Removed center brace finally

[FireEater]

It has been about 5 days and the middle corals are responding a lot better. Plus other corals that were affected by the brace are looking good. Even though no water touched the brace and I was always keeping it clean, I feel it still blocks out to much light.

The end tabs are 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" and the rods are made from heli arc rods. Everything is Stainless and should hold up fine. I will keep an eye on the though for any corrosion that might crop up.

[Samper]

Did you remove it with the system full? Mine is tight when full but has some small amount of play when empty and I'd be scared to remove it even for a little bit.

[FireEater]

I did it while it was full. I put two long clamps across it and left them a little loose. Then I started to cut away at the silicon on top and underneath. It was time consuming and I finally cut and scraped the silicon away. I had to be careful and did not actually break any colonies doing it.

That left the silicon that is between the edges of the brace and the tank glass left. It pulled away some but held tight in other places. Finally I took a piece of wood and placed it right next to the edge of the brace. The wood went from one side to the other and was about a 1/4" longer that the measurement between the front and back glass.

I used this piece of wood as a wedge and slowly hit it with a hammer to pry the front and back glass apart. I could hear the last of the silicon cracking away until one side broke loose.

What I did to keep the brace from falling into the tank was tie two pieces of rope under it on each end and across the clamps. Basically I made a cradle for it.

Once I got one end broke loose, I hit the wood a few more times until I could get that end up and about the tank. Then I pulled the wood out and the sides came back together. So while the one end was up on the top of the tank, I cut the rope off and moved the clamps back out to either side of the brace to give me room to work.

I then pulled the brace upward as for as my lights would allow and could hear the silicon on that side breaking loose. Since my lights limited me in movement, I took my razor and cut under the brace while holding it up. I cut away the silicon that is between the brace edge and the tank. it came loose and no more brace.

I tightened the clamps up until I put the new braces in place and siliconed them. I then loosened up the clamps and removed them.

It took about 3 hours overall and I would recommend two people doing this job. I have a knack for things like this so I really didn't need help, but it would have been nice to have it anyway.

I can kinda set it back up again maybe tomorrow to take some pics of the rope cradle and clamps if anyone wants me to. Not sure why I didn't take pics of the process as I do everything else.

[Clay12340]

So you actually stretched the tank wider to remove the brace or am I not understanding your explanation? It seems like putting added pressure on the tank would weaken the seals on the tank.

[FireEater]

I stretched it apart just enough to get the brace above the trim piece on one side. The tank is 6 feet long so I'm sure there is room for play.

It most likely stretched a 1/4" for the piece to get over the trim. So basically you can divide that by two since both sides moved. So the one side moved maybe an 1/8".

Heck I've seen tanks bow out 2 to 3 inches when their center brace came loose on one end and no leaking problems occurred. Plus the silicon around the top of the tank is always above water anyway. It has the most silicon on it due to it's main purpose which is to hold the trim piece in place.

[salt-rookie]

Gutsy move...I wouldn't have done it! I hope it holds!

[Samper]

Seems like the easiest way to do this would have been to build your braces and put them on right beside the old center braces then take a dremel and cut the old brace out. Then one by one carefully slide your new braces over and into place and then tighten em down. Looking at mine I think that's the way I would have tried it. Your idea is a good one but I can't see going through all that trouble and risk if there is an easier way. Cracking silicone and prying the tank panes apart just makes me feel uneasy. Never the less it looks great.

[FireEater]

Using a dremel is not an option as you have to cut under the brace also and the dremel will not work in the water. Plus a dremel will make a mess by getting bits and pieces of silicon and plastic from the trim piece all over.

A new razor knife blade is so easy as it only cuts the silicon and can get in deep without hurting the plastic trim.

Prying the sides apart was not as traumatic as it seems. I had the two clamps in place and kept them loose but tight enough to wear the side would not have popped apart. I just eased them apart until I could get the glass brace up and over the top piece of trim.

Everything was done with precision and very very slowly. I didn't beat on anything or force anything. Once the silicon started to let loose from the edge of the glass brace, I was able to cut it some more with the knife to finish it.

True, something could go wrong, but I feel I took every precaution I could and had planned this out forever. To be honest, I was more worried about busting up my colonies at the top of the water than anything. maybe that was why I went at it as careful as I could.

[CSeaSee]

How long had you been thinking about this little project? Gutsy...

[FireEater]

A few years now. If I ever go to a bigger tank I will do this mod the first thing before I set it up.