Anyone know how to cut the top off an acrylic tank?

[JP SPS]

The tank is up and running, but I am tired of dealing with the water splashes and salt creep on the top of my acrylic tank, plus I think it hurts my PAR. Does anyone have a good way to cut part of the top off? I was thinking of scoring it and hitting with a hammer to break it off. Is there a better way? Would doing this hurt the structural integrity of the rest of the tank?

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

do you mean you want to open the top of the bracing up...ie you have largish tank with smallish opening on top and you wish to make the openings bigger?

fairly simple if that is the case, though i would be pretty nervous about dropping the needed tool in the tank...this should be done with a router...drop the water level a couple inches, place large plastic sheet on the water to protect it from shavings/ dust etc...set router guide and run around the opening to the desired size

but you would need to take a couple pics of the tank for us to see what your dealing with...removing part or all the brace could certainly have serious structural impacts on the tank...hitting it with a hammer will definitely be a very bad idea, it could cause catastrophic failure of the brace/ tank...

 

[cubalz]

The tank is up and running, but I am tired of dealing with the water splashes and salt creep on the top of my acrylic tank, plus I think it hurts my PAR. Does anyone have a good way to cut part of the top off? I was thinking of scoring it and hitting with a hammer to break it off. Is there a better way? Would doing this hurt the structural integrity of the rest of the tank?

I am not sure the proper way to cut the top off but I can tell you this: I cannot imagine any scenario where cutting off the entire top of an acrylic tank to make it rimless would end up with nothing short of disaster. Structurally, it needs it to hold water, period.

I am hoping I am wrong in my interpretation of what you are asking to do

 

[JP SPS]

Here is a picture of an acrylic tank, not mine. What I am looking to do is to remove the area between the two openings to make one large opening.

Would this cause a structural concern?

 

[madean]

I would say yes, especially if it's very thin acrylic like the one in the picture. Some manufactures will use this type of a brace to get away with using thinner acrylic on the sides. I would not do it personally. You really need to post the exact thickness of the acrylic and exact dimensions of the tank and the exact dimensions of the top bracing and the exact dimensions of what you plan to do as far as cutting.
Or just get stronger lights.

 

[JP SPS]

Tank is 60x24x18. Acrylic is 3/8". Made by a large acrylic tank manufacturer who is out of business and who's name is blocked on this site for some reason...

 

[peppie]

I wouldnt do it. The top is is designed that way for the use of thinner side wall. As stated above.