Will this work- glass tank and glass/plywood bottom

[Kent763]

So the other day I picked up a few sheets of glass that were cut for an 180 gal tank for a really good price. Except... I don't want 180 gal. I want bigger

I'd like to make the tank wider but I really don't want to pay for a 90" by 36" piece of 1/2" glass. I've done some shopping around for other pieces and I know a piece this size would cost a minimum of $300 in my area.

So here's my thought.



Would this work? I have the glass and I can get plywood dirt cheap so this would be a really great for this poor college student to go if it's possible. If it is possible, what would I use to bond the glass to the plywood underneath? Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[Kent763]

Hmm, guess there's no way to edit your post on here? I left it out of my first post but should probably mention that the size of this theoretical tank will be 90.5" long by 22" tall by 36" front to back = 308 gal.

 

[Wolf3101]

You'll need to add additional bracing... either corner braces or euro style bracing... on a tank that big and you might run into problems bonding the glass to the plywood. The only other problem I see is that the plywood...even the best will be more prone to flexing than the 3/16 glass plate so it could still fail. This is the reason sandwich glass isn't used in tank construction. A large piece of slate with an angle iron bottom frame might be a better choice.

 

[tunerX]

Seaming in the middle should work for you because you have the glass supported by the 3/4 ply. As long as you support the seam with the right kind of joist or beam then the silicone seal will last for years.

 

[Kent763]

You'll need to add additional bracing... either corner braces or euro style bracing... on a tank that big and you might run into problems bonding the glass to the plywood. The only other problem I see is that the plywood...even the best will be more prone to flexing than the 3/16 glass plate so it could still fail. This is the reason sandwich glass isn't used in tank construction. A large piece of slate with an angle iron bottom frame might be a better choice.

I'll definitely be euro-bracing the top. I'm thinking a 6" brace every 2'. As far at the bottom flexing, the stand I build for this will fully support the bottom with a layer of insulation/polystyrene/etc. to even out imperfections. Moving it might cause the bottom to fail but by the time I'm ready to move from this house after I graduate it will be time for a really big tank and I won't care care what happens to this one

 

[Wolf3101]

Corner bracing....Triangular pieces in each corner and a single 10" wide strip in the center would be fine on a tank with that footprint.

 

[Kent763]

Corner bracing....Triangular pieces in each corner and a single 10" wide strip in the center would be fine on a tank with that footprint.

Alright, I'll add the corner braces but I'm still going will a few euros. The more braced the merrier Plus it will give me something for my glass tops to sit on. Thanks for all your advice so far.

 

[Wolf3101]

Just be careful that you leave enough space for your filtration between the braces Thats why i usually go with a single center brace.

 

[Kent763]

Just be careful that you leave enough space for your filtration between the braces Thats why i usually go with a single center brace.

Wet/Dry. I've got a 30g W/D I built on my 125g and I've become convinced that it's the only way to filter. This tank will be drilled with overflow boxes in the corners. Or maybe one in the center. I'm not entirely sure on that part yet.