# Brace bar snapped on juwel rio 240



## chewy (12 Jul 2017)

Hi everyone, hopefully this is the correct forum to post in.

My bracebar has snapped right at the lip it fits under. As i was not too sure if its easy/difficult to try and somehow scrape the broken part out ( I dont want to cause any damage to the tank), I decided to order 2 replacements. 

At first I thought about placing them an equal distance across the tank to distribute the weight, but I realised it may make any future scaping difficult with larger bits of wood. 

Would placing them directly next to either side of the current bar support the tank be fine, or would the weight not sit properly.

I apologize if I am being daft about an obvious answer, I am useless when it comes to anything DIY, but the bowing is making me a bit anxious and I want to do it correctly.

Thanks in advance for any help/tips you can spare.


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## geoffbark (12 Jul 2017)

Have you got an f clamp ( http://www.screwfix.com/p/irwin-quick-grip-36-quick-change-bar-clamps/27987 ) or a piece of wood to put over the tank and reduce the bowing for now? also drop your water level for now! I have know these to pop!! As for your new braces you can place them how you like as long as its stops the bowing


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## chewy (12 Jul 2017)

Dont have anything like that to stop the bowing, will start dropingp the water level now. Thanks for getting back to me.


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## alto (12 Jul 2017)

If you're seeing significant bowing I'd be concerned that the silicon seals are already releasing  
& thats a lot of water 

As mentioned above - drop your water level .... I'd go to half at least

If you haven't already, contact Juwel & discuss how best to deal with this


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## chewy (12 Jul 2017)

Dropped it down to approx half. It was bowing out by around half a centimeter, wasnt that you could see it by eye, but the gap between the part of the brace bar that snapped clean. Its more or less touching now, so there has been some pressure taken off.

I was worried about the seals, no drips at the moment, but I will keep my eye on it.


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## alto (12 Jul 2017)

I'd expect 5mm bow to be OK

BUT for the fact that it snapped the brace bar

- call Jewel on this, it really should not have happened - ask for a report of any other Rio 240 integrity failures (don't speak with reception or sales, insist on technical support) ...  either the brace has failed or the adhesion between brace & glass failed or the silicone seals are failing

You don't mention how old tank is or if it's second (or third etc) hand - silicone seals are stressed when tanks are not level (especially across the diagonal) or during moving ... larger tanks are more likely to be torqued/twisted when being moved than smaller tanks


If you've many fish be sure to increase water change frequency while water volume is lower


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## chewy (13 Jul 2017)

I have had the tank for around 14 years from new, but I did move the tank a few months ago. The problem has probably stemmed from movement when I pass the tank. The house I am in is a bit wonky! Its been moved back to its original place where it sat for the last 6-7 years, so hopefully it will be ok.

The braces I ordered arrived this morning and been put in place. Just hope everything is fine now.


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## zozo (13 Jul 2017)

I got a 90x35x35 6mm braceless tank (2mm more than adviced) and still i see it bow outwards a few mm too.. Even my braceless 60x30x30 4mm bows.. I guess that is pretty normal, glass has a certain flexybility, and it should have.. If you have a rather large window in the house somewhere, than for the fun of it, push against it, you be surpriced how easly it bends. This flexibility is what prevents it from cracking.

For your peace of mind check a aquarium calculator and see if you're glass ticknes is calculated to the proper dimensions, should be 7 or 8 mm i guess for a 240 litre.
Than the brace probably is more meant as cover support than safety feature, more likely an extra safety than a necessity. 

http://www.theaquatools.com/building-your-aquarium

Putting on clamps to prevent it from bowing is a nono.. Presure should be equaly devided over the whole lenght.. That is what a kit seam does.. Clamps will create pressure points and make it crack more easily.

Looked it up, Juwel Rio 240 121x41x55cm is 8mm glass.. The calculator says 9mm as minimum.. So thats a borderline case..


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## zozo (13 Jul 2017)

Just red at a German Forum, breaking the brace bar seems to be a common Juwel issue. 1 thread 4 victims. A fellow stated writing an e-mail to Juwel and they sended him a replacement with kit and manual, free of charge.. 
https://www.juwel-aquarium.co.uk/Contact/

Read (translate) post # 11
https://www.aquariumforum.de/threads/60795-mittelsteg-abgebrochen


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## chewy (13 Jul 2017)

Thanks for checking that. Just thought with the age of the tank it wouldnt be worth contacting juwel.

Also, no chance of me pressing a window, with my luck at the moment I will go through it!


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## Aqua360 (14 Jul 2017)

Sounds like a good excuse for a tank upgrade to me


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## castle (25 Jul 2017)

Yes, drop water level to half for sure, I did the same with ada 75p.

I ask, is bowing normal then?

my ada 75p, (75x45x45 8mm) bows a good centimeter; it's caused me to stop using it =./


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