this is how i think of it, if you knew there was gunna be regular bombings near you home and you were building a bomb shelter but you only needed 6 inches thick of material to keep you and your family safe but you had 12 inches thick wouldnt you want that extra just to be safe? just in case? better safe then sorry
Your tank is TOO SAFE! Yeah, I said it - it's TOO SAFE!
- Thread starter Desdinova
- Start date
Totally agree most tanks are overbuilt but to be honest if i build a tank I will work out the min it needs to hold water then double it for my own piece of mind
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I agree, but I also think that the majority of builds on this site are overkill builds. Thus, I had to take quite a bit of time to talk myself out of that. I just wish I had more room to build. I'd probably try a smaller approach to a tank holding thousands of gallons!
I don't think a truly "minimalism" approach would be a good thing, but I no longer feel the need to invite the unnecessary.
Im aware of the "paradox" and anybody thats taken physics would be too. I think a lot of tanks do get overbuild but one thing to keep in mind is the pressure across the sides of the tank. If you have no structural support in the middle of the tank, the side of the tank can bow, causing stress in the glass that can weaken it over time. Not to mention glass, wood, acrylic or whathaveyou may be strong enough to support the pressure from water, but the seams need to hold up. And by overbuilding a tank, it is less susceptible to stress fractures over time. As the article mentions, these are hydrostatic conditions, but nothing about a tank is static. Water circulation from pumps/powerheads wouldnt contribute greatly to stress on the structure of a tank, but water changes will ease and increase the stress on the sides and bottom. That is not a static case, and the need for a tank to withstand this over time dictates some over building
Having said that, I'm no structural engineer, but I too think stacked wood for side bracing is overkill
Having said that, I'm no structural engineer, but I too think stacked wood for side bracing is overkill
Too Safe?.....
I'd rather call it insurance. to each his own, but with a family in the house, it's one less thing for me to worry about.
I'd rather call it insurance. to each his own, but with a family in the house, it's one less thing for me to worry about.
Anyone ever hear of an above ground pool collapsing. I wonder what causes that? I don't think the bottom falls out. LOL!
Des- You're not the 1st person to bring this up, BTW. I've seen that link on the hydrostatic paradox a few times before. It's from a very old scuba website, not a DIY fish tank building forum. The fact is, the longer the tank is, the more deflection there will be, so more reinforcement will be needed on the sides, not just the top. Think about how a boat frame is built and how it has all those ribs. A huge tank may also need to be crush resistant. If a person needs to climb inside the tank, the walls better be strong enough to hold that person up at any given point. Plywood alone would have too much give, and the sealant would be more prone to cracking.
Also ask how much damage the water and broken glass can cause if the tank had a catastrophic failure? So you need to consider safety factors also. Small tanks, under 20 gallons, probably only need a safety factor of about 2. A larger 200 gallon tank should have a safety factor of 4. A monster tank or public aquarium, above 2000 gallons, should have a safety factor of at least 10. Above ground swimming pools, don't need high safety factors like fish tanks do because they are not indoors with the potential to destroy a home.
There are some other advantages of stacking lumber, like VLDesigns has, also. The extra thickness of wood acts as an insulator for heat. It also dampens sound and vibrations. So I think it's pretty good idea, since it is more energy efficient and makes the fish more comfortable.
Also ask how much damage the water and broken glass can cause if the tank had a catastrophic failure? So you need to consider safety factors also. Small tanks, under 20 gallons, probably only need a safety factor of about 2. A larger 200 gallon tank should have a safety factor of 4. A monster tank or public aquarium, above 2000 gallons, should have a safety factor of at least 10. Above ground swimming pools, don't need high safety factors like fish tanks do because they are not indoors with the potential to destroy a home.
There are some other advantages of stacking lumber, like VLDesigns has, also. The extra thickness of wood acts as an insulator for heat. It also dampens sound and vibrations. So I think it's pretty good idea, since it is more energy efficient and makes the fish more comfortable.
I'm not saying that a big tank shouldn't have a basic frame with studs at about every foot.
In regard to the problem of length, there is defiantly room for concern there. I liked the stick analogy. But if the top and bottom is braced at regular intervals, there does not appear to be much need for vertical pillars, except where you need to connect two sheets of glass/acrylic/etc.
The idea that potential harm should determine the safety factor seems like something an insurance agent would say - and it's a perfectly valid point of view. I suppose longevity is going to determine the safety factor, for me. I do want the item to stand the test of time, but I don't want an excessive amount of overkill. Some is good, but I've seen it overdone. Stacking lumber, for example, I can't justify, except with fear of the unknown.
In regard to the problem of length, there is defiantly room for concern there. I liked the stick analogy. But if the top and bottom is braced at regular intervals, there does not appear to be much need for vertical pillars, except where you need to connect two sheets of glass/acrylic/etc.
The idea that potential harm should determine the safety factor seems like something an insurance agent would say - and it's a perfectly valid point of view. I suppose longevity is going to determine the safety factor, for me. I do want the item to stand the test of time, but I don't want an excessive amount of overkill. Some is good, but I've seen it overdone. Stacking lumber, for example, I can't justify, except with fear of the unknown.
Overkill but only in moderation. There's another good paradox
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See what I mean? Flame on.
What about this? How much structure is there in those wimpy pvc pipes and plastic sheeting. If that pool can hold a bunch of people bouncing around and it looks right around 36" tall why do people waaaay overbuild?
What about this? How much structure is there in those wimpy pvc pipes and plastic sheeting. If that pool can hold a bunch of people bouncing around and it looks right around 36" tall why do people waaaay overbuild?
