Safe thickness glass for aquarium

KenshinPT · 10/21/2013, 03:55 PM

Hey guys,

I have a question which I hope you can answer me

I am building a new tank with the following dimensions: 70x70x60height (centimeters)

or 27.6 x 27.6 x 23.6height (inches).

I want a rimless aquarium without any type aluminum profiles or glass bars on the top or bottom of the aquarium.

The glass is the regular one, that is, float. Please do not consider plexiglass, tempered or laminated glass.

So, which in your opinion is the safest thickness? 10mm, 12mm, 15mm?

Thank you so much for you help.

Vasco

rfgonzo · 10/21/2013, 08:28 PM

I would take a look at some tank manufactures sites and see what they use.

KenshinPT · 10/22/2013, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfgonzo

I would take a look at some tank manufactures sites and see what they use.

At the moment I have two quotations:

1) One says that 10mm for these dimensions is totally safe. Price: 150 Euros.
2) The other says that will only build it with 15mm glass. With 10mm he says that he wouldn't build it because its unsafe. Price 400 Euros.

This is why I am so confused :/

Thanks

bundybear1981 · 10/22/2013, 02:09 AM

I would go the 15mm, for my custom 48x21x31 tank they recommended 12mm and it has a brace. For your size anything under 15mm would likely fail.

KenshinPT · 10/22/2013, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bundybear1981

I would go the 15mm, for my custom 48x21x31 tank they recommended 12mm and it has a brace. For your size anything under 15mm would likely fail.

Thank you so much for your reply

prox · 10/22/2013, 05:10 AM

Can do with min 12mm but with good industrial strength silicone

KenshinPT · 10/22/2013, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prox

Can do with min 12mm but with good industrial strength silicone

Thank you so much for your reply

Meanwhile, I got a second quote from the company which says that 10mm is super secure. I trust them. They have impressive jobs...

But the problem is that the feedback I got from other companies, here and other forums says otherwise.

To conclude, this same company send me an offer of
150 Euros for 10mm
180 Euros for 12mm
220 Euros for 15mm.

70 Euros won't pay the replacement of wood on my floor so I am not going to risk a bit.

I was expecting a massive increase on the price for 12mm/15mm because I have another offer for 15mm of 400 Euros.

220 Euros is OK though.

Great forum by the way.

Thanks.

prox · 10/22/2013, 05:33 AM

10mm will have significant bowing effect. In fact 12mm too but still acceptable. I have got several custom tank so i know pretty well. Now i m on 90x90x55 12mm starphire. Tank over 1yr old and still doing great

KenshinPT · 10/22/2013, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prox

10mm will have significant bowing effect. In fact 12mm too but still acceptable. I have got several custom tank so i know pretty well. Now i m on 90x90x55 12mm starphire. Tank over 1yr old and still doing great

Starphire glass has an impressive transparency.

Doesn't it scratch to easily?

prox · 10/22/2013, 06:03 AM

Not exactly easy. More or less the same as normal glass

KenshinPT · 10/22/2013, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prox

Not exactly easy. More or less the same as normal glass

Nice

The price must be prohibitive, right? eheh

prox · 10/22/2013, 07:26 AM

Yea..furthermore, german super strength silicone. About US1k for the tank. 3 sided starphire

KenshinPT · 10/22/2013, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prox

Yea..furthermore, german super strength silicone. About US1k for the tank. 3 sided starphire

But I bet it worth every cent

AZBigJohn · 10/22/2013, 04:31 PM

There are tons of great minds that build their own tanks on the "Do it yourself" forum. Well worth asking the question in there... "Do it yourself"

10/21/2013, 03:55 PM	#1
KenshinPT Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 8	Safe thickness glass for aquarium Hey guys, I have a question which I hope you can answer me I am building a new tank with the following dimensions: 70x70x60height (centimeters) or 27.6 x 27.6 x 23.6height (inches). I want a rimless aquarium without any type aluminum profiles or glass bars on the top or bottom of the aquarium. The glass is the regular one, that is, float. Please do not consider plexiglass, tempered or laminated glass. So, which in your opinion is the safest thickness? 10mm, 12mm, 15mm? Thank you so much for you help. Vasco

10/22/2013, 02:09 AM	#4
bundybear1981 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia Posts: 685 Blog Entries: 1	I would go the 15mm, for my custom 48x21x31 tank they recommended 12mm and it has a brace. For your size anything under 15mm would likely fail. __________________ Tank inhabitants : 2x Clownfish, 1x Blue Koran, 1x Foxface Lo, 1xCoral Beauty, 1x Blue Tang, 1x Sailfin Tang Current Tank Info: New Build : 250g (6x3x2) with 2x RW15 pumps, 2x 2200lph return pumps, Tunze ATO, Jebao Dosing Pump, AquaOne G220 Skimmer Last edited by bundybear1981; 10/22/2013 at 02:13 AM. Reason: Spelling

10/22/2013, 05:10 AM	#6
prox Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 127	Can do with min 12mm but with good industrial strength silicone __________________ - prox -

10/22/2013, 05:33 AM	#8
prox Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 127	10mm will have significant bowing effect. In fact 12mm too but still acceptable. I have got several custom tank so i know pretty well. Now i m on 90x90x55 12mm starphire. Tank over 1yr old and still doing great __________________ - prox -

10/22/2013, 06:03 AM	#10
prox Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 127	Not exactly easy. More or less the same as normal glass __________________ - prox -

10/21/2013, 08:28 PM	#2
rfgonzo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,280	I would take a look at some tank manufactures sites and see what they use.

10/22/2013, 07:26 AM	#12
prox Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 127	Yea..furthermore, german super strength silicone. About US1k for the tank. 3 sided starphire __________________ - prox -

10/22/2013, 04:31 PM	#14
AZBigJohn Usually confused... Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 1,091	There are tons of great minds that build their own tanks on the "Do it yourself" forum. Well worth asking the question in there... "Do it yourself" __________________ John Current Tank Info: Currently a 29 gallon all-in-one frag tank and a 210 gallon tank slowly becoming my dream system!