# 55 gallon black rim cracked



## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

I don't think you can repair the trim, I'd be concerned about using any type of glue that may be harmful to the tank inhabitants down the road. You're probably better off ordering a new piece and replacing it. Careful with the sharp glass edge though when you remove the old one.


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## 987456321 (Feb 28, 2012)

i was thinking of using some aquarium safe silicone, if that won't work where should i buy the rim?


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Silicone or 2 part epoxy will work for attaching new brace material.
A brace is required for the tank to be stable when filled otherwise the tank will bow out with the weight of the water and fail. Dogfish tried removing the upper frame on a 55g tank in a test, epic fail!

Just had the center brace fail on one of my oldest 55g tanks.
Old plastic and while working on the lighting I placed a minor amount of weight on it,,,, pop goes the plastic! The tank bowed over 3/8" in seconds and was drawn to 5/8" before I could get a clamping bar in place. Stabilized the tank, drain 40% of the water then reset the width on the bar clamp.
Added a stainless steel wire to clamp the tank at the proper width and glued it in place to save the setup.

I can post a pic after work if you like.
Foster & Smith can special order almost anything if you call and ask for the parts dept.


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

I would try a local store first like big al's and if you can't get it there, try online... 

http://www.glasscages.com/?sAction=ViewCat&lCatID=43

http://cciaquarium.com/price.html


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## 987456321 (Feb 28, 2012)

so nobody thinks i should just fill it? and no filling in the cracks, and making sure that metal piece is attached well?

oh well, i'll go check my favourite lfs (bigals, whitby ontario)
and the other ones that are close (petsmart, petvalu, D&D exotics...etc.)


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## gSTiTcH (Feb 21, 2013)

987456321 said:


> so nobody thinks i should just fill it? and no filling in the cracks, and making sure that metal piece is attached well?


No. I would re-rim the entire tank. That metal piece looks like some backwoods engineering to account for the melted center brace. On a tank that big, the trim is more than just looks. It's very structural. You might not have gotten that great of a deal after all.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Jan 16, 2013)

987456321 said:


> so nobody thinks i should just fill it? and no filling in the cracks, and making sure that metal piece is attached well?
> 
> oh well, i'll go check my favourite lfs (bigals, whitby ontario)
> and the other ones that are close (petsmart, petvalu, D&D exotics...etc.)


No dont fill. 55's are wide, there's a lot of pressure on the front, and rear panels, and without the trim your just asking for trouble. I had a 55 with a broken center brace filled to the top that i ran for over a year rolling the dice on it's risks, no tank blow out happened, but i was lucky. Your trim is also broken from what i think i saw in the pics ontop of the center brace, and thats just begging for a blowout. The new trim is cheap, and installing it will be a little tedious as i've done a few myself, but the piece of mind is totally worth it. Hows the over all silicone condition on the tank. Might as well ask cause if it's in poor condition a full overhaul would be something i would suggest doing at the same time of installing the new trim if you decide to take the advice given in this thread.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

Why can't he derim the tank and silicone a piece of glass in for a center brace?


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## gSTiTcH (Feb 21, 2013)

GraphicGr8s said:


> Why can't he derim the tank and silicone a piece of glass in for a center brace?


Seems like an awful lot of pressure for silicone alone to hold.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Jan 16, 2013)

It can be done using the euro brace method, but i think it would cost more money buying the materials needed then to just install a new trim, only reason i didnt bring it up, and that kind of bracing just makes me nervous.


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## etk300ex (May 1, 2013)

I was just given one in about the same condition. I cut the center brace out. Epoxied the cracks in the rim, clamped it tight let it sit overnight. Then I epoxied a 0.25"x2" piece plexi across the middle. Its plenty strong.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Jan 16, 2013)

etk300ex said:


> I was just given one in about the same condition. I cut the center brace out. Epoxied the cracks in the rim, clamped it tight let it sit overnight. Then I epoxied a 0.25"x2" piece plexi across the middle. Its plenty strong.


How much does it bow? Have you measured it?


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## etk300ex (May 1, 2013)

Nothing visible, I have not measured it. I am switching this one out with my other 55 soon to paint the trim on the other one. I will measure both of them filled and emptied.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

gSTiTcH said:


> Seems like an awful lot of pressure for silicone alone to hold.


?????????????????

What do you think is holding the entire tank together?
Silicone is fine in a stress situation. I think it is as sheer position where it isn't as strong.

It better work anyway. My 75 is done that way from the manufacturer.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Jan 16, 2013)

GraphicGr8s said:


> ?????????????????
> 
> What do you think is holding the entire tank together?
> Silicone is fine in a stress situation. I think it is as sheer position where it isn't as strong.
> ...


Well in a standard 55g the silicone really isnt there to hold the tank together, just make it water tight with assistance in support. It really all comes down to the trim. Imagine a 4 foot piece of wood with each end on a cylinder brick, and you sit on the middle. There's going to be a lot of force exerted to each end, basically how a trim works. Rimless tanks use a different glass chemistry, and heavy duty silicone, hence it's much higher expense. 

Your 75 dosnt have a center brace? Then it's probably old i imagine with much thicker glass then used today. I wish that was still the norm. I love those kinds.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

CrypticLifeStyle said:


> Well in a standard 55g the silicone really isnt there to hold the tank together, just make it water tight with assistance in support. It really all comes down to the trim. Imagine a 4 foot piece of wood with each end on a cylinder brick, and you sit on the middle. There's going to be a lot of force exerted to each end, basically how a trim works. Rimless tanks use a different glass chemistry, and heavy duty silicone, hence it's much higher expense.
> 
> Your 75 dosnt have a center brace? Then it's probably old i imagine with much thicker glass then used today. I wish that was still the norm. I love those kinds.


In any tank the silicone holds it together. I've seen many 55s that have been derimmed and a center brace siliconed in. Your wood example is a bit off though. On a tank you have a bottom panel which adds rigidity to the bottom of the vertical members. You really don't need any trim at all for the bottom on any tank. The top trim in many instances provides that center brace to prevent the top of the large panels from bowing. Sure you could avoid the trim but then the manufacturer would need to use thicker glass. the plastic is cheaper and the edges of the glass then don't have to be polished.


What I meant was my 75 has a piece of glass as the center brace and it is siliconed in. I wish the old Metaframes were still the norm.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Jan 16, 2013)

None of the silicone on standard tanks is there to hold it together by itself. It just does not have that chemistry to hold all that force for a tank size as the OP has. Not so bad up to a 20g, but after that i wouldnt risk it. 

Sealant on rimless tanks are of a totally different grade of silicone strength. Which is why the trim is there on standard tanks. Two different load limits, not to mention the chemistry, and thickness of the glass itself.

I think the wood example is a great example to think about how the force is exerted to the 4 corners as the pressure of the water is against the glass. Which i must add is also why for a stand, it's just about supporting the 4 corners. When you get into large rimless tanks it's often recommended to add a foam sheet underneath to help prevent stress fractures. 

On a 55g like the op has the bottom glass is tempered, while the rest of the tank is not.
When i read your other post i thought you were saying go rimless on his 55g, which i would not do personally. Yeah a center brace added can work, but for the op's situation it's probably cheaper, and easier to just re-add a new trim. 

I find a lot of the 55's i've come across where the center brace is broken, the silicone always seems to be in bad shape as well. They seem to go hand, and hand. 

I see meta frames still pop up now, and then. My buddy collects them, and slate bottom tanks, but manufactures want to shave costs where ever they can, and the glass was usually all tempered which costs more to make. I have a feeling they'll make a come back like most things.


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## etk300ex (May 1, 2013)

CrypticLifeStyle said:


> How much does it bow? Have you measured it?





etk300ex said:


> Nothing visible, I have not measured it. I am switching this one out with my other 55 soon to paint the trim on the other one. I will measure both of them filled and emptied.


Switched these out this weekend, zero flex via 1/16" scale tape.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

Cryptic, the manufacturers are not using the same silicone that you and I would use to seal a tank. They use the RTV series which has better strength. The original silicone used will hold the tank together. But it will bow without a center brace.


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