Custom acrylic tank - 1/4 or 3/8

Adambowersva

Feeder Fish
Jan 19, 2012
3
0
0
Chantilly va
I am planning an acrylic cube tank. It will be likely 24x24x24 but will have a 12x12x24 dry enclosure in the center. This will make the effective gallons of the tank about 45gal with basically 6inches of "swim" room on all sides. For cost reasons I would like to do this with 1/4" acrylic if at all possible. I know there are tanks that use that thickness like seaclear at wider sizes but several inches shorter. In my case the tank will hypothetically be thinner than most due to the "dry" inner enclosure.

Is it possible to use 1/4" with say 2" full euro racing all the way around edges or even braceless?

If the height is still a problem even with the reduced volume would it be possible at 18" height?

Honestly if I have to brace it I want the bracing to be very minimal due to how quickly it would eat away at open space on top for inserting fish and decor.

Oh, and if I were to bend the acrylic corners on 3 sides from one piece instead of all sides being cemented would this change the possibilities?

thanks!
 

Adambowersva

Feeder Fish
Jan 19, 2012
3
0
0
Chantilly va
Please don't not respond thinking I have a problem seeing stickies or searching....I don't and I have checked.

The reason for the question is mainly the uniqueness of the dry enclosure in the center dramatically decreasing the perceived thickness of the tank and the effect that my have on acrylic thickness.

Inam not worried about a marginally small amount of bowing, just about the secured ness of the seams.
 

GTi_Leo

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 15, 2011
47
0
0
Toronto, ontario
the thickness is based on the amount of pressure the water exerts per square in from top to bottom, the taller it is the more pressure is forces on the seems at the bottom of the aquarium, the total volume is not totally relivent, plus acrylic likes to bow, using a thinner acrylic would mean that you will see a bow in the panel that can and will distort the view and eventually cause hairline stress cracks that will eventually get bigger and blow out.

with acrylic you want to genereally go an 1/8" thicker then glass because of the flex of it. so for a 24" tall tank 3/8" glass is required at minimum so i would go with 1/2" if i were you
 
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