My marine experience

[Joe Fish]

I just got my stand finished, which I built and the water in. Looks like my seals are holding and the stand is too. Here a couple pictures of what I have so far. I will post as I progress. I hope to get the equipment I need in the next week or so, then the live rock.

 

[Joe Fish]

If you look at IMG_02211.jpg, the middle brace broke while moving the tank around. I glued it back together with some epoxy, should I make a reinforced brace for it? When I initally filled the tank it really wanted to bow out. What do you think I should do?

 

[aresgod]

I would buy a new tank...when that brace breaks it is bad news...just a matter of time until the seams go due to the pressure.

 

[KahluaZzZ]

sometimes it can handle the pressure...but looking at the glass thickness and considering it's a 4 feet i doubt it's a good thing to keep it.
It's a perfecto tank ?

 

[OCCFan023]

the 100-150 dollars spend on a new tank is well worth the elimination of the risk of having the tank bust when you have 500 dollars worth of live rock, 300 of fish and so on. And you dont want to ruin that nice bar thats comming along right (that is a bar correct?)

I would spring for the new tank

 

[Joe Fish]

Sure is a bar. I just about have that done as well. I made two braces for it, do you think they will hold? I think I'm going to make the braces go all the way around the tank and just incorporate that in the design and look of the tank. Think it'll work?

 

[aresgod]

honestly it might, but having said that it really is not worth it to have it fail, when 55 gallons of water is on the floor and all of your fish are dead and your insurance company drops you, you will wish that you had spent the extra 100$ to get a new tank...did the brace break when you filled it up? might be able to exchange it from where you bought it. it is your choice, but I really think it would be a bad idea not to replace it. This from someone who has dealt with a tank breaking and dumping water everywhere.

 

[Joe Fish]

No, I broke the brace on it. It's only a plastic brace so I think I can just buy a metal one to work for it. I really didn't want to spend an extra 100. I don't even know where I could get a tank for 100 bucks.

 

[aresgod]

its your call....

 

[Joe Fish]

Where can I find the manufacter of the tank? I read that you can get a replacement top trim and brace.

 

[aresgod]

there should be a small tag somewhere on the bottom.

 

[KahluaZzZ]

My 55g perfecto wich is exactly like yours doesn't have the tag.

 

[Joe Fish]

Well I think I might have found a solution.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/brace/Class//T1/F13CX+0302+0795/EDP/41518/Itemdy00.aspx

I can buy the top frame of the tank.

 

[wayne]

How thick is that glass?

 

[dbacksrat]

If you're near a Petsmart, you can return or exchange it there, no questions asked. Their policy on returns is so ridiculous, you can get away with almost anything! You don't even need a receipt or original packaging!

 

[S.Reef]

I have seen quite a few tanks with the center braces cut, if your reinforcing it you probably wont have a problem but thats my opinion and its your house, money and decision.

 

[Joe Fish]

I don't know who made the tank. I do have a petsmart near by, but will they take it? A friend of mine gave me the tank?

 

[S.Reef]

It should have a little tab on the bottom that tells the make and date it was made.

 

[Joe Fish]

I'm going to buy a syphon today so I can drain the tank and take a look. That would be awesome if I could exchange the tank. I already ordered the new top brace to the tank so hopefully I can get the old one off fairly easy and replace it with the new one.

 

[Joe Fish]

I'm looking to get 2 penguin 550 powerheads. Do I need to hook them up to a air pump?