Midnight

Nice photos. So what are they doing to ensure this tank does not have the same problem that Marc experienced?

I looks like it has a brace that Marc's didn't. I really like the tank and hope it works out for you. Can't wait to see more pictures!!

There are two additional braces being utilized. They have added a euro brace to the overflow end and inside the overflow box they are adding another. The other thing they are doing is using abs plastic instead of acrylic for the end panel. ABS has a lower expansion coefficient than acrylic, so hopefully this will keep that end stress free.

I am waiting to hear what they are doing to Marc's tank, I haven't heard if it is being repaired or replaced.

Did they leave a little breathing room between the ABS and the glass at 80 degrees? I think that's probably key. I like the idea of the 'hybrid' overflow. Seems more visually appealing than the old intruding black overflow columns... I'm excited for you!

Midnight, do you live in an earthquake zone? If so you may miss that diagonal shear brace you cut out of the wall someday.
And dang, that 55 looks tiny on that stand!

Yes blennyman they cut it real short. Phil, although any of the coastal states in the US are prone to earthquakes, the Piedmont of the Carolinas are low on the list. We also do not get very much sustained high winds. I will be adding a header when I actually remove the studs, even though it is not really load bearing. Also that brace may have actually been there due to some crooked studs, that is the more common use here. The only houses that I see with bracing around here are the ones that do not use plywood sheathing.

In the Piedmont area of the Carolinas, the diagonal brace was likely included for wind shear (ie tornados). Attaching plywood on the garage side under what ever finish treatment you're going to use will perform the same job as the diagonal brace (transfer shear evenly across all studs). If the opening is longer than 8-feet, you can place the plywood sheets vertically, as long as the edges of the plywood above and below the opening are touching and screwed to the same jack studs. The shear stress is then spread evenly across all studs by the plywood.

Curious on how that black side panel is attached? Only by four edges? Water will eventually displace between the two pieces. As water goes through teeth into overflow, do you have a concern that once debris works between it and glass that it will cause problems with all the things that can grow in our overflow?

They actually fully silicone the black teeth panel into place. But even if they didn't I would not worry about something like that for two reasons. First, I would think the initial p[pressure of water on that panel would not allow large debris to get in there. Second, if there were water flowing through there then as long as there is flow is is just a dark refugium.