Help please with tank construction questions

[Noel]

I plan to build multiple glass tanks for a tank rack and have no previous experience. Each tank will have length x width x height measurements equal to 45cmx20cmx30cm 

Each tank will be constructed with its side panes on top of the base plane. The rear pane (one of the two shorter side panes) will have a hole drilled into it to accommodate a bulkhead.

I would appreciate advice with the following:

1.    Is 6mm glass all round necessary because of the bulkhead, or can I go thinner?

 

2.    Should the longer side panes span the length of the tank and the shorter panes fit inside them or would it be stronger for the bulkhead if the shorter panes span the width of the tank and the longer sides fit inside them?

 

3.    I have read elsewhere that the inside panes should be cut to a size to allow for an silicone fillet of depth 1mm or more between the panes depending on the tank size and that this provides the structural seal while the silicone inside the tank protects this seal. What fillet depth should I allow for?

Edited June 9, 2016 by Noel
one sentence did not make sence

[jayc]

1) I wouldn't go any thinner than 6mm glass.

2)  the shorter panes span the width of the tank and the longer sides fit inside them

3) 1mm depth should be enough for the size of tanks you are planning.

[NoGi]

What he said. If you plan on taking macro photos don't go too thick either. I've got 10mm thick glass which causes too me refraction for my macro lens to get the sort of macro shots I get on my smaller tanks with 6mm glass.

[zn30]

Just some advice when building either the rack or the tanks leave enough space to enable to insult your tanks with polystyrene sheeting, or similar, on the back of the tank and sides, mainly for winter I also place a cut to size sheet on top of the tanks at lights out.

In summer you can store these cut offs in your roof, a little more insulation in the roof for summer. 

I remove the side sheets in summer to allow for air circulation around the tanks as I have a ceiling fan to help with cooling. I leave the back sheets on as I have sceneries glued on them from my fish keeping days.

[Noel]

Thank you jayc, NoGi and zn30 for your help

[jayc]

5 hours ago, zn30 said:

leave enough space to enable to insult your tanks with polystyrene sheeting

HAHA, I just saw this. 

 

Insult your tanks. I'd like to see a vid of you doing that!!

 

 

[zn30]

4 hours ago, jayc said:

HAHA, I just saw this. 

Insult your tanks. I'd like to see a vid of you doing that!!

LOL spell check we just rely on it too much.

However I'm sure we have all insulted our tanks every now and then, and wow and behold anyone standing by giving advice, as my wife shakes her head and glares at me.

[Jarad]

Sorry I know this sucks but I couldn't help it ...

[jayc]

LOL AHAHAHAHAH

 

Polystyrene insults tank.

[zn30]

Just don't forget to give your tank the sheets!

[Jarad]

But in all seriousness Noel, I use this when building tanks http://www.theaquatools.com/building-your-aquarium :) I use a safety factor of 5.

Edited July 22, 2016 by Jarad G Davey

[kizshrimp]

Noel, I've just seen this thread. Did you build the tanks yet? One critical factor that nobody mentioned is that the base should be floating between the sides, not supporting them as you described. If you've already built them, well you might be ok because they're small and there's no real structural stress. Good luck! But for future reference, that is not the way to build a glass aquarium. I'm sure there's plenty of online resources that illustrate the right way. 

[Noel]

Thank you Jarad and kizshrimp.