[Aalelan]

Well I have partial go ahead on building a tank.. I have it 95% figured out and I’m going to mimic TFG construction method.. It will take a long time as I’m only going to buy materials with extra cash.

The major thing I can seem to get squared away is the glass.. I have found an inside source for it but I need to figure out what I need.. The inside tank measurements will be as close to 120x48x48 as I can make it and will put it at ~1100gallons. I want to go with the two window approach like TFG and use two pieces of glass (this will just make it easier/lighter to install) the viewing portal for each side will be 50x43.5.. Each piece of glass will be sized 56x48 (I think).

I have read posts for over a week, looked at glass charts, gone to sites and tried to do there math to figure out what I need but nothing seems to work for me, either I cant make the math work or the charts I find don’t go this big..

So do I do Float, Tempered, Annealed? And how thick, because I know it changes for each kind of glass.. My glass guy said I could laminate two sheets together if I needed it really thick, what are you guys comments on that topic?

Looking forward to all your comments and I will photo document this project to death 

--AA

 

[98dak83cam]

1/2" worked for me for 48" deep. I used tempered glass for my project. If you are in doubt see if you can get 5/8"

 

[Aalelan]

1/2" worked for me for 48" deep. I used tempered glass for my project. If you are in doubt see if you can get 5/8"

How big was your tank and what size was the glass window.. And Thanks for your input! Now I can say at least someone has done 48" with 1/2" Tempered..

--AA

 

[98dak83cam]

1/2" worked for me for 48" deep. I used tempered glass for my project. If you are in doubt see if you can get 5/8"

How big was your tank and what size was the glass window.. And Thanks for your input! Now I can say at least someone has done 48" with 1/2" Tempered..

--AA

Mine is roughly 1080 gallons. 11'2" long, 4' tall, about 3' front to back. (inside) The openning on the front is 4' tall by 100" long. All I did was put a brace at center for extra support. Take a look at my thread (1000+ gallon peacock hap) and take a look.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Personally I'd use 3/4" plate glass.... But that's what I used :lol: 5/8" is not that easy to find from what I'm told....

Do you promis to post lots and lots of pictures?

 

[Aalelan]

I would like to use 3/4 but i'm being told it will be harder to get (from my source anyway) He also mentioned just using two sheets of 3/8" laminated.. I'm not sure what the lamination process entails for glass, but I'm not sure I feel comfortable with that either.. Looking for other opinions on that.

Oh don't worry I will take tons of pictures.. I'm going to take some shots of the space tomorrow, then finish cleaning it out..

Might even get a batch of wood to start the base on it.. We just reserved a puppy from a breeder and can get go back and pick him up the first week in June.. So i'm going to take some wood and make him his own little play area downstairs too..

Hope you don't mind I'm going to copy your design ideas TFG but your setup is just great!

--AA

 

[TheFishGuy]

Hey, if I didn't want my ideas used I would have never made a thread with so much detail! I want people to grow large tanks :lol:

 

[remarkosmoc]

Hey, if I didn't want my ideas used I would have never made a thread with so much detail! I want people to grow large tanks :lol:

Do you have any plans to convince a wife that a second in-wall in the same room is 'necessary'?
:lol:

 

[Aalelan]

My First Idea was a large "L" tank running right around 2000G but I moved the concept back to a rectangle to make it more accepting. Really it just fits better this way :roll:

I'll get pictures up tonight before I get to moving out all the stuff I have slid into the tank area while cleaning the rest of the basement..

--AA

 

[Aalelan]

OK, Here are the before shots of the area..

The Junk I cleaned up to make some room!

The Shot from coming down the basement stairs, the tank will go in that nook:

Full on shot of the nook, that still needs evacuated:

The server rack that needs moved down to make for good viewing room:

Let me know if 800x600 is too large.. I think its a good size these days with high speed internet and larger displays.. I will keep you posted! I got a gift card tonight for Home Depot at the store to get gas points, going to get lumber tomorrow to build the new puppy play area and start the base..

--AA

 

[TheFishGuy]

Well..... I used a puppy to get my way LOL... So I'm out of ideas for you. OR you can conceed to her that she wears the pants in the family and proceed to thank her for allowing you to love her.... Nothin' like a little brown nosing :lol: Then hand her flowers and beg for forgiveness

 

[Aalelan]

Well the deposit went down on the Welsh Corgi last night, and it was the one she picked out, so.... No really it was just good timing :wink:

 

[CHBGator]

I would like to use 3/4 but i'm being told it will be harder to get (from my source anyway) He also mentioned just using two sheets of 3/8" laminated.. I'm not sure what the lamination process entails for glass, but I'm not sure I feel comfortable with that either.. Looking for other opinions on that.
--AA

I've read that the laminate glass is a bad idea because if water gets to the laminate it will slowly dissolve and separate. Figure out the size glass you need and I can get a wholesale price for you. My 84"x 29" x .5" tempered was $169 tax included out the door from work.

lol you say now you'll take pictures as you go but trust me when you start working on it its very easy to forget to stop working and take the pictures.

 

[Aalelan]

Figure out the size glass you need and I can get a wholesale price for you. My 84"x 29" x .5" tempered was $169 tax included out the door from work.

Very sweet.. I'm going to hit my friend up to get me a quote at our annual pig roast in June.. If I can get a good price from him for what I need and he brings it to me, rock on.. Otherwise I will hit you up and maybe meet you at Great Lakes Brewery and buy you some lunch one weekend and we can do some business

What do you think about the size? a 50ish by 44ish open area for a 57x48 pane of glass, what thickness, assuming a 10'x4'x4' tank... I cant find a formula I can understand... I Use to be an IT programer but I can not do math for the life of me!

--AA

 

[CHBGator]

Most of those formulas online are for plate glass. Tempered is a whole different ball game. .5" should work especially since you are using 2 pieces. The length of the glass depends on your design. Specifically how far in your front corners are and the width of the center brace in the front of the tank. Try and draw out your plan or Download Google Sketchup. Give the glass at least 1.5" of contact area all the way around for the silicone.

 

[TheFishGuy]

I like two inches of land for the glass.... I have no real reason for this :lol: it's just me...

 

[Aalelan]

Well the center brace will be 6" wide. and I plan for 3" at the top and 2" on the bottom for the lands..

I got some wood tonight some for the tank and some for the puppy pen:

And I got the pen done tonight, so tomorrow will be clean out tank area and try to make a section of stand

Here is the pen, just to show that I was busy :lol:

 

[TheFishGuy]

Nice, now throw a pond liner in it and fill it with water! :lol:

 

[Aalelan]

Well I have run out of wood for now but here is a pic of what I got done this morning.. One center "stand" upright, there will be 2x6 caps on the end too if you think from the pic it looks short in relation to the joist box; oh and the outer rim of the joist box

All you carpenter folks out there don't make fun of the scabs i used, I didn't want too but I had to use what I had/could get.. At least I put them on opposite ends and recessed them from the complete ends. There will be joists on either side of them too so that will help with the weakness of the area.

 

[CHBGator]

I'll get a quote for 58"x48"x.5", that should give you a viewing area of 42x54 if you have 3" of land on the top and 2" for the other 3 sides on each piece of glass.