top center brace splitting

[davocean]

Same thing happened here yesterday, only solution is a new tank? This is a 150 gallon and I haven’t ordered another tank. I have a spare 55 but it’s just a basic tank not reef ready, I have a lot of Coral and rock, what should be my first steps?

If it were mine, I'd throw the same type of clamps OP used,(Irwin bar clamps) careful not to over tighten, just snug enough to keep it from pulling away any farther, and contact manufacturer.
It's possible a new brace can be put on, but tank probably has to be drained.
Or you could take this time to just replace it, which would probably be my choice if budget allows.

 

[leepink23]

If it were mine, I'd throw the same type of clamps OP used,(Irwin bar clamps) careful not to over tighten, just snug enough to keep it from pulling away any farther, and contact manufacturer.
It's possible a new brace can be put on, but tank probably has to be drained.
Or you could take this time to just replace it, which would probably be my choice if budget allows.

Thanks, I will go buy some clamps this morning! Are there tanks that I should consider that aren’t as susceptible to this? Anything to help prevent it in the future? I considered a sca 120.

 

[cracker]

Hey Garbanzo , Good Job !
Did You run into any snags? You a veteran at tank swaps now !

 

[davocean]

Thanks, I will go buy some clamps this morning! Are there tanks that I should consider that aren’t as susceptible to this? Anything to help prevent it in the future? I considered a sca 120.

There are a number of choices, but I'm pretty darn happy w/ my SCA 120g, and those guys do have great customer service.
That brace looks like it might be Marineland tank?
If so we've seen a number of brace failures on those.
Good luck

 

[leepink23]

There are a number of choices, but I'm pretty darn happy w/ my SCA 120g, and those guys do have great customer service.
That brace looks like it might be Marineland tank?
If so we've seen a number of brace failures on those.
Good luck

It’s aqueon I believe, also would a leveling pad under the future aquarium help? Or is it just likely those braces fail? Also how long would the clamps help? Like a week while getting the new aquarium?

 

[davocean]

It’s aqueon I believe, also would a leveling pad under the future aquarium help? Or is it just likely those braces fail? Also how long would the clamps help? Like a week while getting the new aquarium?

I have not personally noticed aqueon issues, but they are very similar braces.

No one can say for sure how long clamps will hold, but at least they should keep it from moving any farther which should give you some time, but obviously sooner the better.
I would make sure no one runs into or bumps those clamps as well, block area or flag if bars are sticking out to help avoid that.
I would guess you have a little time to work this, a week or more maybe, but that's just a guess.

 

[Neptune 555]

Sorry to jump on your thread... Your top brace was splitting away from the front of the tank pulling at the front... MINE was plastic and cracked two inches back. Is my tank at risk for cracking? It is my 50 gallon freshwater? I *think* weight on the brace bar cracked it? As it was a plastic piece I thought it was just to hold the glass plates on top? It is 20 year old tank... It has been moved once. Mine the whole time.

Help?

 

[Garbonzo]

Hey Garbanzo , Good Job !
Did You run into any snags? You a veteran at tank swaps now !

Actually not a single snag. I had to make a few runs for little tweaks I wanted to make in the plumbing, but other than that really no problems. While I was down there, I cleaned my reactor and UV pumps, put in a new UV bulb, and cleaned the UV quartz sleeve. All the livestock was happy in a 55 with two QD10s, heater and airstone. I fed nori to the rabbitfish and tang so not a lot of nutrients going in the holding tank. The only thing that was a little irritating was my reeflink didn't want to recoginze some pumps so I had to hard reset, remove, and add them back, but that was the worst thing.

I've gotta say the main thing that made it easy was prep. Extra water, extra heaters( each tank had one), extra tarps, extra plumbing (still not everything) extra powerheads(each tank had one), extra holding tanks, extra outlets, etc. I had to utilize one of my trash cans I used for water making to hold liverock because I underestimated how much I had put into the tank over the years so I had to remove water from that and pour into other tanks to make room for rock which would have been problematic if I wouldn't have had extra tanks. I think what I learned was always have plus 1 everything you think you'll need and you might come close.

 

[leepink23]

I have not personally noticed aqueon issues, but they are very similar braces.

No one can say for sure how long clamps will hold, but at least they should keep it from moving any farther which should give you some time, but obviously sooner the better.
I would make sure no one runs into or bumps those clamps as well, block area or flag if bars are sticking out to help avoid that.
I would guess you have a little time to work this, a week or more maybe, but that's just a guess.

Thanks, I plan on ordering in the morning, been wanting the 120 because the 150 is to tall, guess this pushed me, lol praying it all holds up

 

[Neptune 555]

I am uprading my reef to a 180 and was thinking of buying the Aqueon w/ 2 overflows... Is their a known problem this tank? I would be overcome if my 180 had this happen. I think I can manage my 50 gallon this weekend after thanksgiving... BUT this is tough

 

[cracker]

Always some little thing pops up & holds up the job. Great You cleaned, changed uv bulb etc while at it .

 

[Garbonzo]

Same thing happened here yesterday, only solution is a new tank? This is a 150 gallon and I haven’t ordered another tank. I have a spare 55 but it’s just a basic tank not reef ready, I have a lot of Coral and rock, what should be my first steps?

I could have tried to fix it or brace it permanently, but here's my thought. If the tank has flexed while full, all sides are bowed to some degree. Even if clamped and braced(long term) the chances of that tank coming back to perfectly true are minimal. That means that there is going to be uneven pulling and stress on some portions of some caulk seams. So at some point, IMHO, the tank is going to fail. It may hold water for a year, but maybe it'll hold water for 3 more days. That's why I just swapped it out. I didn't think it was worth the risk to leave something in place that was going to fail over time. The clamp worked well, but I tightened ever so gently until the crack just started moving inward and I stopped. I didn't try to close the crack completely. I would wrap the end of the clamp in a towel or padding though or you'll be braining yourself on the clamp every time you walk by the tank

 

[davocean]

^^ Perfect description and well said, I'd feel and do same thing.
Glad it worked out for you and got it handled.

I had a 180g tank failing on me years ago, though it was an acrylic seam, but boy it's a stresser hoping you get handled in time.

My tank made a very loud POP as I was draining it, and I was on a ladder in front of it, talk about a butt clencher!

 

[leepink23]

I could have tried to fix it or brace it permanently, but here's my thought. If the tank has flexed while full, all sides are bowed to some degree. Even if clamped and braced(long term) the chances of that tank coming back to perfectly true are minimal. That means that there is going to be uneven pulling and stress on some portions of some caulk seams. So at some point, IMHO, the tank is going to fail. It may hold water for a year, but maybe it'll hold water for 3 more days. That's why I just swapped it out. I didn't think it was worth the risk to leave something in place that was going to fail over time. The clamp worked well, but I tightened ever so gently until the crack just started moving inward and I stopped. I didn't try to close the crack completely. I would wrap the end of the clamp in a towel or padding though or you'll be braining yourself on the clamp every time you walk by the tank

Thank you for the advice, I have the clamp on now, I tightened it until the crack started moving inward. My plan is to order a new tank in the Am!

 

[leepink23]

Ordered the sca 120 and stand, will be swapping over this weekend. The clamp has worked, no spreading of the crack

 

[leepink23]

14 hours later, and a lot of soar muscles it’s up and running.

 

[HawaiianReef]

..
Sry. Mistake

 

[jtl]

Were it my tank with a plastic brace I would probably either replace the plastic rim or remove it entirely and have some glass cut for euro bracing around the top. In either event you would have to lower the water way down to get the glass to move back into the original position. Glass does not permanently "stretch" so it will correct itself. Otoh, if you really wanted a new tank anyway this is a perfect justification for one