Bracing My Tank

[holidayinn]

A slight problem I have, Had this 4 foot tank for a number of years, its 12” wide and 18” high. I always wondered why there was one pane of glass sealed across the top, only recently have I realized that the pane of glass is there for bracing. This tank is sitting empty, but I’d like to set it up again. I’m thinking any bracing should be done now rather then later. It’s never bowed at all, but better to be safe.

Can anyone suggest where I can find bracing? Or anything else I can use instead? I was initially thinking of buying a couple of glass pieces from my local glass store measuring 3mm thick, by 12” long and 2” wide, they wanted £15. I’ll go down this route if need be, but thinking surely I can find something else at a fraction of the price that will do the same job. Any suggestions please?

 

[saltynay]

Acrylic

 

[mike os]

you cant stick acrylic with silicone...

if there was one originally it needs replacing, but £15 is extracting

 

[holidayinn]

I think £15 is a bit much for two pieces of glass! I was thinking of using perspex and siliconing it to the back and front of the tank (there is a small edge that they can sit on). Would this work?

 

[momo33]

Do you ever get near newbury ?.

I would not use anything less than 5mm bracing for a 4' tank, thats probably just my preference though. I would ask on freecycle if anyone has a bit of glass they dont want, then cut with a glass cutter and finish of by running a cheap diamond wetsone over the edges, then fix with silirub AQ or other aquarium safe silicone, either stand it upright and then run a bead along the tank where you want the brace to go and place the glass in this with support under it or lay it on its side and fix them in and hold them with duck tape for 24 hrs or so. Theres many ways to do this so someone else may do it their favourite way.

 

[holidayinn]

thanks for you reply and advice momo33...I've never been Newbury, apparently its 40 miles from me and I live in Berkshire also lol

i'll search freecycle...if no luck, will check out what the glass shop quotes for 5mm...I thought they'd have offcuts lying around maybe, but dont think i'll be so lucky lol

 

[mixmaster jay]

I get glass from a local window installer and do it myself its easy to do i use a tile cutter (they are the same blade) to cut to size remove the old or broken one by using i long stanley knife blade with caution though clean the area of old silicon and then apply fresh silicon and press the new brace firmly down wiping the exess silicon off with a damp cloth or wetted finger and then weight it down with something fairly heavy and leave it untill the vinegar smell (acetic acid) to go away which will be 48 hours plus. do all this while the tank is empty clean and dry and it should be fine


hope this helps

JAY

 

[momo33]

I use Acetone ( or nick the wifes nail varnish remover if desperate )for cleaning up before using the silicone, its cheap and easy to get. But as I said, horses for courses and all that.

Had you of been close enough to get here cheap enough I would of cut you some glass for nowt.

 

[mixmaster jay]

same here with the nail varnish remover lol

 

[momo33]

I upset Tesco's the other day MJ, I told their chemist that their acetone 40ml for a £1. was a con and I could get it on ebay for about £9 a litre or so, he wasn't amused and tried to tell me his was purer so I got the 500ml bottle out of my coat pocket and said"oh really, this says 99.9%, what on your bottle then" he got the hump.

 

[mixmaster jay]

lmao i get pure thinners too from my college lecturer mate of mine from car piant shop lol but that stuff sends you wappy he he even when used outside in the wind (i must be facing the wrong way lol)

 

[saltynay]

I upset Tesco's the other day MJ, I told their chemist that their acetone 40ml for a £1. was a con and I could get it on ebay for about £9 a litre or so, he wasn't amused and tried to tell me his was purer so I got the 500ml bottle out of my coat pocket and said"oh really, this says 99.9%, what on your bottle then" he got the hump.

You carry acetone around with you are you an arsonist?

 

[mixmaster jay]

lol no im not . not acetone 100% thinners lol no not around with me in my shed mate

 

[holidayinn]

lol

thanks momo, wouldv bit your hand off if you were closer lol

also, cheers jay, good advice.

Do you think I should think about perspex or just search harder for glass?

 

[mixmaster jay]

personally glass as it is more solid and doesnt flex bend and move as much and it doesn't adhere quite as good as glass and the perspex will go brittel after a while from the water and aquarium lighting mate

go for glass.

have a look on here for a tank or someone who deals with glass for tanks (tank builders) you can select the county you want to look in too and its quite cheap

http/www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/