Rimless or not.....

Hi again all,

Not sure if this is 'I made this' but I'm sure it will be moved if deemed necessary.

As I have just upgraded my lighting, I now have another cunning plan but having read long and hard can see that there are a LOT of -'s and very few +'s in general but would like to test the water, if you will pardon the pun..

I have a Fluval 90 (20G) Roma. A small but good quality tank. Sits on an OK cabinet and looks great in it's position. However, I would like to remove the top trim...

AAARRRGGHHH, I hear you say! Seen it before! Don't do it!!

Hear me out though. I know that at the end of the day it gets dark and that if 20 gallons are on my floor then it's my issue but..

The top trim is not supporting the sides in any way, so should I remove it?

How do I know? It lifts off easily just leaving a nightmare of a silicone bead behind for me to remove. The only contact points for the trim are on TOP of the glass, not the sides, which I would expect if it was 'restraining'.

There is no central support or brace.

I have had it 'loose' i.e raised for around a week now and the tank is EXACTLY the same size at all angles.

The glass underneath is nicely rounded on the top surface and very smooth.

It would look lovely without, and yes I should have bought 1 etc but it's a steep learning curve aint it!

Longevity could be an issue but what are your thoughts?

Apologies for the long post and if you have all been asked this a thousand times.

Carp.

 

anything under 10 gallons should be ok IMO. but over that it really is using that trim for reinforcement. IMO i would get a rimless tank built. not worth it in the longrun when a year later your reef is established and the tank leaks out. that will be more expensive than a rimless tank now.

 

I'm not sure how you found a tank with a top "trim" like that?

When I did a Google image search for "Fluval 90 Roma" I only found these. None of them appear to be rimless, and all of them have a trim around the outside top (sides).

I then did a search for "Fluval 90 Roma rimless" ...I didn't find any rimless tanks with this search either.

Can you put some photos of the tank in question?

 

Tanks of no more than (but including) 29 gallons and rarely come with a center brace. ON these smaller aquariums, just the brace around the outside of the tank is enough to hold that volume of water without the glass bowing (inmost cases). But as the tank is longer and wider, stress on the glass becomes more of a problem.

+1 to what Dboshibby siad...do it at your own risk. I would like to see some pictures though.

 

Picture heavy!

I can understand the confusion.

It's not a rimless tank but one with a rim that physically cannot be offering support.

The top just lifts off and there is no resistance despite it being filled for 2 months.

Image off the rim marks suggesting only vertical support.



Rim being lifted.



The remaining silicone nightmare.




The top just pops back on, I know it SHOULD have been sealed along the sides at one point but it seems to have no effect on the tank at all, for now.

Thoughts....

EDIT: I am answering my own question here, Think I will leave it in place and work around it for until I purchase a rimless tank. I do not want to have it burst!!

 

I would attach it immediately, it does more than u might realize.


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