Hi everyone I'm new to this site. I currently have a 125g aquarium. But planning on buildING a 16ft x 3ft x 3ft plywood tank and was just wondering how thick my glass / acrylic should be? Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated. Just need pointed in the right direction.
Carpenter needs direction on plywood tank please
- Thread starter Eric gibson
- Start date
Well if its going to be 16' long max then 2x8 windows will not work you'd need to go about a foot longer for space to adhere the viewing panel. You will need roughly 4"/panel. I guess you wouldn't need a foot longer but you get my point, maybe just 6". So if 16' I'd say 2x6. One of the only determining factors in glass thickness is height of the aquarium or more so the depth of the water. My 180 is half inch and its 24" deep if you are having a true 36" depth id guess 3/4" but like I said 3/4 its a guess. Either way you go make sure you put bracing from front to back at least every 2-3 feet. There are glass thickness calculators out there don't worry about the fact it about all glass tanks same rules apply.
Make sure you make a build thread I'd love to see this monster come to life!
Make sure you make a build thread I'd love to see this monster come to life!
There are a few variables when it comes to your question. How do you plan on bracing this tank would be my first question
Just like framing on a house. 2x4 studs every 16inches. And probably 2x6 studs across the front with 3/4 plywood on the inside. Then 3 or 4 2x4 center beam in center of the two 8ft veiwing panels. Any opinions or insight would help
Yea I will post for sure. I'm good on all the bracing and framing. Just rlly not sure about the glass thinkness. I do want the veiwing panels to be a true 3ft tall and will probably need a 3" overlap all the way around so the veiwing panels wouldnt be exactly 3ft by 8ft just shy of it. So glass or acrylic is my next question?
I hear it's easier to bond glass. That acrylic will need to be silicone and in some instances bolted to the wood. Silicone doesn't adhere well to acrylic. Also think pricing is about the same or more for acrylic.
If your viewing panel is 3' you have to base the glass thickness on overall depth. So if you've got 36+3+3=42 you need to go off the 42" depth.
Plugging that into thickness calculators it's coming out at a glass thickness of .82" for a 2X safety factor. I think the closest standard size is 22mm which is .86" thickness.
Ok thanks. That's just under 7/8" so just to be safe I'll try to just go with a 1" thick veiwing panel just to be safe. If the cost is right.
Well I got some 1" acrylic priced, and for 2 4x8 sheets it is 728.00 a piece. That's is expensive to me but really even after I buy them and all the wood I ain't tallied it all up. Honestly tho if I was to have a solid acrylic tank built from a company that was 16' × 3' × 3' don't you think it would be double the expenses vice verse a plywood tank? It would have to be alot more cheaper to take the diy route I would think.