Derimming a 40 gal breeder?

[akashi]

got a while ago from pet smarts gallon sales i dont know the brand of the tank but wondering can i remove and make it rimless?

the center brace is on the bottom of the tank along with another trim i guess

good idea?

http://imgur.com/a/agImh

[seabass]

It's been done before, but I'm not a supporter of it. For one thing, the glass under the trim is not polished (so it is rough and sharp). You'd want to sand it down so you don't cut yourself.

 

You would also have to clean off the silicone from where the trim was attached. And while admittedly not providing a ton of bracing, I still feel that it adds something to the integrity of the tank. I believe that rimless tanks usually have thicker glass.

 

The tank isn't low iron with precise silicone work, so it's really not a premium tank (and will never look like one). However, they are still nice tanks with good dimensions. I would leave it as is, or get a more premium tank, like: http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx_Premium_Cuboid_Low_Iron_Rimless_Aquarium_48.2_Gallon_Nano_Cube_Aquariums_Tanks_Over_40_Gallons-AquaMaxx-UJ94562-FIAQNCNTOF-vi.html

[ajmckay]

Derimming? Sounds dirty...

 

Lol...

 

Anyways it's a pain in the a$$ to do... Taking the plastic off is one thing (takes some time and a few heavy duty razor blades or a dremel) but the primary issue is what you'll find underneath after you scrape off all the silicone residue.

 

Manufacturers use the trim to reduce the amount of surface prep that has to be done. So in all likelihood you'll pull the trim off and find raw cut glass underneath. It could be uneven in spots, chipped, scratched, etc... When I removed the rim on a tank I spent a loooong time after using silicone carbide paper to smooth the edges and even out some spots. If you had a power grinder with a diamond disc it would probably be quicker to get the edge looking okay, but getting a nice polished edge requires further specialized tools.

[Clown79]

I agree with seabass. Its better to leave the trim on it. Removing it could effect the integrity of the tank build. Especially the bottom trim.

[ajmckay]

It's been done before, but I'm not a supporter of it. For one thing, the glass under the trim is not polished (so it is rough and sharp). You'd want to sand it down so you don't cut yourself.

 

You would also have to clean off the silicone from where the trim was attached. And while admittedly not providing a ton of bracing, I still feel that it adds something to the integrity of the tank. I believe that rimless tanks usually have thicker glass.

 

The tank isn't low iron with precise silicone work, so it's really not a premium tank (and will never look like one). However, they are still nice tanks with good dimensions. I would leave it as is, or get a more premium tank, like: http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaMaxx_Premium_Cuboid_Low_Iron_Rimless_Aquarium_48.2_Gallon_Nano_Cube_Aquariums_Tanks_Over_40_Gallons-AquaMaxx-UJ94562-FIAQNCNTOF-vi.html

 

Oh man I want that tank... I would totally do it if I could get away with no shipping... Looks like it's just a bit too large to qualify for their free shipping.