Glass thickness on new tank build

[tzink]

Building off my last thread...

 

I'll be building a 20 gal long rimless. Using calculators online, my current thinking is

3/8" thickness on the front, back, and bottom (30"x12")

1/4" thickness on the sides (12x12")

will be sufficient. Thoughts?

[ReefGoat]

Whats the pricing on all this glass? Just out of curiosity. 

[tzink]

Waiting for a final quote, but about $180

 

 considering a custom tank of the same size was $350+$400 shipping.... not bad?

[ReefGoat]

I agree not bad at all. Thats if you've got all your clamps and small amount of tools you'll need. Try Harbor freight if you need some clamps. You'll still need your aquarium sealant too. If it all works out its a steal. Or if it don't you've wasted 200 or more and were only 150 or less away from the custom glass cages tank.......but I have faith. You can pull it off. I'm excited to see how it comes out. Good luck! That is rather wild that they're charging that much for the 20 long. 

[mitten_reef]

I assumed you want to sump this thing?  otherwise, IM 20 peninsula would have the same dimensions as 20L. @Tigahboy has a really nice 20P on his last build, in case you need to see how things would look.

[tzink]

Right, I’m going to drill the back and use a sump. 

I actually would have gone with the tank from glass cages except for the outrageous shipping cost. 

 

But i think this will be fun. I’m generally handy so I think I can pull it off, and I like myself a good project. 
 

The glass thickness seems ok?

[tzink]

Another build question...

Do the walls of the aquarium sit on top of or on the outside of the bottom panel?

I know the sides are inset between the front and back, but I don't know about the bottom, and since I have a framed tank currently I can't see it for reference.

[farkwar]

9 minutes ago, tzink said:

Another build question

Oh, you have no experience at all working with glass.

 

Or glass boxes filled with water, filled with $1000 worth of animals.

 

 

[ReefGoat]

[tzink]

Thanks, ReefGoat. This is what I figured.

No thanks, Troll! 😄

[farkwar]

My first reef tank was a 4x2x2

 

The bottom cracked, the same day I brought home the nitrogen cycle damsels. $1200 worth of new carpet and padding, in 90s money.

 

Glass Cages has a reputation for leaking tanks, and overall poor quality

 

Even Red Sea is having problems keeping water in their big tanks

 

Decades of experience making boxes of glass that hold water.

 

I am not trolling.  I am warning with humor.  You may not think it's funny.  You definitely won't when your newbie made tank(made with 10 year guaranteed fungus free silicone) bursts, at 3AM or when you are at work, killing your carpet or wood floor and all your animals(the ones that survive the fungicide silicone)

 

 

[tzink]

I get that. I'm also ribbing with humor.

All fair warnings, and fair points.

Certainly, it can't be impossible, right? Lots of people on NR do it. Structurally, it's not rocket science. And as for the glue... Well, just use the silicone that everyone recommends...?

 

Anyway, I'm on the fence. I might just get a IM 20 and rip out the divider and sell all the internals.