Landed Some FREE Glass Sheets - Need Advice

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GeekFish

Feeder Fish
Sep 20, 2012
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The local McDonalds is in the process of being rebuilt and they just started removing the old building. I noticed they weren't keeping any of the glass, so I called the company that was running the demo and asked if I could go over and get some glass out of the place. The said it wouldn't be a problem! I ended up with a 6' x 3' sheet, 3 5' 6" x 3' pieces and a 4x4 piece (this one is tempered, so I probably won't use it for anything. The others are all laminated and just a hair under 3/8" thick.

I have a huge... Hole? Between my living room and dining room that has cabinets underneath (the hole is like 8' x 8'). This would be the perfect place for a big tank. The counter top sits about 3' high and is very sturdy due to the supports inside the cabinets.

My plan is to build a tank that's 60" x 24" x 16" (i originally wanted to go 30 wide, but the counter top is only 26"). I have a few questions though:

- I've heard laminated glass isn't as strong as regular, is this glass going to be too thin for that height?
- I planned on building a base and then a rim around the top of the tank for support (maybe even run rails along the sides at the edges to increase strength) Would this allow me to get any extra height?
- As far as filtration goes, would it be better to use some left over glass and build a sump system? Never used anything like this, so maybe that'd be too much for a newbie? Also thought about just running two canister set ups. (the tank is going to be for my Red Eared Slider, but I may put in some Sunfish. The turtle has been living with fish for all its life and doesn't bother them at all.)

Anyway, I just wanted to get some opinions before I build something and end up with a big mistake!
 
Cool thanks. I didn't think it was going to be too much of an issue, but I read that the strength of laminated isn't as good as standard glass, but didn't know HOW much less it actually was.
 
I looked this up a month or two ago when it came up. I think the rule of thumb is 75% as strong as float glass of the same thickness.

So if you play around with the safety factor calculator assume 75% as strong as 5/16" float glass. I say 5/16" instead of 3/8" as I believe that's how thick the last scraps I bought were. I didn't use them on a tank so no real world experience to share.

I'm not near my computer. I'll see if I can post some links about the strength later.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Makes sense... Thanks for the info. I really don't want to go too high anyway, but I thought it might look odd having a long tank that's very shallow. Maybe I'm just too picky though.

I can't wait to build this thing... It's all I've been thinking about since I pulled that glass out!
 
I scored a couple of sheets of 4'x8'x.25" glass a while back. It has come in handy for a bunch of lids and a few other things.

The thing I would be worried about in your case is how to cut laminated glass. The traditional score-and-snap method won't work for laminated glass, so you will only be able to cut it with a diamond saw, which is very costly.
 
GeekFish said:
Makes sense... Thanks for the info. I really don't want to go too high anyway, but I thought it might look odd having a long tank that's very shallow. Maybe I'm just too picky though.

I can't wait to build this thing... It's all I've been thinking about since I pulled that glass out!
Click to expand...

Is this an all glass or plywood build? If it's a plywood build you could set your framing up in a way that makes the tank taller.

I found one of the links I was thinking of:

http://www.syracuseglass.com/E-DOCS/Architectural Glass/EDOCS/SGC Laminated Glass Product Info.pdf

Scroll down to technical comments. There you will see the 75% strength mentioned as well as some issues with using silicone. If this is a plywood build you can hide the 1/2" of cloudiness with your framing. If this is an all glass build you can cover it with something else. They also mention moisture exposure but if you have moisture getting to those joints then you'll have bigger issues.

If you research the strength of laminated safety glass further you'll find that many think the 75% rating is conservative. For your sake it's probably a good number.

As far as cutting, I do think the previous poster is correct in saying it is not a DIY option. But when I bought my last scraps from a local glass company I had them cut it for me and it was still cheaper than float glass of the same thickness. I had six pieces cut to size ranging from about 40" x 40" down to 12" x 8". So I think you should be able to find a local glass company that will cut it for you.
 
Dan F said:
I scored a couple of sheets of 4'x8'x.25" glass a while back. It has come in handy for a bunch of lids and a few other things.

The thing I would be worried about in your case is how to cut laminated glass. The traditional score-and-snap method won't work for laminated glass, so you will only be able to cut it with a diamond saw, which is very costly.
Click to expand...

I cut glass with a band saw.


Sent from my iPod touch using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
The guy that helped me get the glass out said he could cut it. He has all kinds of gadgets like a CNC, etc full workshop, even makes all kinds of stuff with 'smooth on'. I plan on making some rocks and such out of that stuff, to cut back on weight, but I digress.

I thought about making a plywood tank if I can't cut this stuff, I will. I can reinforce with PVC board if I have to, I have a lot of that stuff.

That brings up another point I was thinking about: is it better to cut a recessed slot for the bottom glass to sit in (so the whole thing is essential inside a board) or should I have the glass be made like my other tanks and be raised with a rim around the bottom of the tank? I thought about cutting a recessed area, laying down a thin layer of foam, then putting the base glass down. Am I making this build too hard? Haha
 
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