Center brace blocks light can I drill holes ?

[Pike]

So my 65g marineland tank has a centre brace on top which is blocking some light from my 24" Maxspect razor. It blocks light from the center puck. Im am going to build a cover which will block even more light because both frames will widen the centre brace. My question is can I drill say half inch holes along the centre brace with adequate spacing of course ? Will this weaken the brace or cause any problems? I would obviously protect the water from the drilling

[Magickiwi]

Rule of thumb #45: If it came with the tank there must be a reason for it.

I'm sure many people have done things like this and haven't had a problem but my own opinion is if they built it like that, leave it alone.

[425nm]

If you can find some glass you could always just pull the center brace and replace it with a euro brace.

[Seriak]

Rule of thumb #45: If it came with the tank there must be a reason for it.

I'm sure many people have done things like this and haven't had a problem but my own opinion is if they built it like that, leave it alone.

+1

[Pike]

Rule of thumb #45: If it came with the tank there must be a reason for it.

I'm sure many people have done things like this and haven't had a problem but my own opinion is if they built it like that, leave it alone.

Yes i see your point of view and thats what worries me but what if we look at it as a "Mod" Just like many mods are done on various equipment in our hobby.

And I can't replace it with euro brace because its been running for threes months and has livestock in it. That would be much of a project.

Thank you for your input and suggestions , .....

[Ryancw]

How is drilling holes in a tank full of livestock any safer than trying to switch it to eurobracing? Both seem pretty impracticable with a full tank. I vote upgrade time and transfer everything over

[Pike]

I like your approach but I just set up the tank 3 months ago. And I could remove some water and tape plastic garbage bag underneath the brace and along the rim, that way I can catch the particles from drilling...not a problem

[corpusse]

Many years ago when I switched from MH to T5 I was very annoyed by the shadow my center brace left. I drained the tank about halfway, cut the brace or at least 80% of it and replaced it with clear acrylic. I drilled holes in the ends of the brace and the acrylic and attached with nylon screws and nuts. Zero bowing and now it's probably been 7 years. This is in a 5 foot 112 gallon miracles tank. There is still a little bit of shadowing, probably more magnified now that I use LED lights but its much better then a black center brace.

[Pike]

^ Thank you . That is also a possibility but a bit more tricky. Also very assuring that this could be done with out ill effect

[Ryancw]

Highly impractical but this could work....


Build a brace out of 2x4s to slide snug over the top rim of the tank. Have a eurobrace made at a glass shop. Drain the tank down a 1/4 and install 2x4 brace. Cut off center brace and silicon in the eurobrace. Let it dry and then remove 2x4s???

[Pike]

hmmm I see..... that would be cool to have a euro brace. Still seems easier to drill holes. I would have to remove all the black plastic rim that is part of the current brace.....scary

[Ryancw]

I'm no tank builder by any means buy it seems like it would be possible. Give concept a call

[Pike]

cool thanks!!!

[Ron99]

Many years ago when I switched from MH to T5 I was very annoyed by the shadow my center brace left. I drained the tank about halfway, cut the brace or at least 80% of it and replaced it with clear acrylic. I drilled holes in the ends of the brace and the acrylic and attached with nylon screws and nuts. Zero bowing and now it's probably been 7 years. This is in a 5 foot 112 gallon miracles tank. There is still a little bit of shadowing, probably more magnified now that I use LED lights but its much better then a black center brace.

This is exactly what I did with my 75 gallon tank years ago. Worked great.

[mike31154]

How wide is this brace? Is there any livestock under in the shadow of it that really needs the light? If not, don't worry about it, shut off the center puck if possible & save some $$$s on electricity. If you do have something under the brace needing the light, re-aquascape or move to get it somewhere else with more light. Tank is young, now's the time to do this. No drilling, hacking, eurobracing, yada, yada, yada...

For what it's worth, my 77 gallon 4 foot Hagen tank is built without a brace, from the factory. All it has is the plastic trim around the top. It bows visibly in the center when full. For a few years I braced it using a ghetto piece of wood fix. Then I found out the tank comes this way & removed it. I had visions of the wooden brace slipping off & the sudden change in stress bursting the tank. I think the thickness of my glass is 3/8ths inch (non tempered), that's what my VorTech pump spacers are set at.