how thick do the glass panels have to be?

jenreef · 08/05/2010, 11:13 AM

i am planning to do a 36" long 10" wide 17" high refugium/frag tank. how thick do the glass panels have to be?

MCary · 08/05/2010, 11:16 AM

Glass is measured in mils, but I would say a quarter inch equivalent would work. Less if tempered.

uncleof6 · 08/05/2010, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenreef

i am planning to do a 36" long 10" wide 17" high refugium/frag tank. how thick do the glass panels have to be?

Depends on whether or not it is braced, but for a rimless 10mm (3/8" nominal.) Unless there is a compelling reason to do so, I would not build a tank with these dimensions. It is tall in relation to the surface area, and will not breath very well. (poor gas exchange)

Jim

jenreef · 08/05/2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncleof6

Depends on whether or not it is braced, but for a rimless 10mm (3/8" nominal.) Unless there is a compelling reason to do so, I would not build a tank with these dimensions. It is tall in relation to the surface area, and will not breath very well. (poor gas exchange)

Jim

it is not going to be braced. it is going to be rimless. how tall should i have it? i know a 30 long tank is 36" long 12" wide and 17" high. that is almost the same exact dimesions as mine except mine is less wider for 2". but the height is the exact same

BrianOKC · 08/05/2010, 12:19 PM

I think wider is better for a reef tank. If you don't have much room to put the tank then I guess you have to work with what you got. I can tell you 10" wide is gonna seem really small no matter how tall you make it.

jenreef · 08/05/2010, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianOKC

I think wider is better for a reef tank. If you don't have much room to put the tank then I guess you have to work with what you got. I can tell you 10" wide is gonna seem really small no matter how tall you make it.

the dimesions are for my refugium/frag tank which is going to be in the tank stand. my display tank is 55 gallons. 10" is not that wide at all but i have to work with what i can fit in the tank stand

uncleof6 · 08/05/2010, 06:46 PM

The shorter a tank, compared to the width, the better the tank will breath. This applies to DT, sumps, fuges what have you, with sumps being a little more lenient, in that generally they are not filled to "brim" or even close to it (or shouldn't be anyway)

Ideally the max should be 1:1 for instance-- 24" tall:24" wide. With shorter in relation to width being better. I understand what it is is what it is, and what you got is what you got.

The degree to which this impacts the system, depends on the flow rate (# of turnovers -- return pump) and vertical mixing (power heads/closed loop) The issue is easily demonstrable with CO2 buildup-- pH swings. This has, since the beginning of time

been an issue, though is more pronounced in the systems we run today with output/input both at the top of the tank. Seems that the original reasons we do some of the things we do today, have been brushed aside, in favor of "different" reasons....

Another reason to drop the height is you may be able to use thinner glass....... but 10" is going to be tiny. Understand the space thing though.

Jim

08/05/2010, 11:13 AM	#1
jenreef Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: spencer ma Posts: 211	how thick do the glass panels have to be? i am planning to do a 36" long 10" wide 17" high refugium/frag tank. how thick do the glass panels have to be?

08/05/2010, 06:46 PM	#7
uncleof6 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: AWOL Posts: 12,013	The shorter a tank, compared to the width, the better the tank will breath. This applies to DT, sumps, fuges what have you, with sumps being a little more lenient, in that generally they are not filled to "brim" or even close to it (or shouldn't be anyway) Ideally the max should be 1:1 for instance-- 24" tall:24" wide. With shorter in relation to width being better. I understand what it is is what it is, and what you got is what you got. The degree to which this impacts the system, depends on the flow rate (# of turnovers -- return pump) and vertical mixing (power heads/closed loop) The issue is easily demonstrable with CO2 buildup-- pH swings. This has, since the beginning of time been an issue, though is more pronounced in the systems we run today with output/input both at the top of the tank. Seems that the original reasons we do some of the things we do today, have been brushed aside, in favor of "different" reasons.... Another reason to drop the height is you may be able to use thinner glass....... but 10" is going to be tiny. Understand the space thing though. Jim __________________ "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." (oft attributed to Einstein; most likely paraphrasing by Roger Sessions; compactly articulates the principle of Occam's Razor) Current Tank Info: 325 6' wide Reef

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08/05/2010, 11:16 AM	#2
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	Glass is measured in mils, but I would say a quarter inch equivalent would work. Less if tempered.

08/05/2010, 12:19 PM	#5
BrianOKC Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Moore , Oklahoma Posts: 738	I think wider is better for a reef tank. If you don't have much room to put the tank then I guess you have to work with what you got. I can tell you 10" wide is gonna seem really small no matter how tall you make it.