nzfishkeeper Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 I recently got a new tank, measuring 1600mm long by 400mm wide and 550mm high, which I haven't yet filled. I have been reading online about glass types and found my tank to be made out off 10mm laminated glass. It has euro bracing as well as a center brace. The problem is I have found some sites saying the glass is only as strong as one of the panes in the laminate where as others saying the glass as strong as normal float glass, Does anyone know which is the case, Is the glass going to hold the water? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 I recently got a new tank, measuring 1600mm long by 400mm wide and 550mm high, which I haven't yet filled. I have been reading online about glass types and found my tank to be made out off 10mm laminated glass. It has euro bracing as well as a center brace. The problem is I have found some sites saying the glass is only as strong as one of the panes in the laminate where as others saying the glass as strong as normal float glass, Does anyone know which is the case, Is the glass going to hold the water? Thanks in advance. Where did you buy the tank from? I seriously doubt anyone knowledgeable made it from laminated glass. Though, it is relatively common to put two layers of glass on the base, which would be technically laminated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 I brought it of a tank manufacturer on trademe. Do you think it will hold? The silicone work etc are all very clean and nice so I think he must have some experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Personally I wouldn't want to use a laminated glass tank. I'm sure there are plenty of people who have used them successfully forever, but quite frankly, the idea of having everything crashing down and flooding my house and killing my fish? No thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dachende Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 http://www.austinglass.com.au/aquariums.html Lots of info there for you to have a read through. The page layout is terrible but the fella knows his stuff. Considering you have Euro and regular bracing I would be fairly confident in the tank. But, 10mm laminated ? I think you might have the wrong info there. Laminated glass comes in different thickness than regular glass, as it has a layer of laminate in-between. i.e 6.38mm is very common, as it's 2 x 3mm sheets stuck together - the .38 left over is the thickness of the laminate. Can you put up a pic of your tank ? and especially the glass in question ? It's not just laminated on one side? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 I brought it of a tank manufacturer on trademe. Have you contacted the manufacturer about your concerns? If he is a professional I'd be inclined to fill it and send him the bill if it goes pop... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 http://www.austinglass.com.au/aquariums.html Lots of info there for you to have a read through. The page layout is terrible but the fella knows his stuff. Considering you have Euro and regular bracing I would be fairly confident in the tank. But, 10mm laminated ? I think you might have the wrong info there. Laminated glass comes in different thickness than regular glass, as it has a layer of laminate in-between. i.e 6.38mm is very common, as it's 2 x 3mm sheets stuck together - the .38 left over is the thickness of the laminate. Can you put up a pic of your tank ? and especially the glass in question ? It's not just laminated on one side? Here are some pictures- I have double checked the glass and it is in fact 10mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 10mm combinded? or 10mm per bit plus lami? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 10mm combinded? or 10mm per bit plus lami? 10mm all up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 just out of curiosity, what thickness on each bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 about 4.8mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 I thought you said the silicone work was clean? That looks awful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 yeah, that's just a bad spot, it's much better overall. I will make that the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 OK. In that pic of the long edge, it looks pretty bumpy across the whole edge. How much did you pay out of interest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 sorry I don't know as the wife paid for it and organized it as a gift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dachende Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 I would just talk to the guy who built it and make sure you have reassurances in case anything does go wrong . It's a very interesting tank , I've not seen one built like it before. Are the 2 pieces of glass siliconed together or do you think it is something else bonding them ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 I built a tank many moons ago, comletely enclosed in a cabinet and to go in a restaurant. I thought if some drunken idiot smashed into it there would be a major disaster so I made the front panel of laminated glass. I can't remember the thickness (about 12 odd mm I think). It was never used in that way because the place went broke before it even opened so I had it at home for years. I still have it out in the garage as the glass got scratched. The back and ends were mirrored glass and it looked great when well planted. I nearly freaked when I was told that it was only as strong as the thickness of one piece of the glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 I would just talk to the guy who built it and make sure you have reassurances in case anything does go wrong . It's a very interesting tank , I've not seen one built like it before. Are the 2 pieces of glass siliconed together or do you think it is something else bonding them ? I don't think there siliconed, I Don't know what it is, from that website he say laminate glass is a 8 compared to float glass being a 10 in strength. Not much difference. with him also mentioning at this height glass would only need to be 6 to 8 mm. :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 I built a tank many moons ago, comletely enclosed in a cabinet and to go in a restaurant. I thought if some drunken idiot smashed into it there would be a major disaster so I made the front panel of laminated glass. I can't remember the thickness (about 12 odd mm I think). It was never used in that way because the place went broke before it even opened so I had it at home for years. I still have it out in the garage as the glass got scratched. The back and ends were mirrored glass and it looked great when well planted. I nearly freaked when I was told that it was only as strong as the thickness of one piece of the glass. Did it hold? I have heard from different sources about the strength of laminate glass hence the original question. some sources have even claimed it maybe stronger? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dachende Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Yeah the difference isn't too big - but with your bracing I'm sure that will also add to the overall strength of it. The tank looks very well braced and if you're patient with a steady hand I'm sure you could trim down the silicone with a razor blade or a craft knife, just be very careful not to scratch the glass. If of course it bothers you - if not, just leave it. If the tank was mine, I would have filled it and had it running anyway solely due to impatience :sml2: The conflicting opinions on the internetz about laminated glass I've found in the last half hour has just confused me even more. Some say it's stronger, some say it's weaker, some say it's no different. :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2012 UPDATE- I have emailed the tank constructor(who is a professional glazier) He said the tank has no problems except for turtles due to the tank blocking most UV rays, which they need for their shells. And that the laminated glass is stronger then float glass with another benefit that if it breaks t holds together. I guess he knows his stuff considering he is a glazier by trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dachende Posted December 5, 2012 Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 Good to hear ! Hopefully all goes well, keep us updated with progress ! :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 5, 2012 Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 When I built the tank I contacted pilkingtons to get the required thickness for the glass and the answer was a steel frame and somewhere near an inch thick. I ignored that and used euro bracing. Must be near 40 years old now and still out in the garage holding water.One problem is that the water can get into the gap between the layers of glass if not careful. I left laminated glass out in the rain for a while. This has never been a problem on any tank I made and I have used it on the base of a few tanks as well. An advantage is that if the glass breaks it will be a slow leak wereas if you use toughened glass it will be all over the floor in an instant along with heaps of glass shards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nzfishkeeper Posted December 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 When I built the tank I contacted pilkingtons to get the required thickness for the glass and the answer was a steel frame and somewhere near an inch thick. I ignored that and used euro bracing. Must be near 40 years old now and still out in the garage holding water.One problem is that the water can get into the gap between the layers of glass if not careful. I left laminated glass out in the rain for a while. This has never been a problem on any tank I made and I have used it on the base of a few tanks as well. An advantage is that if the glass breaks it will be a slow leak wereas if you use toughened glass it will be all over the floor in an instant along with heaps of glass shards. I will keep you guys updated. I don't know when I will get a chance to test it though being this close to Xmas. I am also in the middle of building a stand for this tank which is coming along slowly. Its good that your tank has held together, proving it can be done and will hold over a long period of time. Have you re-siliconed it in that time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 5, 2012 Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 No Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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