what can i do with 5mm glass??

[Reef Puffer]

how big can i go? i do have a tempered base that is 2 1/2'x 2 1/2'x 12mm if i decide to use it. but lots of untempered 5mm glass aswell. this calculator (http://www.theaquatools.com/building-your-aquarium) says if i go no more than 14" high i can like 1 000 000cm X 1 000 000cm or more? just doesnt seem right? but at 16" high i can get almost 4' square? anybody actually used 5mm glass? how high can i go? what are some different dimensions people have done/seen themselves? maybe long and skinny? i just need room for my FW id sharks to swim and if i have to buy a tank its goin salt! help muchly appreciated! thanx

[Reef Puffer]

is there a shape (ie: hex,pentagon,rectangle,square...) that might me structurally more stable?

[Nano]

Hex probably with thin glass would be ok. But personally that's pqrette thin glass.

[Reef Puffer]

ya i think its thin too. i built my sump with no issues and that calculator says i can go quite large? i searched 5mm glass here on canreef and this guy had a 60 gal over 20 inches high that was professionally built will 5mm glass as far as i could tell?

[bignose]

I wouldn't go bigger than 20G it's too risky. I would be constantly be worried about the pressure, my tank is 18" tall and has glass twice as thick.

[rastaangel]

You can build alot outta 5mm if you build it correctly.
I build 90g outta 6mm salvage all the time, you just have to brace and cleat it properly

[sphelps]

with the 2' x 2' base I'd say 20" tall with a decent euro brace is fine but probably as big as you'd want to go. It's not really the seams you have to worry about or the tank holding together. If the glass is too thin it will bow/budge causing distortion which can be really annoying.

[tim the toolman]

with the 2' x 2' base I'd say 20" tall with a decent euro brace is fine but probably as big as you'd want to go. It's not really the seams you have to worry about or the tank holding together. If the glass is too thin it will bow/budge causing distortion which can be really annoying.

+1
Euro brace and inside brace the bottom and you should be fine. I have seen a 55g fresh water system of 5mm and it was like 5 years old. Just don't cheap out on the silicone as the sandwich joint between your edges will not be very thick. Also I would run your long sides about 3mm past the edges of your short sides so you can create a double joint and seal the inside corner as well as the outside corner.

[reefermadness]

5mm? Are you sure its not 6mm/1/4"?

[Reef Puffer]

thanks guys, i was afraid i wasnt going to get any input here... so that sheet for the base is actually a circle 42" round (not so sure its tempered anymore either? will find out tho if i have to cut it). i figured without even cutting it tho, i could maximize the size by building it hex right on top. would work out to 20" panels be about 3' across, and have just enuf room left in front to rest your elbows while staring at the tank.....

my questions are,
1. would the hex be good idea or bad idea?
2. is 3' across a little to large, should i go smaller (how small)?
3. if hex is a "good idea" and "(whatever size chosen)" how tall then?

a) 20" panels 20" h would be almost 90g
b) 20" panels 16" h would be just over 70g
c) 16" panels 20" h is like 58g
d) 16" panels 16" h would b 46g.

im leaning toward (B) maybe (C), if its a better idea? (A) would be ideal and (D) well..., ill go with the 20" cubeish if thats the case (50 gal)?

thanx

[Reef Puffer]

5mm? Are you sure its not 6mm/1/4"?
maybe 6mm, looks like 3/16"? i should b wearing glasses tho.....

[Reef Puffer]

i do have two 4' sheets that look to be 6mm/1/4" (barely thinner if u ask me) but are only 14"h and in pretty rough shape if i need to use those somewhere?
i just dont have access to a larger tank in my area, cant afford to get to calgary/vancouver for one without a payment plan, and i have lots of glass. my id sharks just need a bigger tank! i am still in need of a 90g or so for a nice reef DT tho if any one can help....

[bignose]

5mm=3/16"

[gregzz4]

I haven't read through all the responses ...

5mm isn't that thin. I have an Aqueon 36g bowfront that isn't any different. Only difference is the, I think, tempered face. And if it's not, then it's really strong for such thin glass.

Oh, BTW, yesterday I had to remove 2 baffles in my sump. They were 6mm - 17-1/4 x 16-3/4. I couldn't cut them out, so I tried taping them and WHACK with a wrecker bar edge. No go after many tries. I eventually had to score the panes and then smack them hard enough to hurt my ears.

So, my point is, your 5mm can take a lot

[Reef Puffer]

thanks guys, i was afraid i wasnt going to get any input here... so that sheet for the base is actually a circle 42" round (not so sure its tempered anymore either? will find out tho if i have to cut it). i figured without even cutting it tho, i could maximize the size by building it hex right on top. would work out to 20" panels be about 3' across, and have just enuf room left in front to rest your elbows while staring at the tank.....

my questions are,
1. would the hex be good idea or bad idea?
2. is 3' across a little to large, should i go smaller (how small)?
3. if hex is a "good idea" and "(whatever size chosen)" how tall then?

a) 20" panels 20" h would be almost 90g
b) 20" panels 16" h would be just over 70g
c) 16" panels 20" h is like 58g
d) 16" panels 16" h would b 46g.

im leaning toward (B) maybe (C), if its a better idea? (A) would be ideal and (D) well..., ill go with the 20" cubeish if thats the case (50 gal)?

thanx ...

[chewie]

As far as I know its not the length or width of a tank that justifies the glass thickness but the height. The taller the tank the thicker the glass you need. Just my two cents.

[paddyob]

5mm? Are you sure its not 6mm/1/4"?


+1. It could be 3/16" though.

[Lampshade]

check out this link:
http://www.theaquatools.com/building-your-aquarium

you can change your safety index to whatever you feel is "safe". IF it's tempered you can usually go a little thinner than non tempered, as you see with most store bought tanks.

[Reef Puffer]

check out this link:
http://www.theaquatools.com/building-your-aquarium

you can change your safety index to whatever you feel is "safe". IF it's tempered you can usually go a little thinner than non tempered, as you see with most store bought tanks.
thanx. thats the link i put in my very first post.....

[Reef Puffer]

so i decided to just build it. hex 20 1/2"w by 18"h (like 85gal or so). will see what happens... photo bucket still wont work for me? but i attached a photo of my build just to give an idea of what im building here (just cut and placed glass with tape). keep in mind i'll beef up the stand and build a skirt around it, aswell as some sort of large hex hood. thanx for playing along, if anyone is interested just lemme know and i'll keep u posted on the progress. not sure if it will be a temporary home for my id sharks then build a sump and overflow for a reef. or just leave it planted FW for the sharks and find some small rays and discus maybe? thanx again for all your inputs, and i wont hold anyone liable if this thing blows out!!

[troni]

my 20g is 5mm which is 3/16. i also made my sump out of 5mm but no water in it yet.