Another, what to do...

[BCOrchidGuy]

I have a budget of only $500 and the tank I was going to buy was a 60x20Hx24 I found out that it will have that ugly center brace that I really don't like. I was planning on having a 400 watt over the middle of the tank and then two 175s about midway off to each side. Now I've either got to get a hagen tank (3 month warranty) which has the steel braces or I can get an older hagen long 108...

Anyone got any other ideas of what I can do.. Oh.. eurobracing would raise the price of the tank by $100...

Or I could go with an undrilled 135 for $399, no one will guarantee a good drilling job if I go this way and frankly when I got a 20 gallon drilled at a glass shop the job they did really wasn't so great.

Ideas, thoughts??

Doug

[roverT]

How much more would it be for a predrilled 135? I think my old 90 was about 50 a hole. But that is 100 total (the cost of the eurobracing) so I don't know :question:

[BCOrchidGuy]

Rover, if I have to order the predrilled 135 it will be a SeaStar and have that glass center brace, the hagens have steel ones that sit off to each side (ugly too)...

I was thinking about it and I think rather than go with a 400 and two 175s I'll just go for a second 400 watt and keep the tank I've ordered.

Doug

[StirCrazy]

ask how much to get it thick enuf glass that you don't need braceing. the decide what you want to do.. personaly I would wait another month or to untill your budget allows you to get what you want so your not sorry laiter.

on a side note, Sea Start told us that none of there tanks need bracing and that it was just there to hold up lights and such.. it was true for mine but I don't know if I would trust that on another.. Maybe Brad will have more insite on that.

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

1/2 inch glass sides, 5/8 bottom.. I'm not sure it really needs the brace but the only other tank I'd really like at this point is the same thing but 24 tall so it would be 60x24x24 rather than 20 tall...

Doug

[apepper]

Check out this thread on reefcentral. I was thinking of trying this on my tank.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=edb0e60d9663e068d76814fc71ab04ea&threadid=289473

This is a photo of the complete modification:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?s=edb0e60d9663e068d76814fc71ab04ea&postid=2165987

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Alex

[StirCrazy]

I would not use acrylic as a center brace on a glass tank, it will weaken with high tempatures so you will have to be carefull how close you put MH lights to it.
another option is to get the tank with a center brace, and have a local glass shop make a couple euro brace for you and then you can cut out the center brace and install the euro brace yourself.. i had them made for my tank and it was 100.00 but i also had 6 holes drilled in them.. I never ended up using them though.. I would imagin they would be about 20.00 with out the holes


Steve

[apepper]

I have other questions related to this, which I put into a new topic under DIY.

[UnderWorldAquatics]

on a well built glass tank, the top trim is simply that, trim, asthetic purposes only
personaly if I was wanting a tank the size you stated and wanted no bracing, I would call up mitch at IA and get it built out of 5/8 or 3/4 and be done with it, mitch will know what thickness youll need