[MICK66]

I'm enlarging my 45 gal thats in a room divider wall to a 83L x 24H x 12W plywood tank. So 2 sides will be 3/8 in. glass and I'm using 3/4 plywood framing for the glass with plywood framing on the inside top of the tank for morre support. The question is with it being 2 sides of glass should there be any outside middle of the glass support?

 

[fabulousfat5]

Are you going to aquire another 45 for all this glass?? I'm a little confused about your design, but from what you are describing I will say you need some more bracing/support. Where in jersey are ya? just so happens I have a 45 I dont know what to do with.

 

[MICK66]

I'm in Roxbury Twp,NJ. I am purchasing 2 pieces of glass. According to Garfs website I wouldn't need more bracing but that is for a single view side tank.

 

[MalawiLover]

Having glass on opposite sides does not affect the requirement of either piece. If the glass you have is rated for the height and volume of water you need, then doing the same thing on the opposite side is just fine. You just have to treat each side as if it was the only viewing window.

 

[MICK66]

Thanks, thats what I thought also. Plus with the width only being 12" it shouldn't too much of a worry. Now I just have to work out how I am going to squeeze in the diy filtration underneath since the width of the wall is only approx 14" wide.

 

[MalawiLover]

You could always to it from the end with a canister or two.

This is a plan I am going to do in the future for a shellie tank to be behind a sofa as a room divider.

The side piece where the hoses from the canister are hidden in only 3 inches deep, and the whole shibang in 1 1/2 inches wider than the tank itself (1/2 in plywood and trim on each side).

I am going to use an XP1 (its going to be a 30 gal long shellie tank). The spray bar will push the waterr along the top and down the far short side wall, across the shell bed and blow all the poop and stuff to the intake, at the bottom under the bar. It will be barely visible. I will also use an inline heater so there will be nothing in the tank.

 

[MICK66]

Thats what I currently have, the canister is underneath with the lines running up the side in the wall. I was just thinking of doing a DIY filter (possibly wet/dry) but if I can't figure it out I will stick with the canister and just add another one to the other end.

 

[MalawiLover]

Well you could do a wet/dry. If you are building it yourself, you can make it as slim as needed. Plus there are a few slim-line models that should work too. Is your tank drilled? If not, don't you can put a HOT overflow on the end and put the return spray bar on the opposite end pointing downward diagonally to the bottom at the overflow end. Or if you use a check valve, you could take the return line down to the bottom with either UGJ or just put the spray bar at the bottom to move stuff up and across the tank.

My tank has an internal overflow (so its drilled) and I run the return from the sump into my UGJs. It works great. The water colomn continually move upe and over into the overflow. I have zero poo on the substrate (its black so would look horrible with orange strings).

 

[imusuallyuseless]

You could consider drilling an internal overflow in the bottom of the plywood.

 

[MalawiLover]

I totally forgot your were building the tank. You could easily make an internal overflow. The whole end of the tank could be a false wall and be the overflow. As long as you can access it from the top (fish like to jump in, at least mine juvies do). On that note, make sure it is big enough for the pipes, PLUS you hand (in a closed fist) and be able to shine a flashlight down there at the same time (trust me). Thats why I think the canisters would be easier...better access.

 

[MICK66]

I think I still have enough room on the ends to drill a whole for the overflows. There is a lally column there but I should be able to drill right or left of center on both ends. I could go with canisters but thats too easy The overflows are not the hard part, its fitting some kind of wet/dry below. With the outside measurement of 14" minus 2x4's its a little tight.

 

[MalawiLover]

With that narrow a space, you would have to do something the behind the background thing some people do. You just have to think vertically. Make the sump narrow, but increase the height of the bio media chamber, and make the sump long to get as much water volume as you can.

There are a few slim-line sumps that are around 9 or so inches wide. I think they might be by CPR or Ocean Clear.

 

[MICK66]

Has anyone here done a diy tank with 2 glass sides? I'm working on mine but was wondering why I have not seen any.

 

[imusuallyuseless]

Probably just because it's more expensive to use glass on two sides.

 

[MICK66]

I was wondering when installing the glass how much space needs to be left at the end of the glass to the plywood side and whats the minimum amount of space the glass needs to adhere to?

 

[MalawiLover]

I have seen people have the glass as the two large sides and 1 end (put together just like a normal all glass tank) and the bottom and 1 short side (being in the wall) are plywood.

 

[imusuallyuseless]

I left 1/4" of space between the ends of the glass and the plywood. I think it really depends on if you're buying the glass custom cut or using glass from a tank you took apart. As for the ammount of space the glass needs to adhere to, not sure what's the minimum but most people have the glass overlap the frame 2" on each side.

 

[MICK66]

I might have to think of something because I started out with a 2" frame and now I'm down to 1 1/4 due to the 3/4 plywood overlap and I still have to put in 1/4 cement board which leaves me with 1" for glass with no gap between it and side of tank.

 

[imusuallyuseless]

Soesn't sound like nearly enough to me, unless it's a fairly small tank, which i doubt :?

 

[MICK66]

I finally was able to take some pictures. All filled up and no leaks(fingures crossed)

test fit

test fit view from other side

glass install

glass installed on other side

top framing support installed

filled, put temporary decor in until things settle down