Top-plastic-removed Euro-Tanks

[Tim Mullins <tmullins at ix_netcom.com>]

Ever notice in books like
"The Optimal Aquarium"
those open looking, pendent
lit, European plant tanks
that have exposed glass
edges around the top?

I removed the brown plastic 
top re-inforcement assembly
from a half-filled Perfecto
50 gallon breeder I use for
bog plants and what an
improvement. Light and airy!

To completely fill a top-
plastic-removed tank, Maybe I
should add the glass struts
Euro-tanks have abutting the
top edges of their front and
rear glass panels. Those struts
could be there to prevent
corner-joints from giving way,
or to limit bowing in lengthwise
glass panels, or as a symptom of
over-engineering, or just to
provide a nice ledge. Don't know.

Suppose they're required. I
need to determine placement,
cross-section, and glue method.
Tank size, tank corner-joint
strength (thicker glass =
more bond area), and tank
lengthwise glass panel
strength (resistance to
bowing) all play in.

It stikes me that in a large
(90 gallon) top-plastic-removed
tank, bowing would be the
prime issue. So, a single center
strut should do. Still, those
Euro-tanks do have end struts.

Might anyone be able to offer
me some advice on this? Or,
perhaps a source for Euro-tanks
in the States.

Thanks
Tim Mullins - Pittsburgh

---

• Prev by Date: Shipping Malysian Trumpet Snails (and plants)
• Next by Date: Plant metabolism question
• Prev by thread: Re: Shipping Malysian Trumpet Snails (and plants)
• Next by thread: Plant metabolism question
• Index(es):
  • Date
  • Thread