How important is it?

[van888]

:thinking: Hello all just a stupid question. How important is the center piece of plastic that runs from front to back in the middle of my aquarium right above the water. The reason i ask it blocks one of my moon lights. Is it posible to remove this, and is it safe to? OH YEA SEACLONES SUCK!!!!!!!! I'm getting a Aqua C Remora.
Thanks All

 

[bang guy]

gotta have it. There is a way to replace it with acrylic.

 

[gregvabch]

i had to replace the whole top around my 55; the center brace had melted from the heat lamps i used for a snake i had in the tank before. i took it off by way of a razor and some prying, (emptied most of the water), and when i went to put the new one on the tank, it had expanded slightly around the top. my guess would be if you removed that brace, you'd eventually have a mess to clean up.

 

[wannabfish]

IMO its for nothing more than a way to hold your glass lids on top, which im assuming you dont use anyway. from my calculations, you would be safe removing it.

 

[gkp]

Originally posted by van888
:thinking: Hello all just a stupid question. How important is the center piece of plastic that runs from front to back in the middle of my aquarium right above the water.

It is not just a peice of plastic it is the brace to the top of the tank. It keeps the top straight. 46 gallons is enugh pressure to blow your glass. The taller the tank the more important the brace.
This is not a stupid ? I also wondered years ago.

 

[van888]

I see what you are saying about the flex of the glass to the water mass. Makes sense now. Lets say the water is pushing out on the glass this brace stops the glass from expanding to a certain point am i right? I guess i'll have to deal with it. Thanks Guys.

 

[gregvabch]

yeah, that's what i was talking about when i mentioned the slight expansion when i changed mine out. while the old one was off, before i put the new one on, the tank had bowed a little, and that was with most of the water out of it. i'd say with a full tank of water it would probably blow.

 

[msd2]

Originally posted by van888
I see what you are saying about the flex of the glass to the water mass. Makes sense now. Lets say the water is pushing out on the glass this brace stops the glass from expanding to a certain point am i right? I guess i'll have to deal with it. Thanks Guys.
Yes the are crappy for sure but I would really caution removing it. I have a taller tank 24 inches and the tank is about 5 years old and recently moved. When we emptied it we were shocked how stretched out that piece of plastic is so I am guessing it is doing something :joy:

 

[van888]

Yes mine is streched out too or it seems it is. Thats why i didn't think it was important. But i see the reasoning behind it now.

 

[ka0z4allu]

Yep it is important. I have only a 10 gallon and there is no brace, and the top of my tank expands out when it is full of water. I know it would have to be way more pressure in anything bigger. So IMO no brace=disaster!