7.5x2.5.2 foot aquarium build. euro brace advice needed

[THUNDERCAT]

Hi everyone, im after some advice. I have been building glass aquariums for many years and have always used traditional bracing. I would like to build my first euro braced aquarium.
The aquarium size will be 7.5 feet long, 2.5 feet deep and 2 feet tall.
I would normally build this aquarium out of 10mm thick glass.
is there any good sources of technical info regarding building recommendations?
Im mainly after info on how thick my braces will need to be and if I will need to incorporate at least 1 top cross brace (bridge)

Many thanks in advance

 

[Squirtle919]

I am no expert here BUT I have seen my boss make tanks about the same size out of 10mm he always says if you dont know what your doing dont go 10mm as its risky, when he did this the base would be braced also and he would use metal to brace every corner of the tank to the other. my 8.5 x 3 x 2.5 is built like this and is almost as old as me so it can work, has 3 center cross braces also though.

Personally I would go 12mm and 12mm bracing just to be safe, its not fun when tanks bust.

My understanding was euro bracing has no cross brace? they just use wider glass for the 4 sides?

 

[David R]

Here's a good read if you're interested in the calculations for glass thickness; http://www.fnzas.org.nz/?p=1732
And if you take the number from this post then you can work out the required thickness for a completely rimless tank of that size; http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57688#p623450

I guess the thickness glass you'll need is somewhere between what would be needed for "standard" bracing and what you'd need for rimless. I'd certainly err towards over-building it, 7.5' is a long piece of glass with no central bracing!

 

[rbarn]

you need 2 braces on a tank that long

 

[Squirtle919]

you need 2 braces on a tank that long

Semi agree, 1 big brace or 2 smaller ones. My 8x4x3 is a prefect example was euro braced lasted some time then it popped fixed it again and popped added a 25cm x 12mm thick center brace to the euro bracing its held ever sense. Hopefully it wont be leaking when I go to feed the fish now.

I think euro is great for 5 fts and under even 6ft is pushing it as the center has no bracing resulting in a slight bow. Maybe it would work if you had 30cm wide euro bracing but then whats the point?