Removing rim from 29 gallon

[Jay Williams]

Hello all, I am looking to downsize my 100 gallon aquarium into a 30 gallon. I've re-homed all my large fish as they will not live healthily in a nano set-up.
I have removed the rim on my 30 gallon aquarium, but stupidly did not do any research prior. I filled up the tank and left it in the garage for a week to see if it would leak. It has been about a week and a half now, with no leaks. However, my main concern is will the silicone and glass be able to support liverock, gravel and of course water long term. In my head im thinking tanks that do not come with a central support brace do not need a lid? My guess is that the plastic rims on tanks have some sort of structural value, and removing them would lead to cracking and leaks. Thoughts on this? As of yet I have not attempted to set up the tank, I just want to see if anyone has had a similar experience, and whether or not it is safe to remove the rim off of a 30 gallon aqurarium.
Thanks! happy reefing.

 

[TX_REEF]

I would not consider this safe. You'll want to eurobrace the top or purchase a properly constructed rimless tank. Rimmed tanks generally have thinner glass and/or less robust silicone work and are not made to support contents without the rim. Failure could very well be sudden and unpredictable.

 

[Jekyl]

I would not consider this safe. You'll want to eurobrace the top or purchase a properly constructed rimless tank. Rimmed tanks generally have thinner glass and/or less robust silicone work and are not made to support contents without the rim. Failure could very well be sudden and unpredictable.

+1 not a good idea.

 

[nereefpat]

TX Reef is right on. To make up for the safety factor of rimmed tanks, rimless tanks use thicker glass.

 

[TX_REEF]

Here is some DIY eurobrace footage if you're so inclined - but for this size tank, I'd think $ vs effort would make it easier to purchase a new tank.