brace

[mlabadie]

My center brace broke on my 75 gallon. It actually started braking in the beginning of the year but recently came completely off. Should I replace the frame or is there other ways of fixing it?

 

[TheEngineer]

Which center brace? Can you post a picture?

 

[HotRocks]

You will definitely want to put a bar clamp on the tank to keep the glass from flexing. If the tank is still full I would do so ASAP to prevent major failure.

I had this happen on one of @4FordFamily and I's 55g QT tanks. We drilled holes in both sides of the brace. Clamped the tank back to it's normal position and then put about 6 zip ties from hole to hole and it's held tight ever since.

 

[Billdogg]

Depending on just where it is broken, yes, it is probably fixable. I've made similar repairs in the past. I used a 3 or 4" wide piece of 1/4" acrylic cut to length, held in place using several small nylon nuts/bolts on each side. That tank was still going strong 10+ years later.

Until you make the repair, you need to brace it as suggested, or at least drain it down a ways to relieve pressure. If it fails, it will be a huge mess! (don't ask how I know this, but I do)

 

[4FordFamily]

You will definitely want to put a bar clamp on the tank to keep the glass from flexing. If the tank is still full I would do so ASAP to prevent major failure.

I had this happen on one of @4FordFamily and I's 55g QT tanks. We drilled holes in both sides of the brace. Clamped the tank back to it's normal position and then put about 6 zip ties from hole to hole and it's held tight ever since.

Yup but the tank is in an unfinished storage area with a drain. 55 gal aren’t too expensive, something to consider, op :)

 

[Fin]

Opportunity for an upgrade.