How important is the plastic trim?

[BrokenSpoke]

I had to put my tank outside for a month and when I brought it back inside just now I noticed the plastic trim pieces on the top, bottom, and center brace have cracked all the way through. I will be making a new center brace out of 1/4" glass to support the top of the tank but what about the rest? Does the plastic add any structural strength? Should I be worried?

If it matters the tank is a 75 gallon

 

[BrokeColoReefer]

The plastic trim does support all the joints of the tank. The high stress areas are the bottom of the tank, and the top of the tank. Some manufactures do support the tank seams in the bottom and still and trim, one that comes to mind is glass cages. If this is a standard 75 from oceanic, AGA, or the like, i would plan on re supporting the tank, or just going on and buying a used or new one with the bracing in place. Anything you do to the tank that is not factory i would consider running it in the garage for a long period of time to make sure its going to hold.

 

[BrokenSpoke]

Guess it's time to look for a new tank

 

[Zooid]

You could use it as a nice sump or refugium.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

You can buy just the plastic rims. If it's a common 75 then it will be easy to find them.

 

[BrokenSpoke]

You can buy just the plastic rims. If it's a common 75 then it will be easy to find them.

Who carries them?

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I would probably call one of the manufactures and ask them, maybe they will sell them to you or give you a place to purchase them.

 

[ebruce01]

the only person I have seen advertise them is glasscages. Good luck.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Check this out. $16

 

[ebruce01]

those were the only ones I could fine as well. I came up with some crazy results doing a search for them. Hey that can be fun too I guess.

 

[sedor]

FWIW I ran a 55 where the bottom plastic rim was cracked all the way through for about a year. It was used tank when I got it so it probably ran that way a long time before. I left it for aesthetic reasons, but i'm sure being cracked all the way through the structural integrity would be gone if it was providing any.

I don't know this for a fact, but I always thought the plastic was there for decoration, and to provide a place to rest those horrible glass covers that we all throw in the garbage. Most custom tank builders don't add the trim. I would probably fill the tank with tap water and see how it holds up in the garage for a while, but i'm leaning towards trusting it.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

those were the only ones I could fine as well. I came up with some crazy results doing a search for them. Hey that can be fun too I guess.

Check this one out

 

[jpc763]

Wish this thread was around a year ago!

I had a 75g sump that had a cracked bottom frame. I figured, "its a sump, no biggie". Well in November one of the bottom corners gave way (the one with the cracked frame) and the sump started leaking. It had to be replaced.

I would get it fixed before filling it with water. I contacted Aqueon (owns AGA now) and they told me to order one through the LFS.

I am sure that Glass Cages and the other link will work too.

HTH,

 

[jasonh]

I would either get a new trim piece or euro brace all the way around.

sedor, hey some of us use glass covers...have to keep the cats from falling into the tank (been there, done that)

 

[bmb527]

I had a 135 made a few years ago and it had no bracing on the bottom. The plastic trim was just 4 pieces glued on. That was in 1996 and the tank is still up and running.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

as for the rimless tanks: a lot has to do with the thickness of the glass and the type of adhesive that was used. If it came from the manufacture with braces then they need to be on the tank, if you take them off then your rolling the dice.