sas137 Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 hi guyes im just about to send the order through for some glass to build a 2000ltr tank. ona use 12mm glass was just wondering if 10mm glass would be ok for bracing and how much bracing would be needed. was thinking about two full strips runing the lengh of tank at top and bottom. and three strips top and bottom one at each end and one in the middle, any suggestions welcomed llewellyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 What dimensions - 2000L is a very big tank... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Id say if I was building a 2000litre tank I would use at least 12mm glass for everything depending on dimentions maybe thicker.. Its going to be expensive but 2000litres is alot of water (and fish) that you dont want on the floor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 The length of the panels and the head of water are the critical things from the strength point of view but there is a proportion ratio that looks best also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 The length of the panels and the head of water are the critical things from the strength point of view On that note, how much is this affected by the width of the tank, ie how much water there is behind the pannel? For example, I was looking at getting a 6'x3'widex2'h tank made, how much more would the extra width stress the front/back pannels compaired to a standard 6'x2'x2' tank? No extra height, but a 50% increase in volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 The width doesn't make any difference. E.G. the stresses on the front of a 1200x500x500H tank are the same as a 1200x1000x500H tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 Alanmin is correct, it's pressure that affects glass thickness only and this is related to the height. It has nothing at all to do with the volume of water in the tank. Even if the width was only 10mm the glass would still have to be the same thickness as if it was 10km. It's only height, length, panel material, altitude and operating temperature that affects the thickness - width doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 Cool, thanks!! *starts dreaming of huge wide tanks* :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 so with saying the width doesn't matter are yuo sang that general engineering principals don't work as they work on all factors, not just height as you say this seems very strange, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas137 Posted September 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 thanks guys the dimentions were gona be 2000long by 1000 by 1000 it wouldnt be fulled to top but yea any advice allways walcome price of glass wasnt to bad i thought gona cost 1750 for glass is gona b tropicall for g gourami Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 General engineering priciples do work. The head of water (height of tank) creates the pressure on the glass which is greatest at the bottom. The length of the panel determines how much the panel wants to flex. The width has nothing to do with either until it exceeds the length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichfanatic Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 Would use 15mm glass at leased for a tank this size I built my own tank size 1800x700x700 This was built using 12mm glass With lots of bracing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 thanks guys the dimentions were gona be 2000long by 1000 by 1000 it wouldnt be fulled to top but yea any advice allways walcome price of glass wasnt to bad i thought gona cost 1750 for glass is gona b tropicall for g gourami To fill to the top you'll need to use 25mm glass to get a safety factor of 3.8 or 19mm glass for 2.16. 12mm glass will break as the safety factor is 0.86 and 1.0 = the strength of the glass with no safety factor and 15mm only gives 1.35. If you're only going to part fill the tank then the 12mm suggested earlier will only be good for about 750-800mm max. If you're only going to fill to that level then why pay for 200-250mm extra glass you'll never be able to use? I think you'd best get the glass re-quoted in 19 or 25mm or look at using toughened glass (which basically doubles the price for the same thickness). Toughened 12mm would do the job but the silicone join at the edge will be too narrow to handle the force. You'll need at least 24mm of joint width, - so an extra strip run full height. Alternatively a steel frame with the glass set in it would work and be much stronger (although the glass still needs to be the same thickness). Go here to learn about glass: http://www.fnzas.org.nz/articles/techni ... thickness/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 so with saying the width doesn't matter are yuo sang that general engineering principals don't work as they work on all factors, not just height as you say this seems very strange, Go look it up, you'll find almost immediate that width doesn't matter at all. Pressure is proportional to height when liquids are involved. The length effects how much support the middle section of the glass receives from the sides hence different alpha and beta constants for the height/length ratio. So width does not factor into the equation at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 thanks guys the dimentions were gona be 2000long by 1000 by 1000 it wouldnt be fulled to top but yea any advice allways walcome price of glass wasnt to bad i thought gona cost 1750 for glass 12mm wont cut it, as warren said min 25mm. it will cost well over $2000 for 25mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paekakboyz Posted September 27, 2007 Report Share Posted September 27, 2007 that is going to be one heavy tank (even without water!). Sas137 - I'd be inclined to err on the side of safety! better to spend a bit more and be content you've got a sturdy and safe tank rather than picking up the pieces and mopping up the water! Do post a pic once you have it made tho! it'll be awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 I'd be inclined to not make it so deep. Anything much over 2' high is going to be a PITA to clean etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas137 Posted October 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 yea pain in the butt right to clean, so could it be made 2000l x 1200w x 650d. if not might have to go back to the drawing boad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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