# Want to go Rimless on my new 20 H AGA



## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer

I got a new 20 gallon High All glass aquarium. I really like the look of rimless tanks like the one below :










So how do I do this? Do I just pull of the upper and lower trim and clean up the residue left behind after?

How do I get the trim off in the first place? Anyone see any potential problems with a rimless tank?

Thanks for any help !!


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## xeloR

Dude ADA's and AGA's are two completely different classes. I’m not sure that you can remove the frame from a framed tank without causing structural problems (I wouldn’t) but maybe some one else can chime in on that. Tanks such as the Solana and the pictured ADA have a special type of silicone that can withstand more pressure hence the reason it is able to be rimless.


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer

Yeah the tank above is a ADA, I was just reading up on a thread where a guy pulled off the trim on a aga. Im starting to wonder though that it might not be such a hot idea.


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## xeloR

I would definitely get more opinions/ read up on it before you do so. What color is your trim- wood??


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer

no its black plastic.


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## xeloR

That’s not bad then if you’re not able to remove it- it’s the plastic wood trim that looks hella 80's IMO! Looking forward to seeing this nano come along- get a thread going once you make the tank switch.


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## SeedlessOne

Use a box cutter and cut the corners off. Pull the trim off in four pieces. Be very careful. Clean the silicone and there ya go. Now problems removing that trim.


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer

Yeah seedless thats how I have seen it done, just want other opinion before i do it. Do you have a rimless tank? Im going to leave the bottom trim on though.


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## Trigga

The 25 I was talking to you about is rimless.. I have a canopy on it right now though


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## Demon Darko

Does the trim aquariums even offer any structural support at all I wonder?


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## Ægir

Slytooth13 said:


> Does the trim aquariums even offer any structural support at all I wonder?


Yes a substantial amount, mainly in bowing in the center of the viewing panel on longer tanks... And once you remove the trim, any water movment in the tank is working to break the silicone seals. I wouldnt do it personally, but the things i would note are glass thickness on the front and side panels, and the length of the front panel span. I am sure somewhere you can find a chart based on glass thickness that will give you a safety rating on the span of your tank.

I will see if i can find anything...









Ok, so far i have found a few things... your main problems are the height of this tank, because the water load is mostly in the top corners of the tank... And everything i have found for a 2' x 2' rimless tanks recomends 3/8 or 1/2" thick glass... i would be willing to bet you have 1/8" tempered glass all around


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer

Alright thanks guys, It's not a good idea I gather so Im jsut going to leave it. Right now im gonna get it drilled and go with a sump -first time for me using a sump


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## shiver905

Its been done many times.
Well, the top trim.

Never seen one without the bottom.

Personally id
do some braceing with some glass.
..

Id try it man, It looks dope!


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## Ægir

shiver905 said:


> *Its been done many times.*
> Well, the top trim.
> 
> Never seen one without the bottom.
> 
> Personally id
> do some braceing with some glass.
> ..
> 
> Id try it man, It looks dope!


I would LOVE to see pictures of a tank that tall with 1/8" tempered glass holding water....

All rimless tanks are built with way thicker glass to compensate for the lack of trim (1/2" or 5/8")... and as i said earlier the main stress point on a 20 tall are the top corners (which the trim holds together) soooo... it may hold for a day, or a week, but is a guaranteed mess on your floor.

And why would he add glass bracing when he is trying to get away from the trim? Even glass eurobracing would be more invasive than the trim already there.

Sometimes i wonder....


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## Plowboy

If you do try this I would suggest hitting the top of the glass with a wet stone or anything to knock down the sharp edges. They will cut the hell out of you.

Also isnt there some place selling these things in glass or acrylic? I cant imagine they would be expensive


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## Ægir

Plowboy said:


> If you do try this I would suggest hitting the top of the glass with a wet stone or anything to knock down the sharp edges. They will cut the hell out of you.
> 
> Also isnt there some place selling these things in glass or acrylic? I cant imagine they would be expensive


Heres a 50 gal for 950$ with stand... click

heres a 20x20x15 (28 gal) for 250$ clicky

Notice the 1/2" glass?


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## Plowboy

so they aren't exactly cheap lol.

I'm not going to disagree with you on the glass. It's a lot more load than most people think. Also I can't imagine the silicon on a cheap 20g tank is meant for that kind of stress either.


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## Ægir

Plowboy said:


> so they aren't exactly cheap lol.
> 
> I'm not going to disagree with you on the glass. It's a lot more load than most people think. Also I can't imagine the silicon on a cheap 20g tank is meant for that kind of stress either.


No, they arent cheap... because they use about 20 times more glass than a standard aquarium

On RC i saw a dude who had a custom built 500 something gal rimless tank... 7/8 or 1" glass all around and weighed 12000 lbs EMPTY

What do you think that cost?


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## Plowboy

Skunkbudfour20 said:


> What do you think that cost?


What does an acre worth of sand dune cost?


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## Ægir

Plowboy said:


> What do you think that cost?:laugh:


What does an acre worth of sand dune cost?








[/quote]

Try more like an acre of property with Oil rights, or a gold / silver mine...


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## Plowboy

lol probably even with the rapid inflation of current land prices.


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