bananaboat
New member
this is how mine is done 1/2in starphire the braces are on top
FAILED BRACE in my 375 gallon tank HELP!
- Thread starter smoke15
- Start date
PurdueMAN_08
Critter Kreeper
Out of curiosity, I am having a tank 72x48x25 build from 1/2 float glass. It will have 6" eurobracing with the front on top of the edge of the class and then the sides on top of the front braces. Should I have the tank builder put a center brace or two on it. This thread is scaring the bajeesus out of me!
Justjoe
New member
I have reinforced tanks using fiberglass angle iron. It comes in a variety of widths, 1.5" would be enough.
With the clamps holding the tank in place, angle iron is placed along the top of the tank (one piece on the front and one on the back), then a piece of angle is cut to length to reach from front to back of the tank. Holes are drilled through the angle iron which is then bolted together with stainless steel bolts and nuts. This way you end up with basically a "U-Clamp" of angle iron.
You could make up several of these to bridge across the tank top.
The major concern here is that if the original pieces already let go, then all the other seams are suspect. Sounds like besides poor design, the glass was not cleaned properly during construction, and the silicone just pulled away. Surface prep is everything. If the lights were not directly over the cross braces, there is no way they caused the failure.
Good luck with it
With the clamps holding the tank in place, angle iron is placed along the top of the tank (one piece on the front and one on the back), then a piece of angle is cut to length to reach from front to back of the tank. Holes are drilled through the angle iron which is then bolted together with stainless steel bolts and nuts. This way you end up with basically a "U-Clamp" of angle iron.
You could make up several of these to bridge across the tank top.
The major concern here is that if the original pieces already let go, then all the other seams are suspect. Sounds like besides poor design, the glass was not cleaned properly during construction, and the silicone just pulled away. Surface prep is everything. If the lights were not directly over the cross braces, there is no way they caused the failure.
Good luck with it
woodwrangler
New member
A little over 2 years ago the center brace failed on our LeeMar 225. While it was a serious pain in the uknow, I tore the tank down and sent it in to LeeMar for repairs. It also gave them the opportunity to check all the other seams in case there was stress put on them when the brace popped. They stepped up and took care of the tank even though, initially, they tried to blame it on the T5 lighting...... :eek1:
I was able to dig up the old thread in case you're interested;
(http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=995058)
I was able to dig up the old thread in case you're interested;
(http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=995058)
sfsuphysics
Active member
I think this would work, HOWEVER the strength of the silicone braces (that failed) needs to come with silicone being between the edge of the glass and the flat plane, not simply "smoothed in" along the corner where glass pieces meet, and there most likely won't be any way to get silicone between the seams unless your tank is seriously bowed out, and you can squeeze some in.
Either way, if you DIY I wouldn't go for off the shelf silicone from Home Depot.
If they offer to fix at your cost, get an estimate, after they do it tell them they're full of **** for saying it was the lights faults, especially if the lights aren't directly over that area!
stunreefer
Reef Hugger
I like Joe's idea... it wouldn't look the prettiest, but better than giant glass braces IMO, and it would barely effect the light.
Smoke15
Your tank should not need an amazing amount of bracing, you should really try to get advice from a professional. No reason you should over brace the tank and risk losing intensity on your lighting. I personally would not want to have to take it to that extreme, no reason for it. If you can not sleep with the fact that this could fail in the future again, that is reason enough to tear it down and do it right.
Your tank should not need an amazing amount of bracing, you should really try to get advice from a professional. No reason you should over brace the tank and risk losing intensity on your lighting. I personally would not want to have to take it to that extreme, no reason for it. If you can not sleep with the fact that this could fail in the future again, that is reason enough to tear it down and do it right.
I have a 300g Leemar, but mine isn't eurobraced. I have three 6" braces from front to back and Leemar only wanted to put in two of them. They said that three was unnecessary. I wanted three so that the bracing was spaced evenly for my lighting to avoid braces. I feel comfortable with mine being over braced. When we saw this failed brace at the meeting, it was gut wrenching. I can not believe that a lame excuse like MH lights was given. Who has a 375g tank and doesn't use MH for lighting?
Marde, can you post what Charlie told you to do? It sounds like your unfortunate story has made a few others nervous and they may want to do a pre-emptive repair.
On a side note...Marde is a cool cat and is certainly not deserving of this headache. It really sucks when something like this happens to such a nice guy.
Marde, can you post what Charlie told you to do? It sounds like your unfortunate story has made a few others nervous and they may want to do a pre-emptive repair.
On a side note...Marde is a cool cat and is certainly not deserving of this headache. It really sucks when something like this happens to such a nice guy.
davocean
Active member
You know, it's a shame, because Marde and his wife were kind enough to host our local reef club meeting, and we were all amazed at his incredible tank.
I'm a general contractor, and have a habit of checking out others work, especially the cabinet and framing.
I took one peek inside at his steel frame and my first thought was wow, someone REALLY built this well!(and as contractors go, it's usually like pulling teeth to give out complments on others work)
So I can't imagine that has anything to do with brace failure.
The fact they claim halides were cause, and reason for void warranty is almost as bad as saying water voids warranty!
I mean, aren't almost ALL large systems using halides?
I really hope the folks at Leemar step up and help correct this for you.
I know I will take this into consideration on any future tank purchases.
Best of luck to you and wife on dealing with this marde.
I'm a general contractor, and have a habit of checking out others work, especially the cabinet and framing.
I took one peek inside at his steel frame and my first thought was wow, someone REALLY built this well!(and as contractors go, it's usually like pulling teeth to give out complments on others work)
So I can't imagine that has anything to do with brace failure.
The fact they claim halides were cause, and reason for void warranty is almost as bad as saying water voids warranty!
I mean, aren't almost ALL large systems using halides?
I really hope the folks at Leemar step up and help correct this for you.
I know I will take this into consideration on any future tank purchases.
Best of luck to you and wife on dealing with this marde.
h20poloman2
Member
wow, so bummed to hear about this. Just got a quote on a leemar tank today, going to think twice about that now. Keep us posted on what happens and let me know if you need anything Marde.
ok i read through this thread and i didn’t see this ? answered and if it did sorry and please answer again but did this tank not have a warranty of some sort on it? I mean come on its only 8 months old. I know around here most builders which there is only a few have lifetime warranties I would take these le mars? to court over this... I would think they would have to put at least a years warranty on this
waynem
New member
Seem these guys have a standard excuse for a failure. That is going to make people scared. Even if it a 1 in 10000 failure. could it be more ? or less?
These people sell how many 1000? more? tanks a years they must know they cut a fine line with the bracing as they hardly amateurs.
Yet with this sort bad PR, the small cost of fixing this tank will be nothing compared to the lost customers for years to come. Any time someone google the name Lee-Mar tanks review this is going to come up.
The tank did have a warranty, but they said that it wasn't covered because he was using MH lighting. I own a 300g Leemar that I picked up myself at their shop, brand new, one year ago. I never got any paperwork that said anything about not using MH lighting. That's a crap excuse and if it was a normal policy, they would have told me when I got my tank.
What's the latest Marde??
smoke15
New member
To follow up. Leemar never helped me with this issue. They stuck with the MH did it excuse. They where willing to send someone out at my expense. However, being stubborn I would be damned to give them anymore of "my money".
I found someone local who replaced the two braces and fortified it further. There have been no more issues .
I found someone local who replaced the two braces and fortified it further. There have been no more issues .
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