anjay Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 hi. I was wondering if the frame on the 5.5g aga tank provides structural benefits or is just for looks, if it is can I remove it? i know this has probably been answered before but i didnt know what to search for...thanks! Link to comment
Tony Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 I think it could probabley be removed. Link to comment
anjay Posted October 13, 2006 Author Share Posted October 13, 2006 how would i go about doing it? Link to comment
EL CHUPACABRA Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 I just ripped one off a aga 15g, the smallest tank they make with 1/4" glass. It was a pain in the ass to say the least. I carefully pried it up on all sides, you have to put a enormous amount of force on it to do this, silicone bonds very very well to glass and very to plastic. There is now way you could do this with anything in the tank, it would be nearly impossible unless you cut it off some how. Let me put it this way, I had to put so much force on it that I ripped the plastic frame into many pieces in the removal process. Sliding a razor blade under it all also helped get it going. If you take the bottom one off you will need to put a thin layer of styrofoam insulation underneath to keep it from cracking. I am so glad I did it it looks so much cleaner and allows substaintly more viewing into the tank fro a upward down angle. Lots of scrapping and a maybe 4hours effort. Not sure about the structural aspects I am yet to add water. Link to comment
anjay Posted October 14, 2006 Author Share Posted October 14, 2006 thanks for the tips man, what did you use, like a wrench? or pliers or what? i just dont want to break the glass by aplying too much force..., i totaly agree, if your building wooden stands/canopys i think it looks horrible... Link to comment
irishtexan Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 I have heard of someone using a dremel to get it off. Link to comment
EL CHUPACABRA Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 thanks for the tips man, what did you use, like a wrench? or pliers or what? i just dont want to break the glass by aplying too much force..., i totaly agree, if your building wooden stands/canopys i think it looks horrible... I slid a razor blade under all of the edges of the trim and tried to lossen as much silicone as possible. It seems like the glue is on the top outside edge but then goos wherever when they apple the frame. I just used my hands to pull it off. The 15g has 1/4" glass so that made it easier, the 5.5g has 1/8" glass so it will be easier to break, this is no easy task, you are going to have to work to get it off. Just be really careful. If you cut the frame so that you can remove each side individually that would be way easier, the corners are the most difficult. You could heat up an old knife in the stove burner and use it to cut the plastic, that way you can use heat to cut the plastic instead of actually sawing through it and risking damaging the glass. Good luck, I may be doing this to my 5.5 also in the next week. Link to comment
anjay Posted October 14, 2006 Author Share Posted October 14, 2006 ok the top is off, it took me less than 5 minutes, came off in 3 big chunks or so, but there is alot of silicone left, to get that off is the only way to keep scraping it with a blade??? it will take forever! Link to comment
EL CHUPACABRA Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 ok the top is off, it took me less than 5 minutes, came off in 3 big chunks or so, but there is alot of silicone left, to get that off is the only way to keep scraping it with a blade??? it will take forever! I just ripped mine off too. The 5.5 was way easier than the 15g! And yes I do believe the blade is the only way to get the silicone off, and yes it does take forever, but every-time you look at the tank you will think it was worthwhile. Have fun. Link to comment
rleon3003 Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 take some pix when youre done or doing it. mkay? thank you. Link to comment
PhatSOB Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 interesting approach guys, I am so glad my little 1.6 is frameless. I want to see some pics to Link to comment
anjay Posted October 15, 2006 Author Share Posted October 15, 2006 interesting approach guys, I am so glad my little 1.6 is frameless. I want to see some pics to yea, its starting to look MUCH better, it gets boring so im doing it little by little, ill post some before and afters in a while.. Link to comment
travisurfer Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 awesome, does it appear to have any effect on the integrity of the tank? Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.