Glass thickness question

[danny zubot]

If I wanted to build a 36" x 36" x 22" aquarium what size glass should I use. Currently my 65 gallon which is 36x18x24" uses 3/8 glass. So could I use the same thickness if the one I want to build is only 22" high? Because of the lower head pressure? Or do I need a higher thickness because of the over all volume increase?

Thanks,

[fishmaster]

Originally Posted by danny zubot

If I wanted to build a 36" x 36" x 22" aquarium what size glass should I use. Currently my 65 gallon which is 36x18x24" uses 3/8 glass. So could I use the same thickness if the one I want to build is only 22" high? Because of the lower head pressure? Or do I need a higher thickness because of the over all volume increase?

Thanks,

As far as I've read, It goes by hight, not volume. Here's a link.
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/aqu...customtank.htm
Hope this helps.

It does vary due to height, but thats only to a point... Im rusty on my tank calculations and dont feel like diggin up my books, but Id say 3/8" is close, me myself, I would go with a 11-12mm thats just under 1/2" for peace of mind

[Psyire]

12mm - 1/2" is good for up to 26" high. If you go over 6' in length then things get somewhat more tricky due to deflection.

[danny zubot]

Better to go with the thicker glass I guess, don't want any accidents. Thanks everyone.

[kwirky]

i'd say 9 or 12mm sides and a 12 or 16mm bottom with a very strong sheet (3/4") of plywood underneath. Thicker glass also provides more surface area for the silicone, allowing a better margin of error in case one makes a boo-boo.

when you increase both your distance side to side and front to back, you need a thicker glass because even though there's head pressure pushing to the sides, there is still a lot of pressure going straight down. The sides are keeping the water in the tank, thus causing gravity to push all the water down.

better safe than sorry