# Bowing tank center



## discusdude (Jan 29, 2012)

Hi. I have just got myself a 135gal tank. I just replaced the scilicone on it, as it is a older tank. I have filled it with water now and the tank bows about a 1/4" in the center. this tank doesn't have a center suport. is it safe to use? how could I fix this problem? What l'm concerned about is how to make a top for it. All thoughts are wecome.


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## catgoldfish (Apr 21, 2010)

No don't use it!!! Either put a center brace in it or buy a new tank. Not worth 135 gallons of water in your house.


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## Jay2x (Jul 20, 2010)

planning for disaster.


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## discusdude (Jan 29, 2012)

How hard is it to put in a centre brace? how thick how wide? should the black trim come off to attach it directly to the glass? shoud l silicone it or glue? glue?


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

go get a piece of glass cut as wide as the tank should be x about 6 inches or so, drain your tank, clean the area where it is going to be siliconed in, then before you dry fit clean the area again with rubbing alcohol to get any oils and ish off of there, silicone the piece in , i would use 1/2 inch glass or better, then take 2 boards and very gently clamp it in place, key word gently ... the go over the area again, get a decent bead and smooth out with your finger, silicone will be toolable in like 10-15 min but it isnt cured for a min of 24 better yet 36 hours


rinse your tank out , take it outside , fill it and make sure the bowing is gone before you use it, and bobs your uncle tank is fixed.better to spend the $25 bucks and a day and a half of bs than 36 hours of vaccuuming up water and drying your house out.. imagine the mess.. go take 1 5 gal bucket and dump it in your living room.... now visualize 130 more gallons messed up i know


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

sorry forgot , put it under the black trim ,and i said 6 inches earlier but i would do a 12 inch panel also works good for a place to rest stuff when working on your tank...


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

Hello. a quarter inch bow is nothing, a lot of tanks bow when full. but if you worried about it just do a euro brace. it's easy. just Google euro brace. i bet a lot of those who said not to use it have the same thing going on with there tanks but just don't know it. Cheers



discusdude said:


> Hi. I have just got myself a 135gal tank. I just replaced the scilicone on it, as it is a older tank. I have filled it with water now and the tank bows about a 1/4" in the center. this tank doesn't have a center suport. is it safe to use? how could I fix this problem? What l'm concerned about is how to make a top for it. All thoughts are wecome.


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

Just remembered when me and my bro resealed his 75g about 6 years ago. it bowed over an inch in the middle, even though his tank was running for years prior to the reseal we decided to brace it. Cheers


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## DBam (Aug 9, 2010)

Hi. Center bracing under the trim with a pane of glass will end in the brace falling out and your tank returning to its original state. The silicon glueing the brace in won't hold under the hundreds of pounds of pressure it'll be put under. Euro bracing is a good alternative, it shouldn't come out and will add structural integrity


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

Thats bogus bro... my 167 gallon has a 15 inch wide panel across the top directly beneath the black plastic trim, and mine isnt the only one in the world, in addition to my center brace i have small 45 degree angles on each corner of my tank but there is no magic here if you do your siliconing properly with proper stuff it shouldnt come out ever.. maybe with a hammer, my tank is 3 feet tall to boot, use my advice or dont but if you want pics mine is done exactly how i described it, and i wouldnt hesitate to do it with anything i felt was bowing out of wack


DBam said:


> Hi. Center bracing under the trim with a pane of glass will end in the brace falling out and your tank returning to its original state. The silicon glueing the brace in won't hold under the hundreds of pounds of pressure it'll be put under. Euro bracing is a good alternative, it shouldn't come out and will add structural integrity


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

My brothers was also done with aquarium silicone just under the trim. directly to the glass 6 years ago, and is still super strong. but the center brace sucks cause it is a pain in the but to work around. where as a euro brace is not. if we ever reseal the 75g again it will get a euro brace. Cheers


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

alrighty you got e there the center panel is a pain in the butt, but not nearly as big of a butt pain as cleaning up a 135 gallon cluster f


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## discusdude (Jan 29, 2012)

l think that l will go with the center brace. my 76gal has a center brace and yes it is in the way lots, my 135gal tank is 6' long. l can loose 12". but a euro brace sounds like it would be a problem putting 2 canister filters on, as those hoses are a pain just to get over the rim let alone a euro brace. l thank every one for their info. you all helped me lots. Now if anyone has a peice of 1/2" glass around that is 12"x18", give me a pm, and we can work something out. even if it's larger l can get it cut to size. l also have a friend that is going to make me a brace out of alunium (can't spell that) that goes over the tank. so double bubble. 
thanks again, keep up with your ideas.
RAY


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## discusdude (Jan 29, 2012)

Thanks to Jason l got the glass, now l need to get it cut. wow things move quick..lol


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Agree with Scherb 1/4" is nothing. I have my Hagen sitting like that for over 10 years. Never loose sleep over it.


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## Aquaman (Apr 21, 2010)

Funny how opinions differ..( bites tongue )...silicone has an approximate holding capacity of 350 psi .so for every 2 inches of 1/2 inch glass it will hold 350 lbs. the pressure required to keep your glass from bowing out is considerably less than that, on your tank.(I had the same tank ) with out a brace and could squeeze the sides together so as they were flat.Having a brace is a pain at times,no doubt.Building a canopy with T bar at the middle that was adjustable worked real good on a tank I had in the past as well.Just had to back it off to remove the canopy.Remember that the less silicone you have between the glass the stronger the bond ....more is not better in this case.
Best to remove the trim to place the glass in as the diagonal measurement of the glass will be greater than the length.You could possibly twist it in there by bowing the tank slightly.the thing I hated the most about the centre brace is my fish would run into it when the tank was fill to the trim....

on another note.........question ! ... what's them tab things on the back of the tank upper trim ?


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