Glass/Acrylic Thickness Calculations

[AZ Red]

I imagine that someone has probably asked this already, but if I couldn't find 1.25" glass, would a .75" and a .5" sandwiched together work instead?

Thx,
AZR

 

[spencer0t]

amehelo's -- Glass Thickness Guide

Salt Aquariums -- Glass Thickness Chart

AquaTools.com -- Glass Thickness Calculator


Reference materials:

http://www.austinglass.com.au/aquariums.html

I tried to use the aquatools calculator it doesn't work it keeps bringing me to ads

 

[mfreader]

It appears some of the original calculator sites are not being maintained, which is unfortunate. The GARF site (www.garf.org) has changed so their tank calculator, which provides glass thickness, is a bit harder to find (http://www.garf.org/navagation.html).

Here's a bit of a technical site on aquarium glass thickness calculations, however it's in the UK so the specs are all metric. A basic metric converter utility can deal with this of course.

http://www.aquarium-glass.co.uk

 

[spencer0t]

So

It appears some of the original calculator sites are not being maintained, which is unfortunate. The GARF site (www.garf.org) has changed so their tank calculator, which provides glass thickness, is a bit harder to find (http://www.garf.org/navagation.html).

Here's a bit of a technical site on aquarium glass thickness calculations, however it's in the UK so the specs are all metric. A basic metric converter utility can deal with this of course.

http://www.aquarium-glass.co.uk

So for a larger tank I should use Laminated Annealed Glass

 

[mfreader]

So

So for a larger tank I should use Laminated Annealed Glass

I'm no glass engineer/expert. The info at that UK site seems to recommend laminated glass for large panels. I think laminated glass is what you see in car windshields, so instead of blowing apart, it is supposed to fracture as a sheet and therefore leak if stressed. His analogy for tempered (toughened) glass is pretty graphic--with water pressure behind the little shattered bits--would be like a shotgun blast.

It appears, based on your suggested tank size (10x5x5 ft), the approx. force along the bottom seam of a 10 foot by 5 foot window may be a bit over 3,000 lbs (@ 2.17 lbs/sq in), but you need to do the calculations or get a qualified engineer to do them.

 

[brent245]

It seems to me the calculator only works for tanks with lengths longer than their height. I'm considering a 20x11x 26tall tank and it suggests 3/4" thick which makes no sense. I figure 3/8 would be more than sufficient. Am I wrong?

 

[vader2nd]

it is good to have an idea on how thick of glass to get when making your own aquarium

 

[Matthewgauger]

I got a sweet deal on 2 sheets of half 1/2 inch acrylic measuring 48x48 i am wondering if anyone can tell me the maximum width I can make the tank that it will be safe without Bowing Out because I would rather not cut them and it will be a plywood tank

 

[Ken Seeley]

Im having a hard time inputing numbers on the calculator, maybe due to cell pgone and not computer?? Lookong to build a 72x36x36 closed top tank

 

[KevRoq]

I want to build and tank, size 8'Lx2'wx2'h
My local acrylic provider has 2 piece of Acrylic 8x4 at a thickness of 1/4 inch. I dont think thats enough, so what thickness you guys think is safe for that set up.
(Sorry the calculator app is not working for me =( it says error )