Connecting 2 tanks to make one larger tank???

[tjfish]

Ok so i was thinking (which is usually a bad thing), and i came up with an idea to combine the 2 55 gallon tanks i have front to back to make a 110 gallon with a more square footprint. I did this when i was younger with 2 10 gallon tanks to make a more square 20 gallon and it ran for almost 8 years before finally springing a leak from being moved too many times, but this would be a much larger scale obviously. I know it wouldnt be pretty but it wouldnt be for show, just for my own enjoyment.
Before anyone freaks out, it is just an idea....so far lol.
Heres whats in my head.
First, remove the front glass of one tank, and the back glass of the other.
Then put the open sides together.
Then the 2 long pieces that were removed would be used to cover the joint all the way around the inside of the tank.
Then a third piece that i have laying around would be used to create a brace across the top from the joint on one side to the joint on the other side to keep from bowing.
As i said i realize this wouldnt be pretty (it wasnt when i did it with the 10 gallons) but it would not be for show, and would give me a bigger tank front to back like i want without being longer (cant be longer in my apartment lol)

Anyway let me know what you all think.

 

[joe jaskot]

Not a good idea. The glass used to make a 55 gallon tank IMO is not thick enough to use to make a 110 gallon tank. Proceed with caution. Sell the two 55 gallon tanks and buy a 110.

 

[tjfish]

well its not so much the gallons im looking for so much as the shape and footprint lol

 

[joe jaskot]

Then buy a 120 gallon tank.

 

[tjfish]

I would love to, but the money issue is a real bugger lol. I was just thinking it up as a project that wouldnt really cost anything, but it was kinda theoretical.

 

[zyno]

I did the exact build a few years ago and the tank is holding strong. I call it my ghetto tank. With cinder-blocks as the stand I think I had less then $150 in the build. Here is a photo right after the build.

 

[tjfish]

That is similiar to what i want to do, but i want to connect them one in front of the other instead of end to end.
Did you put any glass on the inside of the tank to cover the seams? or just butt them together with silicone?
Do you have any advice or special tips on doing this? Also what did you use for a brace on the top over the joint? i can see the brace but cant make out what it is exactly lol.
Sorry for all the questions i just wanna get all the info i can lol.
Like i said i did this once upon a time with 2 ten gallon tanks but im a lil more worried about 110 gallons ending up in the property managers office below me than i was 20 gallons ending up on my parents basement floor back then lol

 

[Allan01230]

I would just save my money and invest in a 125 when you have a basement for it. I wouldn't keep anything larger in a building you don't own than a 55 anyways, 110 gallons on the floor of an apartment is a setup for a nice law sue against you. Just the fact you are asking for help says you are not sure what you are doing,. Leave tank building to the pros. Just my opinion









I would leave tank building to the pros. 110 gallons on the floor of a building you are renting is a nice set up for a law sue against you and could cause a lot of damage. Just the fact you are asking says you no not what you do. LOL Save your money and invest in a cool 125 when you have a basement.






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[tjfish]

While i am asking others opinions to see if anyone has done it and get advice, i have re sealed a tank before as well as doing the exact build im talking about on a smaller scale when i was a kid and ran it for almost 8 years. I did that when i was in jr high, so im not totaly clueless just seeking opinions and advice.
As far as the weight issue goes im not too worried about it as the guy 2 doors down in the same building has a 120 set up with no issues. and i have a 75 a 55 a 20 and 2 ten gallons set up, so im not too worried about weight really. Im more worried about this not failing to hold the water due to the larger scale than the one i did as a kid.

 

[Jon M]

No go. As far as I understand, you can connect them from side to side like zyno's design and you won't have issues since it's the same depth as they were before being fused together. When you make the tank deeper (which you will be making it over a 1' deeper connecting front to back) then the glass thickness needs to be adjusted accordingly. Definitely a disaster in the makings IMO. Connecting sides, np, front to back, no go.