Top strap broken

[dralarms]

I just found that my top strap is broken, how long before my tank comes apart?

 

[jataft83]

How large is the tank? I have seen little tanks 20G or such have no impact. But with larger tanks it's a gamble. could bust out now or never. Look at the front glass from the side, is it bowed out?

 

[dralarms]

It's a 60" 125 gal. tank. It has old salt creep built up on it so I don't know when it busted. There is a little bit of a bow but does not appear to be much.

 

[hackteck]

got a picture of the damage?

 

[dralarms]

got a picture of the damage?

Nope, not yet. Saw it and went into panic mode.

 

[huma-huma]

Google search for trim replacements...you can just buy the trim and replace..may have to drain partially for safety

 

[jataft83]

+1 Huma-Huma you can buy them pretty cheap too.

 

[dralarms]

Tried to buy a top strap, can't identify the aquarium manufacture so that is out of the question.

 

[huma-huma]

As long as you know the dimensions and glass thickness I'm sure you can use any kind.... If not try to match it up visually

 

[dralarms]

Haven't had any luck locating a top and I am getting worried, I have about 3/4 of an inch bow in the tank.

 

[huma-huma]

You my want to consider draining as much water as possible.... Not only do you have a ticking time bomb on your hands, if it stays bowed for too long, the tank will be permanently mis formed and even if you do get a new top trim, you won't be able to fit it on.

 

[jataft83]

Is the strap total missing? Or just cracked down the middle? I read somewhere that you can take a piece of a smiliar plastic strip and superglue it on the underside.

 

[Grizz]

Drain that tank now before you lose it! try to get it down to at least half way to be safe 3/4 in is a lot

 

[courtneyfitz.xx]

You my want to consider draining as much water as possible

I'd suggest at least 50%!!!
My 55 gal did the same thing a few weeks ago... it's really nerve-wracking. I fixed mine myself though. I went to a local metal shop and bought 1/8" thick stainless steel about an inch wide, and 2 inches longer than the width of my aquarium. I then got a friend to bend an inch at either end on a 90 degree angle to make a very sturdy bracket to fit over the tank where the support brace was broken. You might have problems finding someone who can bend stainless steel... but if you can find someone this is a very cheap fix that will last awhile. You can see an inch of metal on the front, but I'd rather that than a broken tank with many many gallons of water on the floor!! Good luck

 

[spoonman]

If you can still replace the trim www.glasscages.com sells the trim. All you need is the dimensions of the tank. You need to get that fixed ASAP! On the left side of the home page under Misc. are tank frames. You may have to call them and find out if they have the one for your tank.

 

[dralarms]

You my want to consider draining as much water as possible.... Not only do you have a ticking time bomb on your hands, if it stays bowed for too long, the tank will be permanently mis formed and even if you do get a new top trim, you won't be able to fit it on.

Tell me about it.

Is the strap total missing? Or just cracked down the middle? I read somewhere that you can take a piece of a smiliar plastic strip and superglue it on the underside.

Not missing, and broke right next to the back piece so nothing to glue to.

Drain that tank now before you lose it! try to get it down to at least half way to be safe 3/4 in is a lot

Not really an option, the water barely covers the live rock now.

I'd suggest at least 50%!!!
My 55 gal did the same thing a few weeks ago... it's really nerve-wracking. I fixed mine myself though. I went to a local metal shop and bought 1/8" thick stainless steel about an inch wide, and 2 inches longer than the width of my aquarium. I then got a friend to bend an inch at either end on a 90 degree angle to make a very sturdy bracket to fit over the tank where the support brace was broken. You might have problems finding someone who can bend stainless steel... but if you can find someone this is a very cheap fix that will last awhile. You can see an inch of metal on the front, but I'd rather that than a broken tank with many many gallons of water on the floor!! Good luck

Thanks, that's a great idea.

If you can still replace the trim www.glasscages.com sells the trim. All you need is the dimensions of the tank. You need to get that fixed ASAP! On the left side of the home page under Misc. are tank frames. You may have to call them and find out if they have the one for your tank.

Tried them, not only do they NOT have a 60" top, they wanted to sell me a tank, but they wanted me to buy a "reef ready" tank and not what I want. Plus if you get a chance go to their website and read their warranty. Basicly if you don't follow their directions to the letter they void your warranty. Shoot, even goes as far as to say that you can't use a "home made" stand on their tanks or it voids the warranty. My stand although home made is sturdy enough to handle anything, I built it, got on top of it and jumped up and down a bunch to make sure it was safe. And that was before adding the sides and front. They lost that sale.

 

[courtneyfitz.xx]

If you can't drain the water, I'd suggest borrowing (or buying if necessary) some bar clamps to help relieve some pressure. Set them up on either side of the brace and SLOWLY tighten them until the bowing is gone. When I say slowly, I mean reallyyyy slowly... the last thing you want is to push the frame back too quickly causing it to let go:| Also, make sure the bar clamps have rubber pads on the ends to prevent damage to the glass!

 

[Mogurako]

If you can still replace the trim www.glasscages.com sells the trim. All you need is the dimensions of the tank. You need to get that fixed ASAP! On the left side of the home page under Misc. are tank frames. You may have to call them and find out if they have the one for your tank.

I tried them for a brace for my tank it's 16 bucks for the brace but $45 dollars in shipping.

 

[dralarms]

I'd suggest at least 50%!!!
My 55 gal did the same thing a few weeks ago... it's really nerve-wracking. I fixed mine myself though. I went to a local metal shop and bought 1/8" thick stainless steel about an inch wide, and 2 inches longer than the width of my aquarium. I then got a friend to bend an inch at either end on a 90 degree angle to make a very sturdy bracket to fit over the tank where the support brace was broken. You might have problems finding someone who can bend stainless steel... but if you can find someone this is a very cheap fix that will last awhile. You can see an inch of metal on the front, but I'd rather that than a broken tank with many many gallons of water on the floor!! Good luck

Thanks to the suggestion above, I got a piece of Alumium strap and bent it to the correct (or close enough) lenght, clamped the aquarium and closed the gap just a little (I don't care if it's bowed a little as long as it stays put) and placed this strap on the tank and super glued it in place. waiting for glue to dry before removing clamp.

Hopefully disaster has been diverted long enough for me to find a tank to replace this one with.

 

[huma-huma]

Now you have a bowfront tank if you got 3/4" bowing on a 60", imagine what it would be like on a 72 lol