# 6ft glass tank advice needed...



## cadwallader (Jul 6, 2011)

Hey,
i am need of a handy man/woman advice.
i have just bought a 6ft tank as an upgrade for franklin the turtle  now this is the tricky bit, the top has siliconed glass braces is there any way i can cleanly remove these so i can insert a fake background for some land area. i have not though of it before but im *guessing *they are there for support lol. so i will have to put some back in?
All help will be great 
Cheers Luke


----------



## smithson (Jul 6, 2011)

hi there they are there for support if you take them out it will bow an
mite crack the glass an it will be hard to put them back in hope this helps you


----------



## driftoz (Jul 6, 2011)

cut the background into sections? then re stick together inside the tank ?


----------



## cadwallader (Jul 6, 2011)

driftoz said:


> cut the background into sections? then re stick together inside the tank ?


yer was hopeing not to do that but i guess its the only way...


----------



## smithson (Jul 6, 2011)

its fine to do that i h'ave done it with most of my fish tanks
ones you put cement on it you wont no the diff


----------



## Virides (Jul 7, 2011)

Alternatively you could put in packers to make the whole surface flush. This would mean the supports are still in place and you get a flawless background.


----------



## hurcorh (Jul 7, 2011)

do the background in three segments?


----------



## Snakeluvver2 (Jul 7, 2011)

Yer those braces are important. 
What I did was make a land section that sat off the glass by about 2cm, then I filled that gap with sand.


----------



## melluvssnakes (Jul 11, 2011)

The braces aren't that important. They are mostly there to hold the glass lids. No problem with taking them off. Easiest way is with a razor blade. We do it all the time at work. (I work in a pet shop that makes and sells their own fish tanks)


----------



## reptileKev81 (Jul 11, 2011)

melluvssnakes said:


> The braces aren't that important. They are mostly there to hold the glass lids. No problem with taking them off. Easiest way is with a razor blade. We do it all the time at work. (I work in a pet shop that makes and sells their own fish tanks)



I think it depends on how tall your tank is, and the glass thickness.
Tall tanks, and tanks made of thin glass will need it for support? You can take it out, just make sure the tank is not full of water and be sure to replace it after.


----------



## Amazing Amazon (Jul 11, 2011)

Definately put the bracing back in or your tank could crack. Really depends on how much water you put in, but there is no set guide on how much water would be safe without doing damage. Bracing is there for strength and unless your glass thickness is over sized (I very much doubt it would be)it could be a problem. Shouldn't be too hard to cut it out and put it back in again. Just cut the front edge and back edge with a blade, put your back round in then use a couple of props to hold the bracing up while your silicon goes off. Leave for 5 days to properly dry then you should be good to go.
Paul


----------



## cadwallader (Jul 11, 2011)

the gaps in the top mean im doing the background in like 5 bits this ones going to be awesome just picked up the plants and when i get back from the snow it shall all start


----------



## reptileKev81 (Jul 11, 2011)

lols I wish I saw this thread earlier. I started building my background in 2 pieces for my beardie tank. It never occured to me to cut the cross-member type thing out, lols


----------



## Amazing Amazon (Jul 11, 2011)

We often make tanks for customers and supply the bracing separately so they can put it in after. The universal rock back rounds are popular because you can bend them in one piece to fit in pretty much all tanks.
Rock Backrounds - Lizards - Reptiles - Aquarium and reptile online shop in Melbourne. Specialise in Baby Turtles, Lizards, Frogs and Pythons also for sale!


----------



## cadwallader (Jul 11, 2011)

tried cutting out a brace out of an old tank using a blade defiantly just making it in pieces soo excited...


----------

