I understand water pressure due to its tendency to always be level it distributes over the area it's covering. a larger footprint with the same volume actually has less pressure. just for peace of mind I would do 3/4" base and 1/2" sides. that's why I always look out for older 90 and 120 gallons as they are 2ft high 4ft long with 1/2" glass, perfect for most aquarium builds