Need help FAST! Broken brace! Please.

[mie]

Put in some new fish today and noticed that the BACK of my center brace is cracked pretty bad, it looks like the metal halide dried out the plastic causing the crack. Anyways, not sure on how long it has been this way, How could I fix this? Not really anywhere to screw a piece of plexi on the back side for a temp brace. Gonna start looking for a new top rim piece online, Could this break the glass if the brace completly broke off from the back? The tank is a 72 gallon bowfront.

 

[meowzer]

YIKES....is there any way you can make a vice???? To hold them together....
I had a brace break on a 55g and it started bowing immediately

 

[shrimpy brains]

Here's an idea that may work, although I am sure some will disagree!

Get one of those ultra long sliding clamps from the hardware store. Place wood on either side of aquarium so you don't harm the glass. Clamp it down snugly, but not too tight to hurt the glass. Then get something like a tupperware dish or rubbermaid container that will fit under the area that needs fixed. (you can drill holes and tie wrap it in place, or lower your water a little and c-clamp it. Then take some J-B weld (I think you can get in in black) glue it together. (the tupperware will catch any drips before they fall into tank) allow it to cure totally(according directions on package) Then release the clamp. It should hold.
Aquarium epoxy may work here too, but not sure it will adhere to plastic or last.

 

[mie]

I just did a quick fix with an L piece of metal I screwed it to the brace and siliconed the back side to the bracket of the tank to prevent any movement. Hopefully this will be ok till I can repalce the tank or brace.

 

[small triggers]

the only other thing i will suggest since youve used metal is spray it with rustoleum or krylon so hopefully it doesnt rust,,that could be baddddd

 

[mie]

Here is the pic of my fix. My only question is that if the brace were to completely break now (could it)? Could this new brace break the back of the tank due to pressure, keep in mind the new brace does not touch the glass it is only against the trim piece in the back and screwed and siliconed down. The orange marks are to see if the plastic splits anymore.

 

[mie]

Bump.