Glass Thickness Guide

[Freemananana]

I have a 90g aquarium that I plan on sourcing glass from. It is 40"x31"x18". I was interested in making it deeper than the 18", more like 30" deep. This would give me end panels just over the 30"x30". The glass is 1/2" thick. According to the original post, should go with a shorter end panel if I wanted to keep the height? The plan is a plywood tank using this glass as a front viewing panel, but making it deeper than the 18". What sort of bracing should I use? I was thinking of making a 'lid' out of plywood with cutouts for the lights. That way it would make a brace around the entire perimeter with one piece and I could make braces from front to back quite easily.

Thanks for any feedback. I am still planning the tank out. I just couldn't pass up this tank for the price.

 

[nemoash]

am looking on building a 10'x6'x4' saltwater tank, i found a pieces of cast plexi glass sheet 96"x72"x1.25" would this work as my viewing window? am building a in wall tank with ta wood frame that's fiber-glassed in alone with a epoxy water prof resign sealer. i will be taking about 6" off each side for bracing around the window so the window will only be 7'x5'.

 

[Dieboldly]

There seems to be alot of people on here that keep asking the same old question how thick should my glass be. well i am going to write it up so you all can know and can just look it up here. i build glass aquariums from 24x12x15 to 96x36x24". Now remember folks when calculating that you need to consider the end panel and not the front. Ok so here goes in LxWxH terms

24x12x15 4mm

36x15x18 6mm
36x18x18 6mm
36x18x20 6mm
36x24x24 10mm
36x24x28 10mm
36x36x24 12mm
36x24x36 12mm
36x30x30 12mm

48x15x18 6mm
48x18x18 6mm
48x18x20 6mm
48x24x24 10mm
48x24x28 10mm
48x36x24 12mm
48x24x36 12mm
48x30x30 12mm

60x15x18 6mm
60x18x18 6mm
60x18x20 6mm
60x24x24 10mm
60x24x28 10mm
60x36x24 12mm
60x24x36 12mm
60x30x30 12mm

72x15x18 6mm
72x18x18 6mm
72x18x20 6mm
72x24x24 10mm
72x24x28 10mm
72x36x24 12mm
72x24x36 12mm
72x30x30 12mm

84x24x24 10mm
84x24x28 10mm
84x36x24 12mm
84x24x36 12mm
84x30x30 12mm

96x24x24 10mm
96x24x28 10mm
96x36x24 12mm
96x24x36 12mm
96x30x30 12mm

PM me For Custom sizes or sizes not listed

once again once your end panels are 3x3 15mm is required
3x4 19+mm 3x5 25mm

as a general guide

6mm is 1/4"
10mm is 3/8"
12mm is 1/2"
15 is 5/8"
19 is 3/4"
25 is 1"

If you have a size you like to know post on this thread or Pm me

what about patching a hole? I have to patch 3 holes on the bottom of my tank from the old owner drilling in the glass and putting pvc in it for filtration...

 

[millerkid519]

I usually like to patch with the same thickness of material if I have it laying around. 1/4 ich will be fine tho for patching bulkhead holes

 

[windsor]

what about patching a hole? I have to patch 3 holes on the bottom of my tank from the old owner drilling in the glass and putting pvc in it for filtration...

I would ALWAYS advise using the same thickness glass for this type of patching as the main tank thickness, so if the tank is 1/2in then I would use 1/2 glass to cover the holes.

 

[Pharaoh]

what about patching a hole? I have to patch 3 holes on the bottom of my tank from the old owner drilling in the glass and putting pvc in it for filtration...

Interesting question. I think the safe bet is to go with the same thickness. It would however, be interesting to look into how the pressure forces are distributed in a smaller area while considering the larger area as well.

 

[ghelmz2000]

@ all

60" x 22" x 18" aquarium 1/4 thickness glass is this safe aquarium size?

any suggestion.
thanks you

 

[windsor]

If the height is 18" then it should be ok, but personally I would use 3/8" glass because it's quite a large tank for 1/4" thick glass.

 

[Pharaoh]

I really don't like the idea of 1/4" glass for anything, regardless of tank size. I don't have the confidence that it will withstand bumps and bruises.

 

[Yousuf Yaqub]

I want to make 72 x 36 x 36 aquarium with 12mm glass but someone told me that 12mm cannot hold that much pressure and it is not safe to build with 12mm so use 19mm i want to ask that should i do