ryanjury Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 got a heap off trademe just wondering if you can make any sized tanks with it or is it too thin? Either way it will be useful for lids just wondering.. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 http://www.fnzas.org.nz/articles/technical/common_sized_aquaria/ Small tanks like 60x30cm are OK from 3mm glass. Good to make a set of small breeding / fry growing tanks. Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 If you were to make a tank 600 x 300 x 300 from 3mm, I would not allow anyone I had any say with to even visit In glazing with all sides totally supported, 3mm glass is allowed to be glazed to .50 of a meter and that is .45 of a meter. The wind load is considered too strong. As a glass merchant, I could be find up to a max of $500,000 if I sold a bit of 3mm over .50 and knew it was for glazing. You tell me if its worth it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Yea i wouldn't risk using 3mm on a 600 x 300 tank Asking for trouble. I would use it on something like a 20L tank max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted November 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 I was thinking of making 600 x 300 tanks but having a permanent divider in the middle for support.. It will be in my fishroom and just for initial grow out tanks.. The pieces of glass are 600 x 600 so quite big.. Is the stress more with taller tanks? Would I get away with smaller 30cm tanks? Or am I better to just use it for lids? Even though they're in my fishroom I wouldn't want a tank to break or anything.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Well say if you were to make a 600 x 300 x 300 tank with a permanent divider in the middle that would make it two 300 x 300 x 300 tanks. So would 3mm glass be suitable for a 300mm cube tank? Im not sure. I know i wouldnt want to make a tank that size with that thickness glass but is it possible? Barrie will be the best person to answer that question Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 I have used 3mm for 150x150x150 for hatching angels eggs and 200x150x150 for spawning Nothos but I am with Barrie for any bigger, regardless of dividers. It is the height that is the main problem. Alright for lids but you would want to be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted November 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Sweet if I do attempt to make tanks ill only make small ones Or ill just make lids, lids will only be for small tanks because I know how bad it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 true 3mm glass won't do the job. also it will scratch and crack very easily. I would say at least 5mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarBoy Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 man thats small i think my first 60cm by 30cm hd 6mm glass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 I'd worry about glass smaller than 5mm, as a small chip out of the glass and it'd be all over. Don't think thinner glass chips smaller! I'd expect good for lids and good for really small tanks, like cubes say 200 x 200ish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 you could almost bend a 3mm glass. of course it won't bend to any great extent before breaking. for tanks I would have glass as thick as possible, since glass is very brittle and any cracks, chips etc... it's game over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Don't understand why you claim 3mm glass is inadequate. These tanks are 600X300 wide by 450 deep.. and are all 3mm glass... and at one point I had 40 of them running for around eighteen months .. without mishap. http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/grumpy ... 0Tanks.htm Sure... if you have a lot of traffic... with people banging things around and knocking the glass... then use something heavier... but if they are for the seclusion of a fishroom with limited access... then 3mm is fine... IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Bill, Next time your in Auckland, get in touch and I will show you through the factory and If you give me time I will make a 3mm tank and show you the effects of it breaking. I will show you the wind loading tabled with the deflection figures and how far the glass will fly and if I can, get in touch with one of the industry leaders and see if they will have a talk to you. Again This IS MY TRADE and if people are not willing to listen to a person with 40 years in the glass trade and all the books that are used then thats their problem (and anyone else thats around when they break) I know people that drive home drunk almost every day and have never had a problem but one day they will, and when that day arrives, it becomes other people problem. Bill, this is NOT a go at you and it should NOT be read this way, Im just quite simply scared at the problems when something goes wrong when the glass is used for something other than what it is designed for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Goodonya Barrie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 A bit like fish I suppose... some say don't put this with that.. Don't do this... but others do and get away with it. In the mid 1960's when the first silicone sealers appeared.. they said it was impossible to build a tank without a frame.. but being one of the early pioneers of AGT's in the UK I... and others proved it was possible. Back then we didn't use top strips for extra strength.. and most tests were done with trial and error... but Pilkington's (where I used to get my glass).. thought it was brilliant.. Bill, Next time your in Auckland :) Housebound The chances of a tank "shattering" is remote.. as most accidents are caused through poor construction.. and invariably the glass would .. either crack.. or give way at the seams. As I said above... Sure... if you have a lot of traffic... with people banging things around and knocking the glass... then use something heavier... but if they are for the seclusion of a fishroom with limited access... then 3mm is fine... IMO My tank building days are over... but for normal houshold use.. I wouldn't use 3mm on tanks of this size. Bill. Moving this to Technical Section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antipodes Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 This link is one of the best resources for glass calculations for aquarium. There is even a spreadsheet calculator you can download and try all your various combinations. A safety factor of 3 or over is preferrable for all glass tanks. Remember also, that the thinner the glass the less area for the sealant to adhere to. And the best thing is, this link is on this very site. http://www.fnzas.org.nz/articles/technical/glassthickness/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 Thanks but go for safety factor of 3.8 or more if you can... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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