ok guys the calculator reccomends 16mm 5/8" glass but the way the veiwing panel was built to accept 12mm 1/2" glass my aquarium is actually a 225 gallon figured wrong... will a 1/2" hold up the height is 36" overall to the top of the tank but the viewing panel is actually 32 to 33"
Lexan Plexi-Glass
- Thread starter FinHunter101
- Start date
1/2" will likely hold the pressure, yes. I would however not really recommend it. If you must use 1/2" glass, and it's an option, I'd suggest using tempered glass.
This is probably a bit pedantic but typical aquarium calculators and engineering design calculations using glass actually use a safety factor on fracture strength between 5 and 20, so 1/2" glass would have a safety factor of much more than 1, but it doesn't leave you with a lot of room to screw up (Small surface defects or outside stresses imposed by the mounting add large stresses to a rigid glass panel).
i really do love that i spent my time researching this and built a modifiable calculator to help people answer these questions. cver.. is right when he states that the industry standard is probably overdone. We have a framed window so our safety factor doesn't need to be quite as rigid as the "industry standard" I generally try to keep above 2.1-2.2 area.. my tank is actually a 1.3. My tank is a diy 100 gallon plywood with a simple plywood frame, it is 48x24x24.. now I only fill to 22" so my calculator gives me a 1.3 with 1/4" glass. the tank has been running for 3 years and has had fish crash into it, heavy driftwood fall into it, and been moved 4 times (literal moves, not just around the house).
I know the risks and chose to build my tank with those dimensions and I have no worries. With all of that said though the calculator is designed to allow you that same choice. Below is a link to the post along with instructions for its use. I guessed on your dimensions a bit and assumed 72 inches wide and used 36 inches for max fill height... it comes out to a 1.3 SF. Like I said, I am not recommending anything and my results may not be typical and are not meant to be used as gospel. Feel free to toy around with the calc, it also works for acrylic.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?448782-Rivermuds-Glass-and-Acrylic-Calculator-(it-lives)
I know the risks and chose to build my tank with those dimensions and I have no worries. With all of that said though the calculator is designed to allow you that same choice. Below is a link to the post along with instructions for its use. I guessed on your dimensions a bit and assumed 72 inches wide and used 36 inches for max fill height... it comes out to a 1.3 SF. Like I said, I am not recommending anything and my results may not be typical and are not meant to be used as gospel. Feel free to toy around with the calc, it also works for acrylic.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?448782-Rivermuds-Glass-and-Acrylic-Calculator-(it-lives)
