With a tank that tall, you're going to need some pretty thick glass. At least 1" thick is what I would suggest. If you dropped the height down to 36 you could definitely use 3/4". Other things to consider is the amount of lighting to light 48" deep. Is there any way to make it longer and/or wider and not so tall. The 1000 gallon I'm building is 38" deep to the bottom of the overflow with a 30" tall window and the 30" is fairly tall.
If the tank is only going to be viewable from 1 side, I would suggest building the sides and back with something other than glass and just a glass window. You may could use 3/4" at 48" tall if the glass is fully supported all the way down the front. I'm not positive on that, but it would be safer and cheaper in my opinion. I will have around $1500 in my tank, excluding any equipment. All glass would have been a lot more.
If you're absolutely wanting 48", then acrylic may be a better choice for your build.
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Matt S
Current Tank Info: 1000 gallon display - 500 gallon sump - 75 gallon fuge
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