Acrylic Thickness Needed

jjaneski94

Feeder Fish
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Mar 15, 2010
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NY, USA
Hello. I am looking into building a 96"x96"x48" marine shark tank. I am wondering what must the minimum thickness of acrylic would I need to keep the water in? Also, it will be four 96x48 acrylic sheets, with top and bottom wooden supports, with metals supports underneath the wood, and probably 4x4's as the top and bottom support, along with acrylic glue. There will be (4) 96" 4x4s bolted together and the top and bottom. Tell me if this sounds like enought support. I also am building a stand that will hold the tank 2.5' about the ground. I am thinking about just screwing 20 pieces of plywood together, with 2x4s in between each plywood layer. This will go on my basement floor, which is concrete. Please help me answer these questions, and I will appreciate it. Also, money is not an issue here, but a limited 96x96 square area is, so it needs to be these demensions. Thanks.

Joe
 

Pharaoh

Administrator
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Feb 18, 2008
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So, if I read this correctly........ you will have four viewing panels on the tank. One on each side with tank dimensions of 96 x 48. will assume you will lose a couple of inches on each side for overlap. so let's say 92 x 44. I'm coming up with 1.88" thick acrylic for a fully supported tank.

Or you are saying that each panel will be bonded together on the sides and simply supported by wood on the top and bottom. With this, I come up with 2" thick acrylic.

There is probably some room to adjust the thickness, but that falls on you and what you are comfortable with. FYI, it is the height that is killing you on the thickness.
 
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