captmicha
Members
Will removing the top brace of a 55 gallon (long, I think) and then not resealing it so I can just slip it on and off, weaken the integrity of the tank?
I think there is a danger of the tank weakening without the brace being fastened.. It would almost be the same as trying to make it a rimless tank without the extra thickness required for rimless tanks of this height..
Is there a particular reason you don't want to seal the brace? Looks? Or maintenance issues?
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cichlidaddicted
Members
They can be a real pita to take off, do you mean the whole top trim piece? It may hold if you place it back on but I wouldn't trust it without it all together, atleast for more than a few minutes. Does the trim piece have the center brace or is it an older tank without the center support?
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captmicha
Members
It has a center bar and there-in lies my problem. I want to make a background for it and I don't know how the heck I'm going to get it in and out for cleaning and stuff with that center bar in the way.
It's actually not going to be for fish, it's going to be for hermit crabs, of the land variety.
It's actually not going to be for fish, it's going to be for hermit crabs, of the land variety.
cichlidaddicted
Members
You can either make a two piece background or if you can get the trim off in one peice just place it back on like you mentioned. Honestly a 55 doesn't have a huge amount of outward pressure so its possible that just cutting the brace out and leaving the trim on could work. I've never done it and not promising it will but I believe it would. If your unsure you could cut it out and make a brace that slides over the trim but can be taken off easily.
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Raven20
Members
How much water do Hermit crabs need? Less than 6" and you won't need the center brace..
cichlidaddicted
Members
It's actually not going to be for fish, it's going to be for hermit crabs, of the land variety.[/QUOTE]
Oh, then yeah the brace is not important at all even with the tank half filled
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Oh, then yeah the brace is not important at all even with the tank half filled
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captmicha
Members
Sweet!
jonclark96
Past CCA President
I agree that if you are using it for a terrarium, you'll be fine without the center brace. If you do decide to fill it, you need the center brace. I picked up a used tank that had a broken center brace. When I test filled the tank, it bowed more than 3/4" at the center. No way I would trust that kind of bowing for any period of time.
neut
Members
Absolutely agree. Older tanks could do without the center brace because of the thicker glass. Newer tanks with thinner glass definitely need the bracing unless you're not going to fill them.
