the project temporarily.
Now that temps have raised and I have complete other priorities, I am slowing getting back to finishing up my garage stands. Once I get them plumbed up and set in place to make some working room, I will jump back to the 125g and get her tested and setup for operation.
Now that temps have raised and I have complete other priorities, I am slowing getting back to finishing up my garage stands. Once I get them plumbed up and set in place to make some working room, I will jump back to the 125g and get her tested and setup for operation.
I am going to try and remove it and then just see what it looks like, I may try and do some less conspicuous bracing. If I can't remove the rim in one piece, I don't want to remove it anyways. I will post some pics when I get it off, maybe even some in the process pics. Hopefully some other people have thought about doing this and would like to see if it will work.
Is there a glass epoxy or is everyone using just aquarium silicone?
Something like this?
Is there a glass epoxy or is everyone using just aquarium silicone?
Something like this?
Just leave it man. Have you ever heard the saying "putting lipstick on a pig"?
I think the rim is the lipstick.Just leave it man. Have you ever heard the saying "putting lipstick on a pig"?
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