Why not make the tank taller?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
well im not even sure we need to build the tank this large, right now our stocking list would be two jack dempseys, two green texas cichlids, two oscars, and a green terror. not sure what else we would want to add, possibly clown loaches,rays,delhezi bichirs, or some kind of catfish. and a few medium/top dwellers... although i would love to own a clown knife one day
 
my bad i didn't realize i put that. i was thinkin from strictly a height perspective. u obviously do need more support for the material to span a greater distance. what i meant is if the tank was the same length but deeper you would need thicker material because of the pressure. my bad
 
anyone see any problems with my tank being 96x30x30, 3/4" plywood with 2x6"supports around the tank? and what about my stocking list, can any more fish be added?
 
i was going to use 3x4" plywood, wrap 2x4" around the top,bottom,and middle..... seems like it would be fairly strong, and 3/8" glass.
 
maxumis;1068673; said:
LOL Milkman!
How can you be a member of this forum so long and have built a couple of tanks yourself and not know that the height of the tank is the MAJOR factor in material thickness? Sure, the length of your glass window plays it's part BUT in the end; The higher the tank the thicker the glass.
So yes, it will be possible to build a 26' x 26' x 30" (that might be a little more than 10 000 gallons) plywood or concrete tank using 80" x 26" windows made of 1/2" glass. Easy. :naughty:
This makes an interesting read.
And this sums up all the theory very well.

Sorry if I came across as :hitting: on you. No disrespect dude.
:footinmou
Click to expand...

he said that its the height of the aquarium that determines how thick a tank is.
So i corrected him. and said my example above. i'm not wrong.

the height does play a huge role in how thick, but it's not the only roll being played.
 
1/2" glass...double 3/4" 13 ply voidless birch (don't forget that all plywood ISN'T created equil.).

Overbuilt?

Probubly... but if your going to be a bear....be a Grizzly...
 
I wouldnt use 3/8 for a 30" tall tank, and yes the length of the tank also matters. Dont bother trying to drylok styro, if your not going to put it on cementboard paint it directly on the wood at your own risk.
 
You don't need 1/2" glass to build this tank. 3/8" will work just fine, because you're not going to fill the tank to the brim. You fill the tank until the water level is JUST above you window. You'll have a frame around the window right? So if your frame is 3" all round, and your water level is at 27", your window will only need to support 24" of water pressure by its self.
Have a look at my tank. Its 96"(w) x 34"(h) x 28"(d) and built from normal 3/4" pine plywood and 3/8" glass. I measured the areas that would bow the most while filling the tank. A whopping 0,3mm. That's nothing. The water level is only 27.5"... Now, take into account that my window frame is 6" at the bottom... 27.5" - 6" = 21.5". 3/8" Glass can handle that pressure no problem.
You don't need to fame the hell out of this tank. Just frame it smart.

PM me if you want my Sketchup design.
 
I understand that 3/8" glass can probubly hold the pressure of the water...thats not why I recomend 1/2"
Once you have monster fish scooting around the tank.....dog's....kids.....ect in the room outside the tank...the added strength becomes a great comfort.
Your a LOT closer to the breaking point on 3/8" glass at 30" than you are with 1/2".
 
if i have to buy 1/2"glass then building a DIY plywood tank is NO cheaper then a all glass tank. i dont know what kinda fish could break that glass,im going to have oscars,jack dempseys, bichirs-rays-or clown loaches. and prolly one or two pictus cats... maybe even a black aro or clown knife
 
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