Advice needed building HUGE tank!

[Osurac]

Hi, I'm new here, but from the look of the info I have found here I will be back allot.

I am planning a new tank for myself because I just got some huge glass for free. This is something I have always dreamed of doing, and I just got the most expensive part of it handed to me.

So, here's what I have, that I want to make into a huge tank, 3 peices of 11' 5/16 X 3' 10" X 1/2' tempered glass. Before you say "whoa there buddy, you can't cut that stuff!" I know.

So far my plans are to make a huge tank using the 3 pieces mentioned above as front, bottom & back, and have 2 end peices made by a glass cutter. I know I will have to make a serious stand to support it, and be sure it is perfectly level. I fugure one end will be shorter than the other by a few inches, to allow me to make an acrylic overflow that I will attach right to the end glass on that side. Then I will build a sump right on the end of the tank, supprted by the same stand.

I'm thinking that I will need to build an angle iron frame for the top and bottom that will have several bars going from front to back to prevent bowing. I'm wondering if it will need support besides on the top & borrom? Is a 3 foot ten inch deep tank going to bow in the middle of the 3' 10" length? Is 1/2 inch of tempered glass that big capable of holding back 1300 gallons of water?

I'm not doing this now, I need to buy a house first that has a living room next to the garage, so this can sit on a concrete slab, and be viewed from the living room. I just want to hear your thoughts on this idea. I have seen some really good thoughts from you all, and want to hear what you think of this project.

Also, I can get more than these 3 peices, in similar dimensions, but my time window is short. It is coming from a mall that is scheduled to be demolished starting next wednesday. I have to remove, load, haul, and unload every peice I plan to keep before then. If anyone is interested, I would consider taking more than this, but I would need to charge something for it, because it weighs like 200 pounds each, and takes alot of work to remove. It is in Colorado, but I would sell it to anyone interested in coming to get it, for a price worth making the trip. The cool thing is that this stuff is strong, we were trying to break some, and couldn't do it with bricks, doorknobs, fire extinguishers, other glass, the only thing that would do it was a hammer.

Anyway, fire away. I want to know if this is something you all think can be done, or if I just wasted $45 on a storage unit to put it in.

[wanareef]

Welcome



Anyway, fire away. I want to know if this is something you all think can be done, or if I just wasted $45 on a storage unit to put it in.

Sorry to pop your bubble, but yes you did. For a tank that size and depth, you will need at least 3/4". That's a lot of water and water pressure. If you look around on some of those tank makers sites, you'll find that they even use 3/4" or thicker for those "big" tanks.

You could always use that glass for a nice looooong cocktail table.

If you want to build your own tank, then try plywood. Yep, plywood. I have built several of them and the last one, which my buddy has, was a 205gal. You use 3/4" cdx, epoxy for the inside and fiberglass cloth for the corners. It's viewable from one side, but can be built for 2 side viewing or even 3 sides. Checkout GARF's site on this. Of course when I built mine, I didn't know about GARF or saltwater. Use glass and not acrylic for the front viewing panel.

good luck

[Geoff]

Welcome to TRT!!



yea i agree. that glass needs to be thicker.

G~

[Osurac]

[Osurac]

Hmm, if it needs to be thicker, would 2 peices on the front & back work?

[Jeremiah]

Originally Posted by Osurac

Hmm, if it needs to be thicker, would 2 peices on the front & back work?

LOL, don't think thats going to work... Wouldn't look very good either... I would say that if you can't afford new glass that is the appropriate thickness then you should scratch the idea of a tank that big. Especially considering that the cost of glass is just a drop in the bucket to the other costs that are going to be involved. Lighting, Skimmer, pumps, as well as numerous other money eating items.

Just my $.02
Jeremiah

[wanareef]

I'm with Jeremiah

Just the cost alone for equipment - and the glass would have to be laminated - proffesionally done.

[Osurac]

You guys win. I was trying to remove some of the glass, when it exploded & sliced us up. It was nothing big, but enough to change my mind about the whole thing for now.

Some day I will build a tank that big, but I'll jusy buy the glass in the right thickness.

This was going to have to wait till I have a place to put it, and now I don't have to store glass till then

[yardboy]

Darn, don't you hate it when a dream "exploded and sliced us up"!

Don't give up on the DIY dude.

[reefworried124]

[quote=Osurac]So, here's what I have, that I want to make into a huge tank, 3 peices of 11' 5/16 X 3' 10" X 1/2' tempered glass. Before you say "whoa there buddy, you can't cut that stuff!" I know.[quote=Osurac]

I think you should leave Shamu at sea world, he likes it there....

[Osurac]

Thanks Yardboy, I will definately not give up on the DIY. I have decided that when I have a place to put it, I will build a tank to the exact dimensions of the glass I had planned to get. The only exception is that I will get glass thick enough for something that big. This way I will be able to say "I knew that tank could be made".

As for Reefworried's comment "I think you should leave Shamu at sea world, he likes it there...." I have this to say, I don't want a huge tank for the purpose of keeping whales, or any other large sea creatures. I have always wanted a large tank such as this, so that I can create a somewhat realistic environment for the fish. I don't think that is unreasonable.

Anyway, it will be a long time before I undertake this project, I joined the US Army, and go to basic training within a week, then I will prpbbably wait till my 4 year enlistment before I can do this. Some day though, I will have my huge tank, and enjoy stocking it, raising fish in it, and observing them living more like the ones in the ocean do.

[yardboy]

Until then you can fantasize with some of the web pages of large tanks!

Not sure what the business about Shamu was about?

[jesspaul]

joined the US Army, and go to basic training within a week

Thanks for serving!
You've got some work ahead of you but its the kind of work that make you strong and proud.