Rivermuds Glass and Acrylic Calculator (it lives)

rastaangel

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 22, 2017
17
1
8
36
Works just fine on the laptop.
But I have some questions about it.
1. Does your calculator figure out thicknesses at your 3.8 factor as if the glass is braced or not braced?
2. Why is it that it's suggesting a thicker measure for bottom panel? I assume just for defection
 

Rivermud

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 14, 2007
980
14
48
Idaho
Works just fine on the laptop.
But I have some questions about it.
1. Does your calculator figure out thicknesses at your 3.8 factor as if the glass is braced or not braced?
2. Why is it that it's suggesting a thicker measure for bottom panel? I assume just for defection
1: It figures as if not braced. 2: The bottom panel is calculated as that depth. It has to be able to support the entire weight of the water and anything you put in the tank. Deflection is the true test of glass integrity. Glass can bend but it shouldn't, it is a very finite number.
 

rastaangel

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 22, 2017
17
1
8
36
So how would one then calculate as if the glass was both cross braced and euro braced?
And I'm assuming the bottom is figured as if it were a floating bottom like commercial tanks with trim
 

Rivermud

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 14, 2007
980
14
48
Idaho
The calculator is built assuming zero bracing with a safety factor of 3.8. A lower safety factor has been shown with many commercially built aquariums. My best advice is to plug in known configurations suchs as a 55 gallon tank and see what safety factor they truly hold. Once you are comfortable with the numbers and the style of tank you wish to build you can use it to test your dimensions/build with what you are comfortable with. This is why I made the caluclator tweakable. It can reverse calculations for both glass and acrylic
 

rastaangel

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 22, 2017
17
1
8
36
So if a person were to build exactly off your calculator with a safety factor of 3.8 it would only increase the safety factor correct?
And as for bottom panel if it was on a fully supported bottom with foam it could probably be of the same thickness as the rest of the glass since it's not floating?
 

Rivermud

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 14, 2007
980
14
48
Idaho
It is something you need to determine yourself. The safety factor doesn't increase if you build it to the safety factor recommendation. That SF is from the industry. I made the calculator for people to use and test what they feel comfortable with before they build. There are several replies on this thread discussing just that.
 

nicole0404

Feeder Fish
Aug 20, 2020
1
0
1
29
The calculator is built assuming zero bracing with a safety factor of 3.8. A lower safety factor has been shown with many commercially built aquariums. My best advice is to plug in known configurations suchs as a 55 gallon tank and see what safety factor they truly hold. Once you are comfortable with the numbers and the style of tank you wish to build you can use it to test your dimensions/build with what you are comfortable with. This is why I made the caluclator tweakable. It can reverse calculations for both glass and acrylic
Hi, rivermud.

I would like to talk to you about some project Iam working on.
How can we talk ?

Thank you!!
 
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