46 Bow Front Rimless DIY

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PolishLumberjack

Feeder Fish
Jul 26, 2017
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Hello all, I recently purchased a 14 year old Aqueon 46 gallon Bow Front aquarium, got it for $40. Its in good shape other than the center brace was broken and the silicone needs replaced. When I purchased it my thoughts were to buy a new top trim from the LFS and reseal the tank. I've contacted the 3 LFS in my area and none can order the trim, I've contacted Aqueon and they informed me they don't sell the top trim. So plan B is to still reseal the tank but go rimless with glass bracing. From what I gather, I'm going with 1/4 inch glass for the bracing and I ordered Momentive RTV 108 for the silicone. I've got a glass place near by where I can purchase the glass I need, I just need to know how to do the bracing. The center brace will be 6" wide (probably overkill) however I'm stuck on what other bracing I should add. I was going to do bracing on the sides connecting the back, side, and front of the tank, however the front glass is not level with the sides (about 1/8 off). Is the 6" center brace enough or should I do additional bracing and where?

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Yeah, it'd be nice if Aqueon continued to produce replacement parts for their tanks. I tried getting replacement overflows and trim but they refuse to sell the overflows and don't produce trim for any discontinued tanks which is a problem for bowfronts.

I think 2" on each side with a 6" central brace would be sufficient
 
Hey, did you ever go along with his build? How'd it turn out?

I'm actually considering doing this for aesthetic reasons. Was thinking about 5" center and 2" euro sides. Not 100% if it's structurally sound though.
 
Also if anyone has the knowledge:

Could 4 triangle-ish corner pieces be used instead of the full 2 inch corner strips?
 
I braced the bottum bow just for some added security. Still wouldn't mind some advice on the top. If it's even realistic.

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A bracing or molding can be ordered through a LFS? I have some tanks I haven't started to put back together because they need moldings. I'd love to be able to order them.
 
Neither member has been on here since 2017 so I doubt you'll get a response.
 
Luiseenator said:
Do you have an update on this? Did it work out?
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I would give it a very high chance of success. The plastic frames on many tanks are not able to provide significant strength to the tank. The plastic is way too thin. Plastic is also not a good material for standing up to stresses for the long term. The silicone has high tensile strength and sheer strength, as does the glass. It is very possible that the repair is stronger than the original.

If the OP returns, an update certainly would be interesting.
 
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