Removing center brace?

[NanaReefer]

I'm looking to upgrade to a bigger tank. It is between a 46 bowfront and a 56 cube. Both have a center brace on top. Is it possible to remove the brace without compromising the tanks integrity?

 

[pandora32]

You would want to add a eurostyle brace. The glass without a brace might bow out and crack.

 

[NanaReefer]

What is an euro style brace? Why then do rimless tanks not have these?

 

[reefman069]

It depends on how thick the acrylic is and how deep the tank is. The deeper. The tank the more pressure. I recommend a euro brace. It makes the tank stronger. And less bowing

 

[NanaReefer]

The tank is a Marine Land all glass Euro Style 46g. I do not know what is meant by eurostyle brace.

 

[mercenary-grunt]

a eurobrace is a way ro add stability to the tank without the big brace down the middle. some still have one depending on glass or acrylic and the thickness. but with that said it is a border around the top. think about a nontank cube. you have the top, four sides, and a bottom. now on the top you cut a hole in it from side to side and front to back leaving the middle open. you will have what looks like a porthole (a window of a boat with out the glass inside). I hope this helps. if you look thru the cfi posts then you will see pictures of it. I probably confused you tho. you see them a lot on almost all acrylic tanks.

Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2.

 

[Peppie]

A euro-brace is just a 3''to6'' wide piece of glass (in your case) that either sits on top of the tank or inside the tank. It will create a continuous 3''-6'' lip around the perimeter of the top of the tank.
it would be very difficult to install a euro-brace on the bowfront. Fairly simple for a rectangle, or cube tank.

IMO I would not remove the bracing on either of the tanks, unless you plan to install a different type of bracing.
Would it hold?? Maybe...
Would it fail??? Maybe...

 

[mercenary-grunt]

thank you dave. that is what I wad teying to say.

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[NanaReefer]

a eurobrace is a way ro add stability to the tank without the big brace down the middle. some still have one depending on glass or acrylic and the thickness. but with that said it is a border around the top. think about a nontank cube. you have the top, four sides, and a bottom. now on the top you cut a hole in it from side to side and front to back leaving the middle open. you will have what looks like a porthole (a window of a boat with out the glass inside). I hope this helps. if you look thru the cfi posts then you will see pictures of it. I probably confused you tho. you see them a lot on almost all acrylic tanks.

Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2.

Not confused anymore-lol-I now know exactly what your talking about. Thank you!

 

[pandora32]

I guess i coulda explained it huh...sorry. But yea, what they said...lol

 

[NanaReefer]

I guess i coulda explained it huh...sorry. But yea, what they said...lol

Lol it's all good

 

[mercenary-grunt]

Why then do rimless tanks not have these?

and the rim less tanks are built differently. there built stronger.


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[mojoreef]

Tanks are built and thus braced based on a number of factors, as mentioned above the glass thickness comes into play, the length, height and so on. The overall concept is that the math has to be done to make sure you dont have to much pressure on the glass/acrylic, if you do you end up with bowing, joint stress and a number of different issue. Either glass or acrylic have an acceptable tolerance, when you go outside of that..well you risk failure.

Most all factory made tanks such as the ones you are refering to from all glass/Aqueon are made using the thinnest possible glass and already skirt the tolerances in order to mass produce and keep them cheep, so I really would play with anything that could make that worse.

Mojo