New Tank With A Chipped Brace Bar

[Phoenixfish]

Well since i moved into my dads house just over a week or so ago its about time i got a tank set up, Now i won a 4ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft wide tank with very basic overflow and piping to a sump (its going to upgrade my 2ft marine at my mums house whihc is 2 minutes walk) now it had a chip in one of the two brace bar where the bloke accidently dropped the lighting rig when he dismantled the tank.

now as far as i can tell the tank wasnt filled at the time so im unsure of what structural weaking has occured,
Should i A) put a glass patch over it with $%£" loads of aquarium grade silicone (which i already have) B) Remove the brace bar adn add a new one or C) not bother it should be fine.
now i pick the tank up on tuesday evening so ill be able to get a better idea then but it doenst look too big a chip but a chip none the less.
my only problem with A) is that my silicone is Black so id be unsure how much of an issue that would be with Metal Halides,

Theres the overflow, i plan to put a Durso stand pipe in the bulk head and silicon up the slots at the bottom (evidently the previous owner didnt really know a massive amout about the plumbing currently i would image that A) that set up is very noisy and B) 99.9% probable flooding. ill just put a stand pipe that is sealled properly and block off the holes and cover with Live rock.

I also need to buy a new light ( i just brought a single 150 MG600 which was going to go on my 2ft tank but thanks to new arrangements i can set up a larger tank)
Need a new skimmer, thinking of possibly getting a V2 skim (TMC) 400-600 (i nearly bid ona 1200 but thought it was abit over kill ...1000litres overkill) or maybe some Deltec skimmer, what do you guys think?
Oh and for the hell of it i also have
>older version Tunze auto top off (with the mini pump and skimming thing)
>Deltec fludizing reactor (that i think leaks which i got off ebay, but we shall see it may only need a new O ring)
>a sump pump (cheap chinese thing from my 2ft, might swap this out for an Ehiem)
>a few power heads
>Tunze water alarm
>assorted heaters etc
>10KG of live rock from my 2ft
>2 Purple Fire fish

=D new tank!

so any advice on the Brace bar? and a skimmer?

 

[JenCliBee]

hi hun i have a chip pretty large in 1 of my brace bars i also cracked the other 1 from front 2 back yesterday with a piece of slate but ive been tole that it.s no major problem.


not sure about the skimmer but i think the bar should be fine mines on a 340ltr tank so alot of water and as u can imagine very heavy with no problems so far .


jen

 

[Colin_T]

The chip looks like it is in the thin piece that is attached to the cross member. This thinner piece of glass is used to hold the middle coverglass in place and has no structural properties. You can either patch the broken bit or just sand it back with some sand paper on a block of wood. Be careful when sanding glass so you don't cut yourself. And wear safety glasses and wipe up the glass dust with a damp tissue, don't blow it around because the tiny pieces can irritate your eyes and skin.

 

[JenCliBee]

The chip looks like it is in the thin piece that is attached to the cross member. This thinner piece of glass is used to hold the middle coverglass in place and has no structural properties. You can either patch the broken bit or just sand it back with some sand paper on a block of wood. Be careful when sanding glass so you don't cut yourself. And wear safety glasses and wipe up the glass dust with a damp tissue, don't blow it around because the tiny pieces can irritate your eyes and skin.

sorry 2 rob the post but i have a crack on the brace from front 2 back if u can imagine that lol


try explain better lol where PF is chipped on that uprite part the piece that it sits on has a crack from front 2 back rite upto the side panel glass but the side panel glass is fine thank god ive been told it will be fine and shouldnt go anywhere but a second opinion is always good should i just silicon the crack top & bottom just incase or will it be fine?!!!!!! if u cant imagine where it is ill try get a photo of it .


thanx in advance and sorry PF for robbing ya thread


jen

 

[Colin_T]

For Jen
If the cross member is split from the front to back of the tank then it should be replaced or reinforced. It is easier to reinforce them by simply gluing a new piece of glass (the same width) on the underside of the cracked piece. You can glue it on top if you like but it doesn't look as neat. Alternatively cut the old piece out and replace with a new one. This is hard to do so most people simply reinforce it with another piece.

 

[Phoenixfish]

For Jen
If the cross member is split from the front to back of the tank then it should be replaced or reinforced. It is easier to reinforce them by simply gluing a new piece of glass (the same width) on the underside of the cracked piece. You can glue it on top if you like but it doesn't look as neat. Alternatively cut the old piece out and replace with a new one. This is hard to do so most people simply reinforce it with another piece.

Thank you Colin T for the replys (and jen) If it is for the cover glass then ill just sand it down but if its structual i have decided to replace the bar, Im going to a local Uni (20 mins away) but staying in Halls of residence so the whole point of this tank was to set up a self running low mantanace tank, ill be back every weekend as ive got work and prob once or twice a week anyway.
Thank you Guys,

 

[JenCliBee]

For Jen
If the cross member is split from the front to back of the tank then it should be replaced or reinforced. It is easier to reinforce them by simply gluing a new piece of glass (the same width) on the underside of the cracked piece. You can glue it on top if you like but it doesn't look as neat. Alternatively cut the old piece out and replace with a new one. This is hard to do so most people simply reinforce it with another piece.

Cheers m8 will prob just glue/silicon another piece 2 it seems alot easier and its not in view anyways only by me when lid is taken off for water changes etc...
better 2 be safe than sorry than just leaving i guess

just 1 more question when i silicon a new piece 2 it would i have 2 drain the tank first or could i just silicon it with the water still in?

anyways thanx again much apprieciated


jen

 

[Colin_T]

You can leave the fish and everything as is and just lower the water level a bit a couple of inches so the glass can be dried. Then apply silicon to the new piece and stick it to the one on the tank. Tape it in place and 24 hours later you can remove the tape and top up the tank. You can use clamps or anything to hold the glass in place I just say tape because that is commonly available.

 

[JenCliBee]

You can leave the fish and everything as is and just lower the water level a bit a couple of inches so the glass can be dried. Then apply silicon to the new piece and stick it to the one on the tank. Tape it in place and 24 hours later you can remove the tape and top up the tank. You can use clamps or anything to hold the glass in place I just say tape because that is commonly available.

thats wot i like 2 hear thanx yet again


jen