Is it possible to cut down tank height

[tbar]

Say someone had a 125 and wanted to make it a 100. Can the top brace be removed and about 4.5" cut off all around the top and then the brace be put back on? I never heard of someone doing something like this but seems like it would be no big deal and not cost to much for a good glass shop. Just wondering.

[MileHighFish]

wouldnt the top brace be wrong also? you would need to make one.. it sounds like a lot of work but i guess a glass shop could do something like this.

[MileHighFish]

o sorry your talking about the top of that tank.. my bad..

[MileHighFish]

would cutting the glass, weaken the glass?

[tbar]

I don't know, just never heard of anyone doing something like this. I got my 125 for a good price $200.00 new. To pay a glass shop another $100.00 or so and then have a unique custom tank that's 72"x 18"x 17.5" doesn't seem bad if that is what somebody wanted. You could get by with less watts having a swallow tank and if your skimmer was a little under sized it would help. Also having a higher % w/c with the same amount of water.

[MileHighFish]

true!! plus you wouldnt have to take your shirt off to work on a shorter tank

[Playa-1]

I think cutting glass in sheets in no big deal. Cutting glass that has already been cut, glued and siliconed into place is going to be a different story. I would suspect that you would be better off buying a new or used glass tank to fit the space you need and then sell the old tank to recoup some of the expense.

[tbar]

yeah I was thinking it must be to much of a hassle or not cost effective or something that's why you never hear of anyone having it done. I was wondering about it for a while. Probably would cost a lot more then $100.00

[crvz]

logistically it's a challenge. Cutting the glass wouldnt weaken it, but a shop is going to want to take the tank apart before cutting the sheets, then silicone it back together. No idea what they would charge for that, but a used 100 gallon with the dimension you want could probably be a lot cheaper.

[tbar]

It would have to be a custom made as this is not a stock tank size. I guess it would only be cost effective if the materials (glass mostly) to custom build it where more then the $200.00 of the 125's original price. Probably not the case I assume.

[Psychographic]

From my experince, most glass shops are not equipped to cut glass this thick on site, plus they more than likey would want the tank completely disassembled. I don't think this would be a cost effective idea.

[tkeracer619]

I did this. My 150 burst a seam and flooded my house..... When setting up my 360 I looked at sump options. What I came up with is completely taking apart the tank and cleaning the panes.

You have to take it to a large glass shop, one that makes shower doors. Here in denver its DGI.

What I did was..... Have the top 3 inches removed. these were then shortened 1 inch. The end panels were cut down 3 inches.

I used the scrap glass to make eurobraces for the tank =D

What it cost. 6 cuts ~ $70 4 polished surfaces ~ $30

If you can handle disassembly and reassembly then it is absolutely worth it.

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/638/37tu4.jpg

[Saltcity]

Any glass shop that cuts glass for table tops or Plate windows in store fronts can cut the fish tank glass...... Actually, if someone knows how to cut glass, they can cut it.
On my 6' 125gallon it had 1/4" glass for the sides... If a glass shop can't cut that then they need to close the doors.

NOW, getting away from CAN they cut it, you need to find someone that WANTs to cut it. To do something like that is really a loser as far as the time it would take to get it all apart and that a glass shop can't "Rip" you off, so they wouldn't really be making any money doing it. The best thing you could do if you really want that done is to tear the tank apart yourself, take a new razor blade and scrap all the remaining silicone off the glass and then take it to a glass shop to cut down.....Then just re-silicone it back together.

If someone brought Just glass, not a tank, into my shop to be cut down, I would charge around $20 to cut 4 pieces and seam the edges.

[tbar]

Thanks tkeracer and Reeforbust, So it would be very cost effective if you were willing to reassemble the tank after taking it down. I saw a thread on here a couple of days ago on doing just that. I think I would have a uneasy feeling doing that unless the tank was in a basement or somewhere that if it busted or leaked it wouldn't damage my home, having never done that before. Maybe leaving it filled with water outside for a month or two might help with that.

[Saltcity]

It's not a big deal t put it back together, just seems like a huge thing...... But I can totally understand not wanting 125 gallons of saltwater pouring down on your nice carpet ;)

[Nlangan]

When a tank busts is does it usually produce a spray or just rivulets down the side? I'm asking because I was thinking that you could build a drain into the bottom of your stand, with evacuation into the sewer. It would only be useful if tanks break so that you get trickles of water that stay inside the stand. The drain wouldn't be much use in the case of a spray or gush of water.

So does anybody know. When tanks go do the go slow or fast?

[tbar]

Don't know for sure and hope I don't ever find out, but I think they can go either way with leaking being more likely. When I first setup my old 75 with external overflow I was concerned enough about flooding that I put a large amount of pond liner under the stand. It was folded up with a runner over it most of the time with the idea if we were away from home for a couple of days I could unfold it and using cinder blocks and bricks I could build a reservoir to contain a spill. Think I employed it once before Getting a drilled 125.

[areze]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13602512#post13602512 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tbar
I don't know, just never heard of anyone doing something like this. I got my 125 for a good price $200.00 new. To pay a glass shop another $100.00 or so and then have a unique custom tank that's 72"x 18"x 17.5" doesn't seem bad if that is what somebody wanted. You could get by with less watts having a swallow tank and if your skimmer was a little under sized it would help. Also having a higher % w/c with the same amount of water.

I would go the other way with it. fill in the bottom of the tank with starboard or foam or rocks, or even sand. take that depth and build yourself a REAL deep DSb if thats what your into. itll give you everything you want, less water volume, sand bed closer to the lights, and you get the DSB too! or if you dont want a DSB or dont want to spend on the sand, like I said, fill it in with rocks or great stuff foam or whatever inert substance you can find for cheap.

if you dont want a bunch of inches of sand visible build up your stand with molding or something to conceal that lower portion of the tank.

the details of your setup really say how feasible this idea is, but if you can get your stand to accomidate it, you can really have your cake and eat it too with this idea.

[Aj Flip]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13602527#post13602527 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by g stone
true!! plus you wouldnt have to take your shirt off to work on a shorter tank my tank is 18" deep and I still have to take off my shirt and use it as a rag LOL

[reef2]

i cut a 10g in half with my tile saw. my tile saw looks like a little circular saw with diamond blade. i taped off a line to follow put it in the grass and used the hose for cooling. worked like a charm.

[tbar]

]I would go the other way with it. fill in the bottom of the tank with starboard or foam or rocks, or even sand. take that depth and build yourself a REAL deep DSb if thats what your into. itll give you everything you want, less water volume, sand bed closer to the lights, and you get the DSB too! or if you dont want a DSB or dont want to spend on the sand, like I said, fill it in with rocks or great stuff foam or whatever inert substance you can find for cheap.

Never thought of this, fill the bottom 4 or 5" with sturdy Styrofoam blocks as solid as possible using great stuff too maybe. Put starboard or thick glass on top and heavy amount of silicone to seal it in. Paint it black or use molding to conceal it. Would be the same as just having a taller stand which might be preferable. That would definitely be unique.