What the hell happened?

[Salty Cracker]

I just grabbed the 1"(?) pink hard foam they use for basic construction insulation, and with a 125 with 1/2" glass it barely compressed, so probably good enough for almost any application.

 

[jeffopentax]

I just grabbed the 1"(?) pink hard foam they use for basic construction insulation, and with a 125 with 1/2" glass it barely compressed, so probably good enough for almost any application.

Did the 125 have a bottom frame?

 

[Salty Cracker]

no flat glass.

 

[jeffopentax]

Not sure if i should start a new thread, but this one has a bit of the back story so I’ll carry on here for now. The “new” used tank is 60” x 18” x 24”, 1/2” glass. There is no top or bottom frame or brace, just trim (four pieces siliconed on for looks I’m guessing) that was starting to come off, so I removed it completely. Called the LFS to see if they were able to order frames, they said they couldn’t. They also said older tanks used thicker glass, and mine probably doesn’t need a frame. Does 1/2” sound thick enough to not need bracing?

 

[Salty Cracker]

Not sure if i should start a new thread, but this one has a bit of the back story so I’ll carry on here for now. The “new” used tank is 60” x 18” x 24”, 1/2” glass. There is no top or bottom frame or brace, just trim (four pieces siliconed on for looks I’m guessing) that was starting to come off, so I removed it completely. Called the LFS to see if they were able to order frames, they said they couldn’t. They also said older tanks used thicker glass, and mine probably doesn’t need a frame. Does 1/2” sound thick enough to not need bracing?

Mine was the same, and wasn't braced, although I had planned to get some simple cross braces done for the top. Shooter has that tank now and I think he was planning the same thing (not sure if he did or not). I don't see that the tank had any issues being unbraced, it was more for my peace of mind than anything else that I wanted to add bracing. Even regular tank bracing is just plastic, just to give it a little less flex. I'm from an older generation where silicone probably wasn't quite as good as it is today, so take that with a grain of salt. 1/2" glass is pretty tough stuff, not sure if it bends/flexes over time or not.

 

[Shooter000]

Mine was the same, and wasn't braced, although I had planned to get some simple cross braces done for the top. Shooter has that tank now and I think he was planning the same thing (not sure if he did or not). I don't see that the tank had any issues being unbraced, it was more for my peace of mind than anything else that I wanted to add bracing. Even regular tank bracing is just plastic, just to give it a little less flex. I'm from an older generation where silicone probably wasn't quite as good as it is today, so take that with a grain of salt. 1/2" glass is pretty tough stuff, not sure if it bends/flexes over time or not.

Went with 4" wide, 5/8" euro across top

 

[jeffopentax]

Went with 4" wide, 5/8" euro across top

Did you post anything anywhere about how you did it?

 

[jeffopentax]

Well, the fishkeeping gods have spoken! When i got the “new” used tank, i filled it, left it for 24 hours to be sure there were no leaks. All was looking well, so drained it. Go out the garage today to deal with the trim/frame situation, and see this…

That is a MONSTER crack on the bottom pane. Better it broke while empty i guess. What are the odds?! Time to start saving pennies for a brand new tank.

 

[Salty Cracker]

Jeez....although from the looks of that silicone job on that top seam(?) it's probably best that it failed now, and definitely before you got all set up again. I don't know if many of us would tolerate 2 catastrophic failures in a row. I'd say you were really really lucky on this one.

 

[jeffopentax]

It’s amazing that over the past 20 years, i’ve had about a dozen tanks, only 2 of them brand new, and absolutely zero failures of any kind. Guess I used up all my luck.

 

[Kevin Cantelon]

I had an aquarium blow after it was setup for 4 years. One piece of wood was just slightly higher then the rest, putting pressure. Maybe I walked to hard to close to the aquarium and the floor sent vibrations. It was the bottom glass that failed. Good luck on the clean up and getting right back at the reefing.

 

[Poseidon]

Jeez....although from the looks of that silicone job on that top seam(?) it's probably best that it failed now, and definitely before you got all set up again. I don't know if many of us would tolerate 2 catastrophic failures in a row. I'd say you were really really lucky on this one.

some of us have great experience with this

 

[jeffopentax]

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but i got another tank and stand, need opinions. It’s a 72”x18”x24” tank, on a seapora stand. The tank has a bottom frame with no braces, so when the tank is on the stand, the frame is supported on the ends, and the two cross braces in the middle. Should i add anything to the stand (foam, more braces)? Or just leave as is?

 

[TORX]

Personally I would had a sheet of ply and a self leveling mat, but you should be more then fine as is.

 

[jeffopentax]

I think paranoia is getting the best of me! Think I’ll leave it as is.