Lighting Qs, how do you get around a center brace?

[sfsuphysics]

So as the topic says, how do you get around that center brace? For me its a nice heafty piece of glass that is dirtier than all hell, I can clean it but then within a week or so it'll be dirty again. I know many tanks over 4 feet long tend to have this center brace, so is it just a lighting loss that you deal with? Or are there any tricks.

 

[Thales]

I just deal with it - though I am prolly gonna cut the thing out soon. Don't think I need it, as the tank is glass with permitter bracing.

 

[bareefers]

I have a 65 aga tank that has a center brace as well. I keep it just for the peace of mind. Would I like to get rid of it - YES. Net tank I get will have the euro brace.

Has any one have experience with removing the center brace and still up and running?

 

[bareefers]

Well, I know Jeff had his center brace break and his tank bowed so bad it hurt to look at it. Took him a week or so to get a metal brace made for it (I think that is what he used.. Paul -prodman- can step in if I mistate anything). I know that Jeff would never recommend removing the center brace, not after his experiences... I think his tank is a 180 or a 240 ?

 

[bareefers]

Oh, and now he is worried about the extra stress on the seams between when the brace borke and he got it re-braced.. that is the sort of worry you don't want waking you up in the middle of the night in cold sweats...

 

[bareefers]

heh I was just thinking about this yesterday after cleaning my center brace for the 5th time this week, tempting to cut but not sure if I'm brave enough...

 

[Mr. Ugly]

There was some post on RC about people replacing their center brace with braided stainless aircraft cable. Guess that could work.

 

[sfsuphysics]

I'd wonder if you couldn't reinforce the outer perimeter ontop of the existing stuff then chop the brace away. Or perhaps replace with a series of smaller slices of acrylic? or use acrylic rods?

Who knows

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Yeah, reinforce first, then cut. If I were to do it, I'd measure the front/back distance, reinforce, lower the water level, cut the brace, and replace with a stainless tubing or cable assembly adjusted for proper length.

 

[bookfish]

I found 2 single 400 watt bulbs positioned carefully could give a good spread on a 6 foot by 2 foot tank with a large centerbrace.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Well the tank currently is empty, so that's not an issue with it bulging while any modifications are being done.

And Jim, I'd like to use the lights I have rather than buying new ones

 

[bookfish]

Well the tank currently is empty, so that's not an issue with it bulging while any modifications are being done.

And Jim, I'd like to use the lights I have rather than buying new ones

Good call, subvert the dominant paradigms of consumerism and disposability.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Exactly Jim! You're going off to Tonga and stuff doesn't just grow on trees there! Hmm ok bad saying..

 

[Gorm]

1/2 " PVC cut to fit with a split on both ends bout a table saw blade width and about 1/2" deep. Attach with either stainless or nylon hardware.Cut in middle and attach a union as a sort of turnbuckle. tighten till all the slack is out? I have been contiplating this very problem in my tank, lemme know if ya try something and the results. I personally would feel that something is needed to take up strain on the new brace before the old one is cut, I would tend to think that without something mechanical like that, it would be hard to get the tank walls not to sag at least a little bit.

My 2 cents...

 

[Vincerama2]

Gorm, wouldn't that put a lot of strain on the point at which the pipe is connected? I think you have to spread the load a bit more than that.

Honestly, I think cleaning the brace is easier than cleaning the disaster that would follow a broken tank!

Is the problem that salt spray covers the brace and blocks light?

Actually when I bought my (overpriced) Oceanic RR 58G, I was contemplating the cheaper (by $50-$100) AGA RR 60G tank...but the AGA had a center brace so I spent the extra dough on the Oceanic.

My tall 37G (Yuck) freshwater tank has a black plastic brace and I know it's a pain when I'm cleaning the tank to have to work around the brace. BTW the tall 37G tanks suck, unless you have extra long arms.

If you do remove the original brace for one that is less obtrusive, I would suggest that if you can't do rim bracing all the way around, then at least try to do it on the long sides (front and back). A horizontally placed piece of glass or acrylic will resist bending in the direction of it's plane. (like how you can bend a plastic ruler easily in one direction, but not the other)

Good luck with whatever you do, and of course, take pics and put them in the DIY section!

V