Glass Thickness Guide

12 Volt Man

Potamotrygon
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its fine. height is the main factor in determining proper glass thickness. for a 24" tall tank, 12mm is perfectly safe.

one of the reasons I was concerned about the recommendations on this thread for do it your selfers, was that there are tanks that are 36" tall in the list, a full foot taller, yet still only using the 12mm glass.
 

Pharaoh

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Let's keep the personal attacks and angry tones to a minimum and lets have a discussion. We really don't want to have to close a sticky.
 

12 Volt Man

Potamotrygon
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I have a question that was brought up earlier in regards to "crappy american tanks"

which is better: say, using a 72x18x30 tall tank as an example:

1. 1/2" thick glass all around, but plastic cross bracing/trim

or

2. 3/8" thick glass all around, but with better glass eurobracing?

which is better/safer and why? ignore the price factor because the thinner glass tank is probably going to be cheaper to build.
 

12 Volt Man

Potamotrygon
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they have way more bracing then the crappy american tanks!
but don't forget that the braces we see everywhere here in north america were not used until the late 90's.

when I started fishkeeping in the early 90's, none of my large tanks had any bracing at all. but were built with very thick glass for the size (eg. 90 gallon 48x18x24 with 1/2"). Nowadays, 90's are often built with 3/8" with bracing.

those braceless tanks I had lasted from 1993 to 2008 fall when I sold them, leak free the whole time. so much for "crappy" silicone LOL

I think that bracless tanks with thick glass are probably better suited to last than today's more modern tanks with thin glass and bracing.

many fishkeepers on this board are not familar with tanks made without bracing of any kind, but not too long ago, that was the way they were made..
 
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12 Volt Man

Potamotrygon
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so you see 12vman that a 263 gallon tank can be built out of 12mm

yes, it can. there is a major manufactuer here in north america (Perfecto Manufacturing) that makes a 265g 84x24x30 tall out of roughly 1/2" (the glass they use seems to be about a mm thinner than true 12mm glass..), although they tend to use thinner glass than the other big two over here (Aqueon and Oceanic) and their cross braces are the "filmsiest" out there right now..not exactly my first choice in tank manufacturers.

I think part of the reason that many have found some (not all) of these recommendations a bit on the thin side (myself included as you know) is because of the height on some of these tanks. height is the main determining factor in glass thickness for aquariums, length and width are not as important.

look at this example:

72x24x28 10mm

a 28" tall tank with a volume of 210g with glass thickness that is used on standard 65 and 75 gallon tanks (in North America) that are much shorter.

what kind of bracing would be needed on a tank like this to make it safe? would more cross braces be needed than normal?

thanks.
 
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