Can you take apart rimmed aquarium to get glass to build an aquarium? Is this a good idea?

[duganderson]

What are your thoughts about using a large rimmed aquarium (50 or more gallons) to separate the glass panels and have them cut for a rimless build?

Can you sedate the panels of glass with a razor blade or other tool without breaking the glass?

Any other thoughts or opinions about this?

 

[duganderson]

Found this for how to take aquarium panels apart.......

 

[reefmusic]

What are your thoughts about using a large rimmed aquarium (50 or more gallons) to separate the glass panels and have them cut for a rimless build?

Can you sedate the panels of glass with a razor blade or other tool without breaking the glass?

Any other thoughts or opinions about this?

Generally a rimmed aquarium is relying on the rim to provide added strength, so the glass will be thinner than for a similar sized rimless. You would need to make the rimless tank that you build from it, appropriately sized for the glass, and it would need to be quite a bit smaller I suspect.

 

[kharmaguru]

What are your thoughts about using a large rimmed aquarium (50 or more gallons) to separate the glass panels and have them cut for a rimless build?

Can you sedate the panels of glass with a razor blade or other tool without breaking the glass?

Any other thoughts or opinions about this?

It's a lot of work getting the old silicone off but it can be done if you're a fastidious type of person. I've taken a couple tanks apart and I personally hate doing it. Cutting glass that has been used already can be problematic as well. Glass actually 'flows' downward throughout it's entire life and when cutting glass like this, it can go off very easily and ultimately waste your glass. If you were determined to do this, I would leave the glass in the sizes it is and add eurobracing to substitute for the missing top frame. Not sure if he mentions it in that video, but a 'high E' guitar string pulled between the panes (wear gloves!) works well to separate them and is a lot less likely to cause chips than an exacto blade.