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My wife brought home a baby RES about a week ago, and a co-worker gave me his old 55 gallon tank but the top plastic part where the hood would sit is broken. See pictures. My question is can this be fixed or would it still work? Right now I ahve the turtle in a small insect cage half full with water so I'm rushing around trying to figure out all I need for a decent setup now that I have the tank.

I personally think that you'll need to buy a new tank, sorry for inconvenience! But i really don't think they could be replaced, i don't know, and anyways, only tanks..... they might not be in good condition! So i won't highly suggest that you replace it!

You should still be able to use it, though a thorough examination of the silicone is necessary or you will have a major leak. Also don't rest anything on it, like screens, fixtures or ATBAs. I think the sell replacement rims too, it should be an easy fix.

Glass Cages carries a replacement for $15 if you want to go that route - it's the second from bottom on that list. I'd call them before ordering with a tape measure handy to make sure it will fit. Removing the old one should be easy with a razor blade or scraper, just make sure that all of the old silicone is cleaned off before installing the new one.

I'd give the rest of the aquarium a good inspection too, that center brace is there to keep the glass from bowing. Even if the glass isn't cracked anywhere, it may have caused stress on the seal if full of water while the brace was not in tact. In other words, after you replace the rim/brace and let it cure, fill it up and check for leaks!

Good Luck!