Need help with top brace for tank

[Jag586]

i have a 120 gallon ish glass tank, 48x 23 5/8 x 24 ish anyway no lfs can find a match for the top frame, I tried looking online and can't find one either, one lfs owner said it's probably a really old tank. So my question is can I make a new top frame / brace out of wood ? Or metal ? I can't find the name of the maker anywhere on the tank either

 

[millerkid519]

How thick is the glass. If it is 5/8 it does not need a center brace.
If you do want a center brace regardless and can weld I would use 1 1/4x 1 1/4 x 1/8 steel angle all the way around And run a 1.5x 1/8 flat bar across the center

 

[Nathan P]

If you use wood, be sure to seal it thoroughly, or it will rot where moisture collects. You could also make a top frame from Plexi, chemically welded with Weld-on.

 

[Jag586]

I'll have to measure it tomorrow but I never thought of using plexie, seeing as I can't weld that's probably a better option

 

[J. H.]

My father put a wood brace on the family 55g because the old one cracked 12yrs. ago. It is still working fine. Make sure the tank is empty when you put the brace on, or the water will bow it slightly and the brace will be useless.

 

[Jag586]

J.H what type of wood

 

[J. H.]

I don't know, it looks like he took a piece of molding, he stained/sealed it, notched it and epoxied it into place.

 

[PDRed302]

What about dropping by a glass shop and having then cut you a few panels? Eurobracing is definitely a fairly simple option.

 

[Jag586]

I was thinking about eurobracing because of the fact this may end up being a planted tank. I like the open top like that it's definitely something I can price out

 

[J. H.]

A nice Eurobraced tank looks better than a rimless. They are the best looking tanks.