Where to buy aquarium glass

[marcingo]

Hi. Im looking to make a custom aquarium. Does anyone know where to get aquarium glass? Is the tempered glass from Crystal glass ok for an aquarium? It wont be a big one maybe 15-20 gallons so I dont think many things can go wrong. Also does anyone know a good site that shows the whole process on making a tank?

If there is anyone on the board who makes aquariums I would be willing to pay you to either make me one or help me out. Thanks

[howdy20012002]

you will end up probably just as much if not more than buying one at the store.
is it an odd shape that you want?
just curious why u are looking to custom make such a small tank?
As far as I am concerned, 1/4 glass should be fine for a 15 gallon tank.
pretty much any glass store can supply it.
Neal

[marcingo]

well what I want to do is make a long shallow tank. Something like 24 inches long by 10 inches high by 12-13 inches deep. I dont think I can find anything with these parameters anywhere. Reason for this is I think it would be really good for a reef tank.

[howdy20012002]

the 20 gallon long is a pretty good tank close to what you are looking for I think
try petsmart..they have the 20 long.
HTH
Neal

[marcingo]

thanks

[Flusher]

Tempered glass should be fine for an aquarium, as long as you don't try to cut it or put holes in it for plumbing. Although tempered glass is stronger than plate glass, once it's tempered, you're stuck with it as-is. It'll shatter if you try to cut it.

It's definitely cheaper to buy a pre-made tank, unless you can scrounge up free glass. I've come across so much glass it's unbelievable. People just throw the stuff away. I found sheet after sheet of 3/16" glass at the dump at my cabin. People redo their windows, and throw out the old stuff. I've made quite a few small tanks with it, although lots of the glass was in rough shape and unuseable. No leaks or explosions so far. :mrgreen:

You could also try the buy and sell.
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[marcingo]

Thanks for the info Flush. By the way you dont have any junk glass you want to sell do you? Also when you made the tanks did you just silicone the glass together? I'm sure there is more too the process since that would be too easy and everyone would make tanks instead of buying them.

[Midknight]

I like to cruse http://vancouver.craigslist.org/ lots of people giveing things away.
Have picked up several "broken" tanks and just cut them up for the usable peices of glass.:biggrin:
And Rona has some nice "Rona Brand" silicone for doors and windows.
Read the back and it tells you how long to leave your tanks before adding water.

[marcingo]

Sounds like a great idea. Do you know if there is a similar site in alberta (edmonton).

[Flusher]

Buysell.com is nation-wide. Try this link too:

http://edmonton.craigslist.org/

I've got a bunch of glass still, but most of it is pretty small pieces. If we were in the same city, I'd certainly offer more help.

Yes, I just silicone the glass together. It's very easy to do, but it does take a bit of practice. I use Mastercraft Window & Door Clear Silicone from Canadian Tire. It's cheap, and it's good for use with aquariums. It even says so on the back. I let the silicone cure for a couple days before doing a two-day water test.
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[mr_alberta]

You can go to the Architectural Clearing House on Calgary Trail near Argyll Road for glass.

Also, go to Garf.org to the tank building calculator to determine the thickness of glass that you would need.

You can also get silicone for aquarium use at Home Depot and Rona. It comes in clear, white or almond lol. Just make sure its window and door silicone and not stuff designed for use in Kitchen and Bath areas.

Before building the tank, make sure you clean the edges of the glass with Vinegar. Use fiber tape (you know, that tape with what looks like strings running in it) to hold the edges together after you've put silicone between them. Let the silicone cure for a couple of days for full strength.

[howdy20012002]

canadian tire also has silicon which states that right on it that it can be used for aquariums.

[marcingo]

awesome thanks for the help everyone.

[Flusher]

Before building the tank, make sure you clean the edges of the glass with Vinegar.

Windex and razor blades work well too. I use the razor blade to clean off any hardened gunk, since most of my glass comes from old windows. 100 grit sandpaper is also good for smoothing down sharp glass edges. I figure the Windex gets diluted enough during the 2 day water test, and I've never had a problem.

Use fiber tape (you know, that tape with what looks like strings running in it) to hold the edges together after you've put silicone between them.

I normally just silicone the pack panel to the bottom panel, and prop up the back panel for about 30 minutes. After that, I put on the sides. Even before the silicone is totally hardened, it's tough enough to hold the panes in place. Fiber tape is probably a good idea, though.

You can also use painter's tape (the green stuff that doesn't really stick very well) to make a nice clean edge on the bead of silicone. If not, a steady hand and a razor blade can cut off any excess silicone no problem.

Check these out:

http://mops.ca/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/ushop/Glass-Drill-Bits.html?L+scstore+ktwj0791ffba06ba+1161119715

I got one in the mail today. I just put a 40mm hole (for a 3/4" bulkhead) through 3/16" glass in about 10 minutes. It was my first try. It worked well, and it'll save me a bundle on cutting holes. :mrgreen:
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Washington Dispensaries (http://washington.dispensaries.org/)

[marcingo]

So I went to Architectual Clearing Depot and the guy is selling practically brand new glass for pennies. Thanks Mr. Alberta. He's charging $1 per square foot for 3/16 inch glass. There are lots of identical pieces and most of the glass is plate glass. I bought tempered for more but thats just because it was exactly the size I needed. Also just wondering can glass that has been tinted in a dip(not the sticker tint) be used in a SW tank?