Installing a Coast to Coast...any suggestions?

Laura and Jim will be hosting the May meeting this Saturday the 12th and it will be the usual of food, drinks, raffle and fun.
 
Doors will be open at 6:00 pm for social talk and the meeting will start at 7:00.  Parking gets a little tight and the city says you can't park on 4th but there is a parking lot a block away.   Meeting is usually held in the backyard so feel free to bring your favorite lawn chair, weather permitting of course.

If you need address/directions, contact a club member.

Best if you park at Mini Mall (where the spaghetti establishment use to be)
 
You will get to see his new frag tank set up in the making.
 
Hope to see you there!

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[Nate C.]

Hi guys,

I'm getting ready to install the coast to coast overflow in the 155.  I've got all my pieces made, the two end boxes are put together and by tomorrow I hope to have them ready to silicone into the tank.  Question there...how do I go about doing that without them sliding around on me as I try to get them hung in position?  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[Rico]

Nate,

Use the large wood working clamps from Harbor Freight.  They have 2 all-thread rods with wood handles that allows you to clamp odd shapes.  Plus they are made of wood and will not hurt the items being clamped.  I have a couple you can borrow if you wish.  

Rick

[Nate C.]

Nate,

Use the large wood working clamps from Harbor Freight.  They have 2 all-thread rods with wood handles that allows you to clamp odd shapes.  Plus they are made of wood and will not hurt the items being clamped.  I have a couple you can borrow if you wish.  

Rick

That'd be great.  Could I grab them at the meeting?  I may end up going and getting a couple more as well depending on how many I need.

One more question...being that I'm going to only have silicone holding the pieces together, should I be thinking about a brace or two along the 3' lenght of each side of  the overflow?

[Rico]

I'll have the clamps set out.

I don't think so.  As long as the glued parts are clean and the silicone is allowed to cure, it will be a strong joint.  You remember pulling off the oveflows from that tank, they were siliconed on in the same manner several years ago.  Plus there really is not much load on the joint, since it is submerged, there will not be any weight from the water, only the acrylic.

Rick

[Nate C.]

Sounds good.  I was only worried since the front will have water basically full depth, but behind it will only be ~1 inch deep.  I was afraid maybe the force of the water pushing toward the back wall would cause the seam to buckle.  Guess I'll find out for sure when I do the test fill.  IF there happens to be a problem then, I can re-do the joints and add a brace and try again.