# Bracing on a juwel 400



## Maurice11 (May 15, 2013)

Hi, I just picked up a juwel 400 (1.5m x 50 x 66) and the plastic bracing is broken on both sides.

Should I replace this with glass? If so do I use toughened or regular glass, and how to I clamp it to fix and how long for?

Thank you


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## ozman (Sep 7, 2012)

i had a 240l juwel tank and from memory the suround around the top of the tank is all plastic.
given thats the way they were designed, i would contact juwel direct to make sure you do the right thing by yourself.
they probably sell the complete top surround. braces might be plastic welded to that so you have to buy it complete. sorry


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

in general, a glass brace can be added using silicone sealer to hold it in place. regular glass is fine, and if you have difficulty finding thick enough glass, you can laminate several pieces together to get the desired thickness.The tank may need to be spread slightly to place the glass, which should be a smidgen smaller than the internal width at the top of the tank, immediately below the trim. When the glass is in place allow the tank to go back to it's original width and smooth the silicone that oozes out. You will need some arrangement to hold the glass in place while the silicone cures, and allow it several days before refilling.


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## Maurice11 (May 15, 2013)

Thanks for the replies guys.

This seems to be common on juwel tanks as the plastic bracing is cheap. I'll go with glass as its simple. Do I just clamp it lightly with wood either side once I've siliconed it? Presumably I'd just find very large clamps?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Some people use 2 pieces of wood, cut to length, to support the glass brace from the bottom of the aquarium to the underside of the brace until the silicone cures.


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## marklar (Oct 1, 2005)

Maurice11 said:


> Hi, I just picked up a juwel 400 (1.5m x 50 x 66) and the plastic bracing is broken on both sides.
> 
> Should I replace this with glass? If so do I use toughened or regular glass, and how to I clamp it to fix and how long for?
> 
> Thank you


I've got three second hand Jewel 400 tanks. They came to me a couple of years ago and had no braces whatsoever and had been used in the previous owners fish-house (he had 12 in total) without brace bars. Even so, the thought of them full of water was too scary so I constructed a "shoebox lid" style top for each of them out of acrylic. The thing is though, that with the tanks full of water the front and back panels have not bowed in any noticeable way and are not even tight against the lids which I can lift off easily with no resistance. So it seems to me that these tanks are perfectly safe without the plastic brace.


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## Maurice11 (May 15, 2013)

Thanks for your replies.

The thought of a tank bursting and circa 350 litres (without rock) flooding my living room, not to mention losing my tangs, scares me, especially when considering the cost of putting in a brace. There is conflicting information as to why these braces were incorporated by Juwel - posts regarding the same problem on other aquarist forums show extracts from emails from Juwel claiming that the braces are not actually structural (yet prevent bowing!?) and they are not needed because the plastic trim acts as a brace. Balance this against the fact that Juwel operate on a profit basis and would not have put it there unless it was really required...

It's all quite irritating!


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## 660dave (Apr 30, 2013)

I had the same problem on my Juwel Rio 400, i was running with one brace for a couple of years and the second went with an almighty bang. I had it full and running with no braces for around two months until i couldn't bare the sleepless nights any longer lol. I rang Juwel, they said its fine without but looking at the bowed front of the tank which was out of shape by a half inch or so was worrying. I bought a pair of replacement Juwel braces simply because i'm rubbish at DIY and they were a doddle to fit, only had to half empty the water to manage to clip the new braces into place.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Maurice11 said:


> Thanks for the replies guys.
> 
> This seems to be common on juwel tanks as the plastic bracing is cheap. I'll go with glass as its simple. Do I just clamp it lightly with wood either side once I've siliconed it? Presumably I'd just find very large clamps?


You don't need to clamp it. In fact clamping it could force most of the silicone out.


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## Maurice11 (May 15, 2013)

Ok, but how will it hold until the silicone sets?

Would you brace it with one piece across the tank, or would you run a piece of glass either side of the tank lengtways first and then allow the brace to sit on top of that?


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

You can do it either way. Putting pieces lengthwise reduces the types of filtration and access for them to the tank. A single brace in the middle of glass that is sufficiently thick should suffice. You would suspend the brace from the top to hold it in place. I made up some clamp arrangements using a couple of pieces of wood and a couple of bolts to attach the brace to a piece of wood long enough to span the tank. The brace would basically hang in place.One way to spread the tank is to fill it with water to just below where you are adding the silicone. Add the silicone, place the brace, which should be about 1/8" (even 3/16") shorter than the space, front to back, and then very quickly drain the water using a large hose. This will allow the tank to "squeeze" the brace. Ideally you want the gap the same size on both sides. If you are having difficulty getting glass of a sufficient thickness you can laminate two or even three pieces of glass using the silicone to form a thick enough brace. I think about 3/8" thick would be sufficient. You need the thickness to provide sufficient surface area for the silicone to bind the end of the brace to the tank panels.
The things to watch for are that when you place the brace you don't push out the silicone when placing. If using water doesn't seem practical you can use apiece of wood cut to perhaps an 1/8' or 1/4" wider than the front to back internal width and use it to hold the tank apart until the brace is placed and then remove it and spread the silicone that has oozed out to make a nice fillet around the brace. Having a little extra space will allow you to more accurately place the brace so it sits evenly in the space.


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## Maurice11 (May 15, 2013)

BillD, thank you for your detailed reply which has answered many of my questions. I'm going to attempt it this weekend hopefully. Basically it doesn't need clamping.

I was thinking of running two pieces of glass length ways but not across the tank, only for about 6 inches to give the brace more surface area. You think it's uneccessary? It would be easier just using one piece across the tank. By the way, how wide should it be?

I have a couple more questions - should the length of the brace be the exact width of the tank measured to the internal faces? And how long should I leave it before adding water?

Many thanks


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

I don't know the length of your tank, but I generally make the brace about 4" wide. when you get ready to do the actual placement, try a dry run before applying the silicone. it is a good idea to do this even when doing a reseal. It saves time when doing the job, and the practice usually makes it easier.
As far as adding a piece along the glass, it could help with adhering the brace, but is not likely necessary. Your glued in brace should be hidden from view by the trim.


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## Maurice11 (May 15, 2013)

Thanks for your help 

Is 4 days enough for curing?


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Four days should be enough. unless you still have a strong vinegar smell, it should be cured.


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