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Aquarium Glass Thickness Charts


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#1 Mr_docfish

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Posted 01 June 2009 - 11:03 PM

Here is a page from a book that I picked up a while ago....

Table 4 is the one that corresponds to normal aquariums (with strips and straps on top of the tank).....

Table 2 is for base thickness

Table 3 is only for Euro/ADA style, strapless tanks..... (not recommended for long term use, the silicon will eventually give out)....



here is the latest version available as a PDF download.... it is a bit clearer than my scanned image.... see last page....
http://www.nationalg..._Section_14.pdf

#2 Mr_docfish

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Posted 02 June 2009 - 01:42 PM

Quotes from another forum:
QUOTE
manufacturers often giving what called 'margin for error' to cover for insurance claims issues...nevertheless its good to know different specs of of different companies use for the recommendation...... it'll be a margin of error but some a pretty big margins


I would accept that the margin is there.... but why make a tank to minimum specifications when it means a 50/50 chance of holding long term?? Would it not be better to build tanks to a moderate level (one size down from what the chart suggests) to ensure the survival of the tanks, the occupants, the floor and the owner's sanity??
I have spent time discussing aquarium building and glass thickness with an engineer in Sydney (I went there to build a tank for a restaurant belonging to a friend, and he requested an engineers approval to the design for insurance purposes - the same went for everything that went into the building of the restaurant). The tank was to be 900high and 1800 long, he wanted a minimum of 19mm in that case.... so it pains me when I get people asking for quotes for tanks 900 high and over 1500 long and say I am double the price compared to everyone else (I have seen quotes by other tank makers, and I would not build tanks to those specifications *think* )
Just this week I saw 3 near identical quotes for a tank 1000 high in 12mm glass... now this is pushing the boundary too far.... it is half of what it should have been, and I was happy to do it out of 19mm... but not 12mm... but I reluctantly had to give him a quote just to show him we can play in the same ball park:
So now I have to offer two quotes -
- one the way it should be for safety & long term structurally sound reasons
- and the other cheaper one is to compete with the remaining Perth quotes... this is to prove that I am not expensive as many assume I am, and to show the customer that there is a difference and I am prepared to build a better tank... I dont make more money out of the thicker glass, and considering the weight of it, it is harder to build it and move it, so I'm mad to offer it, but it is the right thing to do.


Just because a tank can hold water at the time, does not mean it is structurally sound....
I have lost count a long time ago as to how many tanks I have had to repair or throw away and make a new one for customers that have purchased a tank with thinner than required glass..... I can mention one guy in particular, that owned a 6x30x30 in 10mm and had it repaired 3 times by the original tank maker before he finally came to me and had one made of 12mm and it is still standing and operating on the same cabinet......and he has moved it to a second house in the mean time too....
I would like to get the opportunity to get an engineer to comment on this subject, and show us the reasoning behind his decision just to prove the point.....

The tanks being made in Perth are getting bigger and bigger and the glass thickness is being kept to a minimum due to price, and for no other reason.....

sorry for the rant.....

#3 Vebas

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Posted 02 June 2009 - 04:01 PM

QUOTE (Mr_docfish @ Jun 2 2009, 01:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Just this week I saw 3 near identical quotes for a tank 1000 high in 12mm glass... now this is pushing the boundary too far


Yowser, I can't believe any store (let alone three different stores) would actually quote 1m high in 12mm.....

QUOTE
Oliver, you know my thoughts on this,

600mm high = 10mm glass
750mm high = 12mm glass
850mm high = 15mm glass
1000mm high = 19mm glass

i have been using this formula for over 16 years and have never needed to change them, better safe than sorry.
We have also done work in 22mm and 25mm glass, anything bigger than that and you have to go acrylic.

(NB. the above is our guidelines that we go off, but they are only guide lines)


#4 Mr_docfish

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Posted 02 June 2009 - 10:26 PM

Youare one of only a handful of Aquarium builders that I would trust to make my own tank, I'm glad you see it from my perspective. I agree with those guidelines, I would build tanks within the same....

#5 Paddy

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Posted 06 June 2009 - 04:32 PM

Was shocked about 4 months ago when I was offered a free tank from a business (not a FS) that was closing down as long as I took it away. Got there drained it got it home, it is 1200mm H x 1200mm W in 12mm glass... Needless to say it now sits in my garage and I will probably get rid of it as a reptile tank but it does have full drillings and bulkheads attached.. Couldnt believe someone would make this tank.

#6 mick

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Posted 06 June 2009 - 06:03 PM

QUOTE (Paddy @ Jun 6 2009, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Was shocked about 4 months ago when I was offered a free tank from a business (not a FS) that was closing down as long as I took it away. Got there drained it got it home, it is 1200mm H x 1200mm W in 12mm glass... Needless to say it now sits in my garage and I will probably get rid of it as a reptile tank but it does have full drillings and bulkheads attached.. Couldnt believe someone would make this tank.

The tank was 1200 high?!?!

and 1200 wide right? how long was it then?

Or was it 1200 long and 1200 wide?

#7 Paddy

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Posted 07 June 2009 - 06:27 PM

1200 high 1200 wide and ~660 deep

#8 Cthompson

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Posted 16 December 2009 - 10:26 AM

QUOTE
Oliver, you know my thoughts on this,

600mm high = 10mm glass
750mm high = 12mm glass
850mm high = 15mm glass
1000mm high = 19mm glass

i have been using this formula for over 16 years and have never needed to change them, better safe than sorry.
We have also done work in 22mm and 25mm glass, anything bigger than that and you have to go acrylic.

(NB. the above is our guidelines that we go off, but they are only guide lines)


I fully agree with these specs. To often tanks are made to minimum requirements, and the $ factor takes priority. My 2000l 1m high tank is made from 19mm and my 2'.6" high tank I had made out of 15mm.

#9 Oscar Love

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Posted 14 September 2010 - 09:53 AM

Does length ever come into play with glass thinkness? Or is cross bracing enough to make it structually sound?

My tank is 2400x600x450mm and I used 10mm glass with 3 cross braces and alloy angles on the corners for peace of mind.

#10 Neakit

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Posted 14 September 2010 - 10:13 AM

alloy angle will add no strength to a tank, there is just no way to attach it properly. and i believe 10mm is overkill for an 18" tall tank when there is no holes or cut outs in it.

#11 Oscar Love

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Posted 14 September 2010 - 11:06 AM

So I'm covered then smile.gif

I used silicon to attach it it to the corners. I figured it would hold as well as it does the glass. But I'm no engineer...




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