Aquarium Glass question...

clownfish06 · 03/07/2014, 11:28 AM

If I wanted to replace the front glass to my 75 gallon aquarium would regular 3/8" glass work or does it have to be tempered glass? My floor and wife would appreciate no "best guesses".

Nace · 03/07/2014, 11:32 AM

Then I won't offer a guess! But I will ask if you are replacing it yourself or having it done by someone else?

James77 · 03/07/2014, 11:33 AM

Regular glass would be fine. However, buying a new 75 gallon tank would not be all that more expensive and it would save you a massive headache. A stor near me in RI sells them for $100. Cutting out all that silicone and trim, then resealing it won't be fun

clownfish06 · 03/07/2014, 11:37 AM

Thanks. Its has a built in corner overflow and cheapest I can find is around $400. I am got some cerium oxide to polish existing glass to see if that will do the trick and then fill up with water to see how it looks before I try anything else. I can get the glass for $70 so might be worth the headache if I am not happy with it after trying to remove scratches. Thanks for the answer.

fishgate · 03/07/2014, 11:48 AM

Since silicone has trouble adhering to silicone, I think you need to remove ALL the silicone in the tank and redo it all. You should be able to get that tank for MUCH less then $400. I recently got a 125g (72") with 2 overflows brand new from a dealer for $379.

clownfish06 · 03/07/2014, 11:56 AM

Well if anybody knows an online place to buy one then please let me know the name. I am in lower Alabama near Gulf Shores and there are not many pet stores in my area.

WBB · 03/07/2014, 11:57 AM

I can't comment on the thickness but I can say that replacing the panel shouldn't be a big deal. As suggested above, remove all the silicone, clean and reseal the entire tank when you replace the panel. It's a simple job, minimal expense and will be as good as new.

julie180 · 03/08/2014, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WBB

I can't comment on the thickness but I can say that replacing the panel shouldn't be a big deal. As suggested above, remove all the silicone, clean and reseal the entire tank when you replace the panel. It's a simple job, minimal expense and will be as good as new.

I would be hesitant to say its "no big deal". Its very easy to chip the existing glass. As with everything, there is a learning curve and by the time you learn, your tank could be damaged beyond repair.

thegrun · 03/08/2014, 07:44 AM

If the existing glass is tempered you either need to use tempered glass or glass thicker than the existing glass to make up for the loss of the structural strength of tempering. If the glass is not tempered regular glass is fine.

dkeller_nc · 03/08/2014, 08:08 AM

One on-line dealer of glass tanks is Aquariums Direct. The prices listed include door-to-door shipping, but their prices are generally a good bit higher than purchasing a standard marineland tank from an LFS. Another option is Amazon.

My guess would be that Pensecola or Panama City would probably have at least one or two decent LFSs that could get a tank for you.

If the scratch is very shallow, you can certainly polish it out, but you generally need a power tool to do it. Glass is very, very hard, so polishing out a scratch by hand would be tedious, to say the least.

03/07/2014, 11:28 AM	#1
clownfish06 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 126	Aquarium Glass question... If I wanted to replace the front glass to my 75 gallon aquarium would regular 3/8" glass work or does it have to be tempered glass? My floor and wife would appreciate no "best guesses". Last edited by clownfish06; 03/07/2014 at 11:34 AM.

03/07/2014, 11:33 AM	#3
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	Regular glass would be fine. However, buying a new 75 gallon tank would not be all that more expensive and it would save you a massive headache. A stor near me in RI sells them for $100. Cutting out all that silicone and trim, then resealing it won't be fun __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 120g Mixed Reef and 75g Freshwater

03/07/2014, 11:48 AM	#5
fishgate Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Damascus, MD Posts: 3,340	Since silicone has trouble adhering to silicone, I think you need to remove ALL the silicone in the tank and redo it all. You should be able to get that tank for MUCH less then $400. I recently got a 125g (72") with 2 overflows brand new from a dealer for $379. __________________ 125RR in-wall, 40B Sump, CS180 BM Skimmer, ATI 4x80 watt, eheim 1262, custom wrap around rock wall, ReefKeeper Elite 120g in-wall, 40B Sump, PC 54wx4, Jabao DC-6000 (full siphon), future seahorse t Current Tank Info: 125g, 120g, 2x40b sumps, ATI 4x80 T5HO

03/07/2014, 11:32 AM	#2
Nace Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 72	Then I won't offer a guess! But I will ask if you are replacing it yourself or having it done by someone else?

03/07/2014, 11:37 AM	#4
clownfish06 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 126	Thanks. Its has a built in corner overflow and cheapest I can find is around $400. I am got some cerium oxide to polish existing glass to see if that will do the trick and then fill up with water to see how it looks before I try anything else. I can get the glass for $70 so might be worth the headache if I am not happy with it after trying to remove scratches. Thanks for the answer.

03/07/2014, 11:56 AM	#6
clownfish06 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 126	Well if anybody knows an online place to buy one then please let me know the name. I am in lower Alabama near Gulf Shores and there are not many pet stores in my area.

03/07/2014, 11:57 AM	#7
WBB Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Farmerville, Louisiana Posts: 14	I can't comment on the thickness but I can say that replacing the panel shouldn't be a big deal. As suggested above, remove all the silicone, clean and reseal the entire tank when you replace the panel. It's a simple job, minimal expense and will be as good as new.

03/08/2014, 07:44 AM	#9
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	If the existing glass is tempered you either need to use tempered glass or glass thicker than the existing glass to make up for the loss of the structural strength of tempering. If the glass is not tempered regular glass is fine.

03/08/2014, 08:08 AM	#10
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	One on-line dealer of glass tanks is Aquariums Direct. The prices listed include door-to-door shipping, but their prices are generally a good bit higher than purchasing a standard marineland tank from an LFS. Another option is Amazon. My guess would be that Pensecola or Panama City would probably have at least one or two decent LFSs that could get a tank for you. If the scratch is very shallow, you can certainly polish it out, but you generally need a power tool to do it. Glass is very, very hard, so polishing out a scratch by hand would be tedious, to say the least.