glass type for fw tank

[rusty_jones]

What kind of Glass would you use for a 60GL tank?

Laminated, Tempered or regular glass

 

[reflex1]

At least 1/4 inch and probably 3/8 inch and tempered! jm2cw and good luck!

 

[BigJim]

It all depends on how deep the tank is and whether you want to drill it or not. Depth will determine how thick the glass needs to be, not volume. You can't drill tempered glass. Laminated glass isn't as clear as tempered or regular glass.

 

[jsoong]

Most DIY job will be regular glass ... although you can use thinner glass if you use tempered, you have to cut & drill the glass before tempering, which means you have to order that from a glass factory.

 

[rusty_jones]

What I want to do is build a 2ft Sq. cube tank for discus. This would equal 60 Gal. of water. Would I need to brace the tank? Garf.com says you need dowels for the bottom of the tank. Why? What purpose those it serve.

 

[jsoong]

I would do a euro-brace around the top perimeter.

The dowel is for the construction. It is used as a spacer to get the bottom pane raised off the stand. Glass tanks are supported entirely on their perimeter. The bottom pane is raised so that any unevenness in the stand top won't cause stress & crack the bottom pane.

You don't need the dowels if you have some other system to stabilize the glass panes during construction. <Eg. I used a wooden 90 degree brace made from scrape wood that I can clamp onto the glass. That way I can position the panes precisely.>

 

[krap101]

I thought you can drill tempered glass, just you need one of those diamond bits?

 

[jsoong]

I thought you can drill tempered glass, just you need one of those diamond bits?

You need diamond bits to drill any glass ... tempered glass tend to shatter with any stress - cutting or drilling ... although some have reported success drilling it, others have lost their tanks doing that. <Also, putting a hole in the glass might alter the internal stresses in the glass if it is not perfectly homogeneous in the area ... this may lead to a crack down the road ... happened to me in my old 60 ... tempering AFTER the drilling/cutting relieves the stress.> All in all, it is much safer to cut or drill glass before tempering.

 

[rusty_jones]

You can do a euro brace for the top, what about the bottom?


Rusty

 

[jsoong]

Nothing needed for the bottom. Your bottom pane acts as a brace. Any trim work at the bottom is strictly decorative.

 

[BigJim]

Your glass will need to be a bit thicker for a euro-braced tank.