Derimming a 70 gallon?

[Robb]

So I just picked up a 70g tank off craigslist and was wondering if it could be derimmed. Its 36"x18"x25" and the glass is 3/8" thick. I know derimming isn't safe and if I wanted a rimless tank I should have bought one, but they are hella expensive. The tank seems well built and doesn't bow full with the rim. Also, I was looking at rimless tanks about same size at lfs and glass thickness was the same. One last note, I don't want to remove bottom only top. Thanks

[Robb]

Also I just noticed the top rim is four separate pieces. And there's no center brace or any evidence of one ever being one.

[Minkota]

I may be wrong so someone that knows for sure can chime in but I think a rimless tank uses thicker glass to make up for loss of support. but like I said I don't know this for sure..

[Mlani]

Originally Posted by Minkota

I may be wrong so someone that knows for sure can chime in but I think a rimless tank uses thicker glass to make up for loss of support. but like I said I don't know this for sure..

+1
I do believe that to be true.
I purchased a used tank and resealed the entire thing. I thought about leaving the rim off myself but changed my mind after researching. The integrity of the tank is compromised when you make certain alterations. It wasn't a gamble I was willing to take. I like my fish too much (and my floors)

[huma-huma]

rimless tanks do use slightly thicker glass to compensate for the lack of trim support. however in your case, just because a rimless tank you found that appears to be similar does not mean its identical. granted its roughly the same size and uses the same thickness, but are you 100% sure it was the same material? and even at that, every manufacturer uses their interpretation of the perfect glass/ acrylic. that being said, that rimless manufacturer may be using glass that's designed for high stress (stronger). id personally recommend just leaving it alone. it may hold together at first, or even for a few months. but eventually, at some point, its prob going to fail. might happen when youre standing right in front of it, or it might happen when youre 3 hours away busy doing something.

as a tank failure victim, I can promise you that a tank failure is never something that you want to experience. 70 gallons may not seem like a lot, but drop a full glass of water on your floor and then multiply that by about 200 and that's what a tank failure is like.

[Robb]

Well I guess no mater how much good advice someone gets, people usually do want they want. Although I will add I did totally strip it and resealed. Also did some more research and found that because the rim is 4 separate pieces, it didn't provide support. When I was derimming it I found that the joints were what appeared to be super glue together. Also found a sticker under rim of manufacturing company that wasn't a big name so possibly custom. I'll post more pics of process later but here's one after a week of 100% full. I did test it longer in garage first though.

[huma-huma]

if you were going to ignore the good advice given, why did you ask in the first place? the time would have been better spent just telling us you were derimming it

[Robb]

Haha true. Guess I wasn't looking for advice so much, but more of someone to follow me off the bridge. In my defense though I had asked for advice before I researched further.

[huma-huma]

I will give you credit in that you atleast thought it out first. A lot of times in this hobby we do first ask later.