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vdubfiend
04/11/2007, 12:56 PM
So im contemplating buying another tank vs building my own..
I work i a glass shop so the glass is cheap..
3/8" glass with a starphire front panel is going to be about $275..

Tank dimension would be 60"x24"x24" eurobraced style

1. Can anyone help me out with the best way the pieces should go together? im thinking all pieces to sit on the bottom and 1/2" styrofoam under the tank with a 3/4" plywood base on the stand.


2. The pieces for the eurobracing-how wide is recommended for these?

3. Temper the bottom??


TIA

tperk9784
04/11/2007, 02:13 PM
From what I have read you never want the weight of the tnak to rest on the bottom panel. you always want the weight of the tnak to rest on the sides of the glass. thats why they recommend you put 1/4 inch wooden dowels under the bottom panel before you silicone the sides in place.

I am getting ready to build my own glass tank as well. so I have been researching it.

coralnut99
04/11/2007, 02:33 PM
fwiw, I've dismantled a boatload of tanks in the last year, for various reasons, from a 29 all the way to a braceless 125. All were built with the four side panels resting on the bottom panel. I made three shallow prop tanks from 3 45's I dismantled, and the side panels rest on the bottom panel. When I eurobraced them I used 2 inch strips. Can't speak for the need to temper though.

vdubfiend
04/11/2007, 03:02 PM
Ok thanks!

Also what about overflows? I know acrylic overflows are used in glass tanks with some glass strips right behind the over flow for support…

What about just doing two corner overflows out of glass? Maybe on a 45* angle instead of a cube type shape??


Thanks for the input !!

tperk9784
04/11/2007, 07:50 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9701050#post9701050 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralnut99
fwiw, I've dismantled a boatload of tanks in the last year, for various reasons, from a 29 all the way to a braceless 125. All were built with the four side panels resting on the bottom panel. I made three shallow prop tanks from 3 45's I dismantled, and the side panels rest on the bottom panel. When I eurobraced them I used 2 inch strips. Can't speak for the need to temper though.


Were these that were originally bought in a pet store IE AGA or Perfecto? if so they have a black molding around the bottom so the tank sits on that and not on the bottom pane of glass.

MercZ
04/11/2007, 08:25 PM
I have seen a ton of acrylic tanks the all have had the side resting on the bottom piece. It is just glass tanks that you should place the 4 side around the bottom piece. I was thinking of building a 48 L x 30 T x 20 D. How much would this cost me in glass? Possibily with a starphire front piece.

hahnmeister
04/12/2007, 01:10 AM
I just got done making my new 125g... 48x30x20"high. I used 1/2" all around, starphire for the front and sides, and had the bottom drilled then tempered by the glass shop. Then I have 1/2" thick, 3" wide strips of glass around the whole parimeter. Sure, only the front and back need it really, but I wanted to keep the top uniform. Black silicone all around makes it look slick as well. I placed the sides/back/front panels on TOP of the bottom panel for plumbing logistics reasons, but you can place them around as well. The larger you go, then I would place the side/back/front panels around the bottom for sure.

For a 60x24x24, I would normally think 3/8" is fine (1/2" for the bottom), but starphire is different. I would go 1/2" for sure.

Also, if you make your own starphire tank, be sure to find out which side is the 'tin' side and which is the 'air' side. With Starphire, you want to have the tin side facing out... otherwise, the compression from the slight bowing will cause little pin sized holes to pop out of the glass surface on the inside. I used a short-wave UV lamp to view the glass in the dark, and the Tin side lights up like a white ghost compared to the 'air' side.

I would suggest the bottom be 1/2" tempered.

So the final list for a 5'x2'x2'...
1pc 5/8" plate, 59"x23", drilled, then tempered.
1pc 1/2" plate, 60"x24"
1pc 1/2" starphire, 60"x24"
2pcs 1/2" starphire, 23"x24"
2pcs 1/2" plate, 3"x60"
2pcs 1/2" plate, 3"x18"

That will leave you with an 18" deep by 56" long open area up top. You could forget the euro-bracing and use a couple 6" wide, 1/2" thick, 23" long pieces as traditional cross braces... which ever works better for your lighting solution.

OR, if you arent 100% set on the dimensions, I picked 20" tall and 30" deep instead. I prefer those dimensions myself... more 'useful' space, and things arent so crammed up top.

vdubfiend
04/12/2007, 09:46 AM
THANKS Hahnmeister.....

:)