HELP ON MY DIY PLYWOOD TANK

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R

Rey777

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 2, 2011
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winston salem, north carolina
HELLO. I NEED SOME ADVISE. I AM BUILDING A 950 GALLON PLWOOD TANK I GOT THE BOX BUILT AND FOR MY FRONT VEIWING GLAS THIS IS WHAT I DID. I USED DOUBLE PANED GLASS FROM (36"X79.5") AN OLD SLIDING GLASS DOOR. I WAS GOING TO DISSASSEMBLE THE THE FRAME , BUT USED IT AND PUT SELF TAPPERS ON THE FRAME TO THE PLYWOOD TANK. THEN I SELF TAPPED ANOTHER DOUBLE PANED GLASS DOOR RIGHT IN FRONT OF IT. OKAY I USED A WHOLE CASE ON CLEAR PERMANENT WATERPROOF AND TIGHT SILICONE AND SILICONE THE MESS OUT OF IT. I HAVENT DONE THIS YET BUT PLAN ON SCREWING A WOODEN FRAME AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE GLASS TO OVERLAP THE GLASS ABOUT 3" ALL AROUND. MY QUESTION IS THESE:

WILL THIS BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE WATER PRESSURE?

SHOULD THE BRASE I'M BUILDING AROUND THE GLASS HOLD IT ? WHEN I HAVE TIME I WOULD LIKE TO POSTS PICS TO BETTER EXPLAIN BUT PRETTY NEW AND DONT KNOW HOW
ABNY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.:WHOA:
 
if im thinking of the sliding door ur talkign about its tempered 1/4 inch glass. which i dont think is enough for 950gallons. but im no expert
 
I have no idea about what dimensions your 950 gallon tank is going to be but with 1/4 to 3/8 inch tempered glass it should be more than a 12 inches high.

Building a big tank is serious business and can result in a lot of damage to your home and even people if not careful. I undertand that your concept sounds plausible on paper quite frankly the physics don't match up.

I suggest that you refer to the thickness calculation thread listed below in addition to read a lot of threads.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?287989-Glass-Acrylic-Thickness-Calculations

I am building a 225 gallon tank in a similar manner that you describe and my glass is going to be 1/2 thick. My tank is 2 feet high. When it comes to tanks, taller = thicker.

Before getting started read and feel free to ask questions. I am a rookie myself (in the process of building my first tank) and I find the information and members of this forum very helpful. Good luck and keep us posted.
 
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OK THE GLASS IS DOUBLE PANED 1/4 TEMPERED GLASS. I GOT TWO SHEETS THAT WOULD MAKE IT A TOTAL OF AN INCH THICK. IF I DISASSEMBLE FRAME AROUND THEM AND JUST USE THE GLASS THAT SHOULD WORK RIGHT
 
If each sheet of glass is in direct contact with the adjacent sheets... yes you will increase the strength of the overall chunk of glass. I am not a glass expert but most laminates usually have a higher overall strength than the sum of their individual parts. This is due to weaknesses and defects in one piece not going all the way through the finished laminated piece. True laminates have some sort of bonds between the layers. Stacks without bonds between the layers won't be as strong as laminates with the layers bonded but should still be stronger than individual pieces.

If there is space between the pieces of glass then you will have no more strength than a single piece of glass.

Could you maybe turn off your caps lock please?
 
Oughtsix said:
If each sheet of glass is in direct contact with the adjacent sheets... yes you will increase the strength of the overall chunk of glass. I am not a glass expert but most laminates usually have a higher overall strength than the sum of their individual parts. This is due to weaknesses and defects in one piece not going all the way through the finished laminated piece. True laminates have some sort of bonds between the layers. Stacks without bonds between the layers won't be as strong as laminates with the layers bonded but should still be stronger than individual pieces.

If there is space between the pieces of glass then you will have no more strength than a single piece of glass.

Could you maybe turn off your caps lock please?
Click to expand...

I am not a glass expert. I do a lot of work with fiberglass. In fiberglass for the lamination to be successful, it needs to have some sort of mechanical bond (layers of mat/cloth sandwiched with foam/board and either resin or epoxy). If not bonded the glass has no idea that is more than 1/4 thick (not being sarcastic, I was taught to think like the material and things would make more sense to me and it works a bit for me). I don't think that even tightly pressed together would work. I have proved it to myself several times that it doesn't work with foam. I can lay 50lb on two piece of foam pressed together and they snap in an instant. Even if I use 1 ounce cloth and laminate all side with resin it can hold it up no problem.

I am starting to think that we are getting our chain pulled on this one.

Good luck with the build and keep us posted.
 
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i don't think the glass will stand the pressure, being all separate pieces and not truly laminated together.
you'd be better off buying the real deal for your tank, you won't be doubting and worrying all the time.
 
Except for fact that it is more flexable than normal glass the thing is that the two layers(on the laminated glass) are actualy insulated from each other the problem comes when you have heated water on the one side of the glass the other does heat up but as soon as you get a breeze not even strong, the outside one cools of faster than the inside glass(on the laminated glass) the outside one crack and you strenth go's to hell. Been there! Done that !!! not worth it.
 
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