custom tank build glass thickness ??

[TimmyG]

I am thinking about building a custom tank and have a question about glass thickness vs water volume.

Does the total amount of water come into play when figureing on glass thickness ot just the hight X length?

I'm planning on using the glass from 90g aquariums to do this build but was wondering if the thicknesss would be ok if I build a 48 x 48 x 24 cube?
Any Ideas??

Thanks,
Timmy

[Loverotties]

It's not a cube.Which measurement is 24?Height,depth?

[TimmyG]

Originally Posted by Loverotties

It's not a cube.Which measurement is 24?Height,depth?

Well OK, the bottom 1/2 of a cube LOL 24" tall x 48" long x 48" or maybe 36" (not sure yet) wide.

[Jadinop]

You can start here to get some rough numbers.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/aqu...customtank.htm

[crvz]

You plan on using a brace in any way? If not, I'd say the standard 90 gallon glass thickness will be rather inadequate for a tank that large. Total water volume does matter, as it will increase the pressure on the seams (so you need not just worry about height and length).

[TimmyG]

Originally Posted by crvz

You plan on using a brace in any way? If not, I'd say the standard 90 gallon glass thickness will be rather inadequate for a tank that large. Total water volume does matter, as it will increase the pressure on the seams (so you need not just worry about height and length).

Thanks crvz, this is where I wish I would have furthered my education.

I have read most of the above listed artical and unless I'm missing something, wich I'm sure I am LOL, I don't see where the total water volume is factored in. It seems to only figure the hight and length of the glass and not the total volume.

Being as uneducated as I am I don't dare argue that it would matter but I don't see it

I was planning on bracing the top perimeter and a cross brace front to back and end to end much like GC does.

[mxracer19]

Total water volume does matter, as it will increase the pressure on the seams (so you need not just worry about height and length).

I'm sorry but this isn't true. Pressure is dictated only by the height of a water column at any given point.

Hydrostatic pressure (P) is equal to any outside pressure, such as pressure exerted by the atmosphere (P.air), plus (fluid density [p] times gravitational force [g] times height [h]).

P = (P.air)+(pgh)

Vessle shape has no effect on pressure because pressure is measured by the force per unit area. Additionally, the walls of the vessel supporting a fluid exert a pressure equal to that which the fluid exerts on the vessel, and pressure is transmitted equally throughout a given level within the fluid. Pressure is a vectorless quantity.

For our applications, tank height dictates glass thickness for two reasons: The higher the tank the greater the force on the glass, and with higher pressure comes the requirement for a thicker seal area capable of maintaining seam/structural integrity.

http://www.austinglass.com.au/aquariums.html
http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~vawter/Physic...droStatic.html


To strengthen my argument, think of a diver. As he descends, the pressure increases. This pressure gradient - 1 atm for every 33 feet - is the same given any size body of water...a pond...a quarry...Lake Superior. 33 feet is still 29.4 psi (water pressure @ 14.7psi + atmospheric pressure @ 14.7 psi). 66 feet is still 44.1 psi given any body of freshwater. The density of saltwater causes these values to shift slightly but you get the idea.

-Matt

[flying_dutchman]

I always use the garf custom tank calculator
good luck