Cheaper to make 150 gallon tank or buy it?

is it cheaper to make a 150 gallon tank or to just buy it? if it is cheaper to make what thickness of glass would I need? would I have to have it precut?
could I use silicone to glue and seal it? thanks for the help

 

That's a big tank for a first tank build... I would have the glass cut ( that way, I would not need to buy new glass if something went wrong ).. you could price a new tank, then get a price to have the glass cut. would recommend buying a tank if this is to be your first tank build.. or do a lot of reseach.
have a link that may help

 

ok maybe ill start off with a ten gallon or sumthing real small

 

try a 15 gal to start with

 

Here's a very useful site that works everything out for you and gives step-by-step directions:


Not sure that I totally agree with his methods, but it's an easy assembly method and should work ok.

(I would suggest that you omit the dowels though, so the bottom sits flush on the shelf and my preference would be to have all the sides sat on the bottom sheet, which I would have cut one size thicker, but give it a try and see.

 

cool site ill see if I can do it

 

Here's a very useful site that works everything out for you and gives step-by-step directions:


Not sure that I totally agree with his methods, but it's an easy assembly method and should work ok.

(I would suggest that you omit the dowels though, so the bottom sits flush on the shelf and my preference would be to have all the sides sat on the bottom sheet, which I would have cut one size thicker, but give it a try and see.

Thanks for the link! I agree that the front, back and sidees should be on the base.
I think the dowels are only to help with the assembly process, as it can be a bugger trying to pick up glass that is flat on a surface.

 

It is difficult to separate the finished build from the worktop, and if using dowels, they must protrude beyond the base. so as to support the whole build with this method. If they are shorter than the base, which is indicated in the link, the bottom panel ends up above base level, as the sides all sit on the work surface. This is ok on a small build, but on a large tank, the entire weight of water in the tank is supported purely by the glass!
see the drawings 1 and 2 below :

The solution to this is to make the bottom large enough to support the sides, as in drawing 3.