Hi all, I'm currently building a 8ft x 8ft x8ft paludarium during my spare time. The bottom 4ft is intended to be water. My main question is to do with the bottom glass viewing window. The viewing window will probably be 6ft x 3ft or I'm willing to make it smaller if necessary. So when using a glass thickness calculator would I relate it to the 6x3 window only or the actual length and depth of the water which would be 8x4ft. Thanks in advance.
Plywood tank glass advice
- Thread starter GW1
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You will need to use the waters depth on the glass to determine glass thickness.
So if the total water depth is 48 inches but the glass is toward the top you will only need to know the depth of the water to the bottom of the glass, ie 36 inches or whatever it is.
But, if the glass is 36 inches and at the bottom of a 48 inch tank you will need to count the added depth at 48 inches.
But on these DIY builds it never hurts to over build, only under build.
So if the total water depth is 48 inches but the glass is toward the top you will only need to know the depth of the water to the bottom of the glass, ie 36 inches or whatever it is.
But, if the glass is 36 inches and at the bottom of a 48 inch tank you will need to count the added depth at 48 inches.
But on these DIY builds it never hurts to over build, only under build.
Oh ok so I was planning on having the 3ft glass in the middle of the 4ft ply but that would mean I would have to account for all bottom 6inches. I may move the glass further up or reduce the size of the viewing window if the glass becomes overly expensive. Thanks for answering
Just out of curiosity, how does one service a tank that is 8 feet long and 8 feet wide, especially with 4 feet of glass above the water? I know it gets done but I'm trying to picture it. Does one make windows that can open so you can climb in? Does one rig up some kind of Mission Impossible Tom Cruise harness so they can be lowered in?
I do anticipate having to climb in now and then when absolutely necessary. However this tank will only have a front viewing panel which will need cleared of algae, I've got a powerful magnet for that. Other than that I'm hoping I won't have to go in to often because of the filtration, with pumps on the bottom of the tank draining back in from above rather than pumping up over like most tanks. This will also have an automatic water changer as well as manual valves when draining is needed