Center lid brace broke, how to fix?

NJ Devils Fan · 05-24-2006, 09:01 PM

I came home from work today to see this when I went to dose my ferts and feed my fish...

How can I go about fixing this so I can use my lids again? Right now I have the tank completely open.

joephys · 05-24-2006, 09:06 PM

Maybe silicone it? I don't know any other way to fix it.

Raskolnikov · 05-24-2006, 09:19 PM

Silicon isn't going to bond to the plastic worth a lick. I'd look into getting a replacement top frame.

jhj · 05-24-2006, 09:27 PM

That looks bad man.....make sure your home insurance policy is in effect.

nursie · 05-24-2006, 10:50 PM

I too have heard that you can get replacement frame pieces. Do you know who the manufacturer of your tank is?

reiverix · 05-25-2006, 05:46 AM

Be really careful about the tank bowing too far and giving way. I'd get a replacement as soon as possible.

Galaxie · 05-25-2006, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJ Devils Fan

How can I go about fixing this so I can use my lids again? Right now I have the tank completely open.

If it were me, I'd put some heavy duty strapping tape across the top of the tank, so it doesn't bow/crack and cause a major flood. This is a structural brace after all...the lids sitting on it are only cosmetic. In the meantime, I'd be looking for a replacement tank.

wesleydnunder · 05-25-2006, 08:29 AM

I had the exact same break on an old 55g, right where the molding tees at the front. It allowed a nasty bow in the front and rear panes. I drained off half the water so the glass no longer bowed and repaired it with epoxy and small strips of fiberglass cloth layered on the bottom of the molding. Looks like a proper gorilla weld.
Now it's like the guy who jumped off the 80 story building.

At each floor on his way down they heard him say," So far, so good...so far, so good..."

Repairing that is an iffy prospect at best. Your best bet is to replace the tank. Garage sale time! Woohoo!

Mark

Corax · 05-25-2006, 09:37 AM

Yeah, I'd be draining that tank ASAP. As said, that's a structural member and CRITICAL to the tank's stability. You can see in the pic just how far it has bowed out. That looks like a manufacturing failure, not damage. I'd be calling the manufacturer about a replacement frame on their dime.

rosita · 05-25-2006, 10:00 AM

Hate to say it, but I agree with the tank replacement contingent. As an artist and handywoman all my life, I've found that repairs on objects that have alot of stress, e.g., eventually give way. Soldering, sautering, various and sundry adhesives and tapes, combinations--even spit--run the risk of breaking again. Sorry.......

Just hate to think of that big old thing busting wide open with water, fish, plants and gravel spewing out everywhere.

joephys · 05-25-2006, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raskolnikov

Silicon isn't going to bond to the plastic worth a lick. I'd look into getting a replacement top frame.

Good to know. Sorry to make a bad suggestion.

Corax · 05-25-2006, 10:09 AM

The only glue I'd even try on that would be Gorilla Glue. That stuff will perma-bond just about anything. But, given the load there, I doubt even that would last very long.

NJ Devils Fan · 05-25-2006, 03:57 PM

Its not a structural brace, its just the top plastic frame that makes the tank look nice and allows the hoods to stand up. I think I had the tank too full which caused it to happen because the water was just barely touching the frame piece, but I guess some water from the tank went on top of it and the added weight along with the weight of the lids caused it to snap. Think about it, all-glass use a plastic piece to support a glass tank weighing hundreds of pounds? I think for the time being, I will use packing tape along the top and contact all glass about aquiring a new frame.

DeputyChiefJR · 05-25-2006, 04:07 PM

I agree with everyone else, but congratulations on the future purchase of a wet/dry vac...

Raskolnikov · 05-25-2006, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joephys

Good to know. Sorry to make a bad suggestion.

No worries. It seems to be widely presumed that silicone (being waterproof and easy to work with) is a great adhesive for most aquaria repairs/builds, when in fact it simply doesn't bond well to plastics/acrylics.

sploke · 05-27-2006, 04:18 PM

Most tanks with the center braces DO have them for structural reasons...you can se how far the glass bows out in the middle without it attached. That is not good. At best it will stress the joints on the tank over time and they'll start leaking, at worst it will fail all at once and not give you a chance to catch it, and you'll have 55gal of water on your floor and a bunch of dead fish.

The 55 I keep my turtles in has a broken center brace, I repaired it with a piece of painted MDF, drilled holes in the brace and screwed from the bottom up into the wood. Keeps it from bowing out, but I don't have nice lids either. I'm looking for a place to order replacement frames, I have two tanks that need new upper frames....if anyone knows where I can get some, that would be awesome.

05-24-2006, 09:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
NJ Devils Fan That Damn Devils Fan Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yonkers, NY Posts: 109	Center lid brace broke, how to fix? I came home from work today to see this when I went to dose my ferts and feed my fish... How can I go about fixing this so I can use my lids again? Right now I have the tank completely open. __________________ "They pulled their goalie, now Brodeur can score." Check out Brodeur's first goal. Also check out my website.

05-24-2006, 09:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
Raskolnikov No, I didn't say that. Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 257	Silicon isn't going to bond to the plastic worth a lick. I'd look into getting a replacement top frame. __________________ Before the Boogeyman goes to sleep at night, he checks his closet for ME. Got Predators? Click here.

05-24-2006, 09:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
jhj Sargent Barber Join Date: May 2006 Location: Arlen, Texas (columbus, oh) Posts: 405	That looks bad man.....make sure your home insurance policy is in effect. __________________ " My dad used to punish me by telling me I was a girl. He used to make me wear a dress! Pretty, pretty dresses"

05-25-2006, 05:46 AM	#6 (permalink)
reiverix Ach Join Date: May 2006 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 1,764	Be really careful about the tank bowing too far and giving way. I'd get a replacement as soon as possible. __________________ John R Puffer Forum

05-25-2006, 08:29 AM	#8 (permalink)
wesleydnunder Resident Cannibal Join Date: May 2006 Location: La Marque, Tx. Posts: 2,347	I had the exact same break on an old 55g, right where the molding tees at the front. It allowed a nasty bow in the front and rear panes. I drained off half the water so the glass no longer bowed and repaired it with epoxy and small strips of fiberglass cloth layered on the bottom of the molding. Looks like a proper gorilla weld. Now it's like the guy who jumped off the 80 story building. At each floor on his way down they heard him say," So far, so good...so far, so good..." Repairing that is an iffy prospect at best. Your best bet is to replace the tank. Garage sale time! Woohoo! Mark __________________ If it can't be fixxed with a hammer, then you've got an electrical problem.

05-24-2006, 09:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
joephys Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: auburn, wa Posts: 4,393	Maybe silicone it? I don't know any other way to fix it.

05-24-2006, 10:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
nursie vroom...vroom... Join Date: May 2006 Location: Peoria, IL: USA Posts: 3,748	I too have heard that you can get replacement frame pieces. Do you know who the manufacturer of your tank is?

05-25-2006, 09:37 AM	#9 (permalink)
Corax indomitus Join Date: May 2006 Location: somewhere else Posts: 373	Yeah, I'd be draining that tank ASAP. As said, that's a structural member and CRITICAL to the tank's stability. You can see in the pic just how far it has bowed out. That looks like a manufacturing failure, not damage. I'd be calling the manufacturer about a replacement frame on their dime.

05-25-2006, 10:00 AM	#10 (permalink)
rosita hardy har harrr Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cape Fear River Basin Posts: 2,076	Hate to say it, but I agree with the tank replacement contingent. As an artist and handywoman all my life, I've found that repairs on objects that have alot of stress, e.g., eventually give way. Soldering, sautering, various and sundry adhesives and tapes, combinations--even spit--run the risk of breaking again. Sorry....... Just hate to think of that big old thing busting wide open with water, fish, plants and gravel spewing out everywhere. __________________ uuhhhhh . . . . I have no words . . . .

05-25-2006, 10:09 AM	#12 (permalink)
Corax indomitus Join Date: May 2006 Location: somewhere else Posts: 373	The only glue I'd even try on that would be Gorilla Glue. That stuff will perma-bond just about anything. But, given the load there, I doubt even that would last very long.

05-25-2006, 03:57 PM	#13 (permalink)
NJ Devils Fan That Damn Devils Fan Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yonkers, NY Posts: 109	Its not a structural brace, its just the top plastic frame that makes the tank look nice and allows the hoods to stand up. I think I had the tank too full which caused it to happen because the water was just barely touching the frame piece, but I guess some water from the tank went on top of it and the added weight along with the weight of the lids caused it to snap. Think about it, all-glass use a plastic piece to support a glass tank weighing hundreds of pounds? I think for the time being, I will use packing tape along the top and contact all glass about aquiring a new frame. __________________ "They pulled their goalie, now Brodeur can score." Check out Brodeur's first goal. Also check out my website.

05-25-2006, 04:07 PM	#14 (permalink)
DeputyChiefJR I'm hungry Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Britain, CT Posts: 626	I agree with everyone else, but congratulations on the future purchase of a wet/dry vac... __________________ Jon 75 Gallon Mixed Africans 26 Gallon Community

05-27-2006, 04:18 PM	#16 (permalink)
sploke ladies love country boys Join Date: May 2006 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 402	Most tanks with the center braces DO have them for structural reasons...you can se how far the glass bows out in the middle without it attached. That is not good. At best it will stress the joints on the tank over time and they'll start leaking, at worst it will fail all at once and not give you a chance to catch it, and you'll have 55gal of water on your floor and a bunch of dead fish. The 55 I keep my turtles in has a broken center brace, I repaired it with a piece of painted MDF, drilled holes in the brace and screwed from the bottom up into the wood. Keeps it from bowing out, but I don't have nice lids either. I'm looking for a place to order replacement frames, I have two tanks that need new upper frames....if anyone knows where I can get some, that would be awesome.

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