hi! I'm in the prosses of making my own 200 gallon 6 foot by 2 foot by 2.5 foot tank. i wanted clear / low iron glass in the front pannel and regular glass in all other sides, but my LFS told me that is not possible as "clear glass is weaker than regular glass" and i have to get a full clear glass or a full regular glass tank, though i have not found any evidence on this and even joey, king of diy 's 700 gallon has 1pannel in clear glass.
clear glass weaker than regular glass?
- Thread starter fishpets101
- Start date
I have heard this theory bounced around several times without any supporting evidence. As far as my personal research goes it is completely bogus--no significant difference in tensile strength or mechanical properties of low iron vs standard glass. Iron is simply an impurity and fabrication of low iron glass is more intensive in removing it and thus costlier.
I think the prevailing theories against low iron glass arise from haters who secretly yearn for low iron glass but could not afford it, and so make up unsubstantiated digs about it being easier to scratch, break, etc. Possibly also a tactic that acrylic tank builders use to diss on glass tanks and make sales.
I think the prevailing theories against low iron glass arise from haters who secretly yearn for low iron glass but could not afford it, and so make up unsubstantiated digs about it being easier to scratch, break, etc. Possibly also a tactic that acrylic tank builders use to diss on glass tanks and make sales.
The main tank builder in my city makes low-iron tanks a mm or 2 thicker than the same size tank in regular glass.
I've had tanks made with just 1 panel of low iron glass on and off over the past 10 years and the tank makers don't have any issue with it. They use the same glass thickness as all the other sides. My current tank was just built a month ago in 19mm glass with the front panel in low iron glass and the tank has a 5 year warranty on it
