Alshain said:I need help. My 55 gallon All-Glass aquarium center brace is cracking. I lowered the tank water to about 35% full. So far I see no evidence that the glass is bowing. The fish are still in it right now. Is there a way I can buy a replacement for this center brace?
Aqueon said:That center brace is a molded piece to the frame, so you will have to get a whole new frame for the tank. We do not sell direct so this is a part that you will have to order from a fish/pet store. I can give you the item number for the frame, I will need to know what color your frame is.
Alshain said:It's black. Can you recommend a retailer for your products near Tyler TX?
Aqueon said:The item number for that frame is 91016, how old is your tank? What you can do is go on the Aqueon website and there is a store locater on there, type in your zip code and it’ll pull up all of the stores in that area. Call around and see which one would be willing to order the frame for you. The website again is Aqueon.
Alshain said:The tank is less than 2 years old. My next question is, what would cause such a 'young' tank to crack and how can I prevent it in the future? The crack in question actually occurred on the front where the brace meets the frame, the two sides are cracked where the glass hoods rest but the center brace is just barely holding (see image). Given enough time I'm sure it will completely break. Is it wrong to fill the tank up so the 'water line' is above viewable area of the frame? I usually do this because I prefer the more seamless appearance, but if it means avoiding damage then I will stop doing it.
Thanks for all your help.
Aqueon said:Do you have the receipt for your tank still? It’s hard to tell why a frame cracks or brakes, it’s almost like predicting cancer in people. All of the tanks are made the same way, and have the same integrity. Sometimes you could have a tank for ten years and the frame could snap, or after one year it could snap or never snap. There are a couple things that may contribute to a center brace cracking, not level, house shifting, or even moving around the house causes it to vibrate or shake. It may not be visible but, it’s still happening those are only some of the things that cause the center brace to brake, but again we really can’t pin point what happens exactly to the tank.
As for your water level, you are doing exactly what you should be doing; you don’t want to see a water line in your aquarium. Hopefully this helps, and also let me know if you have your receipt.