pontiac79

Hi

I would like some advice on what types of glass to use when building or repairing a fishtank..
when i started my project i brought second hand tank and brought all new parts on-line.
when i got the tank home i clean it and checked it for cracks and chips.. the strange thing i noticed it was made from frosted glass like what you see in the bathroom windows.. its was smooth one side a textured the other side.. this didn't bother me as i was going to use 3d backgrounds and in-case the sides, so i filled the tank and left for a week to see if it leaked and it was fine.. so i thought it would be OK to use for my project..

So when i had finished all the cabinet and filled the tank it was left to cycle for a few weeks and all was fine.. then came the time to add my fish what where living in my 2ft tank at the time.. all was fine and they settled in great with no stress at all..
two days pasted and then we noticed a large crack had suddently formed on one side..
so all hands to deck we had to extract the fish to my 2ft tank again..poor little mights..lol
and empty the tank before we where swimming in water..

So now to my problem.!! I had a thought on repairing the tank with acrylic but have changed my mind after a little research on this topic and would advise against it for a large crack..
so i am now left with a tank which needs repairing but am in two minds whether to replace just the sides or start from new as this frosted glass that is used is very easily cracked or chipped..
at the moment i have removed the two sides and would like some advice from any experts on which glass to use on repairing or building a fish tank from new..

any advice is good advice and would like to hear from you all on this topic... thanks Lee

ive also come across a great site on plans to build your own fishtank..very good info..
http://www.austinglass.com.au/aquariums.html

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When I build my tanks, I always use clear float glass and have it cut to size. The size of the tank determines the thickness of glass required. Depending on the height of the water you will need 4mm, 6mm or 10mm glass. I always use either 6mm or 10mm for the bottom of the tank, as this is what takes all the weight.

The rule of thumb for this is less than 15", 4mm is sufficient, less than 18", 6mm above 18" and below 36" 10mm. Any higher than 36", talk to the glass supplier, because you will need very heavy panels! The length or front to back depth of the tank doesn't affect this calculation, as the cross-stress bars come into effect. Don't be tempted to cut the cost by reducing the thickness of the side panels, it's not worth the risk!

Calculate the sizes as follows to give maximum strength on the joints:

Bottom: Full length x full depth for the overall size of the finished tank.
Front and back: Full width and full height minus thickness of the bottom.
Sides: Full height minus thickness of bottom, depth minus thickness of front and back combined.
Stress bars: (Front and Back panels) Full length minus 50mm x 50mm wide
(front to back) full depth minus front and back panel thickness x 100mm wide. You need cross-stress bars every 30" minimum along the length of the tank for safety unless you are using very thick glass.

This will enable easy construction too, as everything sits on the bottom panel. To construct, start with the back panel to bottom, then the two side panels and lastly the front panel. Stress bars can then be located 25mm from the top of the front and back panels, running horizontally and centrally placed. The cross-stress bars should be secured from front to back on the top of the stress bars, making sure that you leave a gap at each end for wiring and tube access.

All edges should be polished with emery to round them off for safety. This can be done before or more commonly after assembly. Methylated spirit should be used on all jointing surfaces to remove any traces of grease or dust before silicon is applied.

Joints should be pressed together firmly to squeeze all the air out of the joint then taped to hold it together while the silicon cures. A narrow bead of silicon should be run on the inside of each joint and smoothed with either a spoon handle or a finger to give a nice rounded finish. If you are not well practiced with this, use masking tape on the glass either side of the bead to ensure a nice straight edge.

That should cover the basics. Follow this guide and you will never fail to make a waterproof tank every time.

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BTW, you never mentioned that the original glass in the cracked tank was frosted! this does make repairs much more difficult as the edges are not very smooth, but it is still possible using the internal repair method i suggested in the other thread.

If you have already removed the broken panel without damaging the other panels, well done! If this is the case, you just need to get the glass cut to the right size and then slide it in, making sure that all the joints are well sealed. clear float would still be your best option though, rather than trying to replace the original frosted glass with similar.

pontiac79

hi..
thanks for the reply..
i brought my new tank on sat.. which is a custom made 10mm thick glass. w 39" x h 30" x d 18" very well made tank..
i am using a 304 fluval filter and 2 ghost pumps and a power center which keeps things tidy as ive got three lights 1x day light 1x aqua glow 1x moonlight for night.. hopefully i will have tank all setup for the weekend and will post pictures..
will make a note to remember the float glass as will need to repair my old tank when i get the time..
thanks for all your advice much apreciated...

Kevin

how big is your new tank?