Wanting to go rimless

[pandora32]

I just picked up a 24x24x25 tall aquarium and had a question about it. From my searching it is 63 gallons. It has 1/4" thick glass. One of the upper frame pieces is missing. I was wondering if it is possible to take off the other 3 plastic pieces and make it a rimless tank. Or wold that be a lil dangerous? I will also be drilling it for drains in the back panel as it isnt drilled.
Thank you

 

[Peppie]

I believe that the top brace was installed by the factory for a purpose, to keep the tank from bowing and to add structural support for the corner seams. IMO I would try to find a replacement for the top bracing. Or make a new euro brace for the top.

 

[pandora32]

Yea. It is a factory piece. I saw a thread, http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f70/rothanys-half-rimless-shallow-reef-build-61659/, that gave me the idea, but not shallow as his is. Thanks for the ideas Mr. Rothany.

 

[Rothany]

Your very welcome =)

 

[pandora32]

:dance:

 

[pandora32]

Could you explain to me exactly how to build and/or install a euro brace? How thick does it have to be?

 

[mojoreef]

For the simplest and smallest one I would suggest the following. Go to your tank and take as exact a measure as you can of the to perimeter. Then go to a wielding place and have them wield together some 1/2 to 1 inch angle iron. From their its just a matter of painting it and then installing, make sure you allow for a 1/16th for the paint on the inside of the L iron.


Mojo

 

[pandora32]

Steel? In a saltwater system? What kind of paint?

 

[pandora32]

Also remember seeing on a few threads about drilling holes a place to get the holesaws. But now I cant find the threads, bad memory I guess. Was it holesaws.com?

 

[mojoreef]

You use marine epoxy paint.

Mojo

 

[pandora32]

May have to check in on that. Thank you mojo.

 

[broskie]

Ok everything said so far is a little far fetched so go ahead and remove the rest of the rim. After taking the rest of the rim off measure the distance between the back and front glass outside to outside. Have a piece of glass cut 2-3" wide by the length measured and silicone it in place with aquarium safe silicone. If you really want to be safe have 2 additional pieces cut 1" by your measurement and silicone each on the left and right sides of the tank along with the center brace.

 

[mojoreef]

The plastic rim around your tank is the same concept as what I am refering to, what you would be doing is to remove the plastic and replace it with much more sturdy iron, this eliminates the need for cross beams on a tank of your size. Seen in done a dozen times and their is nothing far fetched about it.

Mojo

 

[estanoche]

Also remember seeing on a few threads about drilling holes a place to get the holesaws. But now I cant find the threads, bad memory I guess. Was it holesaws.com?

that place is glass holes .com - plus don't forget to check with our sponsors who may also sell diamond hole bits

 

[Rothany]

Just wanted to point out,removing the rim on a tank that size is a pain. If you can get one side with out breaking the glass (like me ) then the rest will be easy ,but that first piece.

 

[Peppie]

Ok everything said so far is a little far fetched so go ahead and remove the rest of the rim. After taking the rest of the rim off measure the distance between the back and front glass outside to outside. Have a piece of glass cut 2-3" wide by the length measured and silicone it in place with aquarium safe silicone. If you really want to be safe have 2 additional pieces cut 1" by your measurement and silicone each on the left and right sides of the tank along with the center brace.

What is so far fetched about replacing a plastic rim with a steel or alum rim?
There are more than one way to brace a tank. To each his own.

 

[pandora32]

Thanks guys. I have taken a brace off a tank before and broke the glass. This tank I had gotten for free with one brace already off.
Thanks for the holesaw site!!

 

[Rothany]

Glass holes.com is awesome. They throw in free candy lol

 

[pandora32]

:high5: