Help on deciding glass thickness

[Laith]

I'm evaluating different quotes to have a 300cm x 70cm (front to back) x 90cm (deep) (that's 118" x 27" x 35") reef tank built for me.

I'm surprised by the various glass thicknesses that different builders are proposing: 15mm (3/5"), 19mm (3/4") and 24mm (1"). The 24mm is actually 2x 12mm with a laminate in between.

I'm hesitating between the 19mm and the 24mm (15mm for this size tank just seems asking for trouble :eek2.

Can someone with expertise in this area give me some advice?

Cost/weight is not the issue for me: my issue is that 24mm adds all sorts of complications in terms of finding magnets that can hold equipment at that thickness. Specifically the Tunze Stream 3 (was hoping to be able to use 3-4 of these) which at the moment only has magnets available for up to 19mm glass.

Help! :worried:

 

[mcgyvr]

Rimless? Eurobraced? Plastic trim? Metal trim? ??

There are a few aquariume glass thickness calculators out there..

If using a commonly accepted safety factor of 3.8 you are looking at 24mm glass (23mm)
15mm is only a 1.6 safety factor which is way less than I would ever want..
19mm is 2.6 which is getting closer..

24mm is the proper thickness I'd accept with all of that water..
Thats quite a big tank.. You are going to need to look at alternate ways to get flow into the tank or hold those powerheads..

What about a closed loop setup?

 

[tdlawdo]

Support those floor

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[Laith]

Rimless? Eurobraced? Plastic trim? Metal trim? ??

There are a few aquariume glass thickness calculators out there..

If using a commonly accepted safety factor of 3.8 you are looking at 24mm glass (23mm)
15mm is only a 1.6 safety factor which is way less than I would ever want..
19mm is 2.6 which is getting closer..

24mm is the proper thickness I'd accept with all of that water..
Thats quite a big tank.. You are going to need to look at alternate ways to get flow into the tank or hold those powerheads..

What about a closed loop setup?

Eurobraced and a metal "collar" around the top is also a possibility. I don't want glass bracing across the top of the tank.

I have looked at the calculators and those are the safety factors I found as well, except I get 2.7 for the 19mm because I counted only 85cm water height. The 2.7 safety factor is what made me think that it might be possible to go 19mm...

As to flow, I was looking at the Panta Rhei HydroWizards but those things are big :eek1:. I was actually thinking of two Hydrowizards at one end of the tank and a Gyre 350 at the other end pushing water towards the overflow (which is on one end of the tank). But I like the Stream 3s better as it gives me more flexibility (was planning on having four of them plus the Gyre plus maybe a couple of smaller Tunzes if necessary).

A key criteria for this tank is that it is as quiet as possible (in our living room), hence the Tunze Stream 3s or Hydrowizards. I just can't see a closed loop meeting that criteria...

Tank schemas:

 

[Laith]

Support those floor

We have concrete floors (most houses here do) and I did have a structural engineer come in and do a feasibility study. His conclusion was that it was no problem and we even have a large margin of safety .

 

[tdlawdo]

We have concrete floors (most houses here do) and I did have a structural engineer come in and do a feasibility study. His conclusion was that it was no problem and we even have a large margin of safety .

Perfect! Tank looks amazing so far


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[ReefsandGeeks]

Tank and stand look great so far. Love the design. My tank, although a third the volume looks identical and it looks great. The white makes the tank pop. I'd probably feel comfortable with the 19mm glass.

 

[Laith]

Tank and stand look great so far. Love the design. My tank, although a third the volume looks identical and it looks great. The white makes the tank pop. I'd probably feel comfortable with the 19mm glass.

Thanks! yes, I like the white though it will probably be an offwhite or a light grey, haven't decided yet.

Would you also feel comfortable with 19mm with three times the volume of your current tank? What thickness is yours?

 

[Laith]

For circulation another possibility is three or four Tunze 6255s. They have magnets that can support 27mm glass and they put out more flow than the Stream 3s.

Hadn't considered those before. Anybody have those and can say how silent they are?

Appreciate all the help!

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

I have half inch glass on mine. 72"x18"x27". My walls are a light grey, and floors are very dark grey, almost black so the white really pops for me.

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[Bono]

Ask Roger on the Tunze page, he can probably get bigger/better magnets for the Stream 3’s.

 

[Laith]

Ask Roger on the Tunze page, he can probably get bigger/better magnets for the Stream 3's.

I've been in contact with Roger via email about that. He confirmed that the Stream 3s currently do not support glass thicker than 19mm. They may have a solution next spring. I imagine the problem Tunze faces is that very strong magnets may interfere with the the way the Stream 3 works.

 

[Laith]

I think that I'll stick with the 24mm glass thickness.

I'm leaning towards having 2-3 Stream 3s in the Stream 3 Tunze rocks, 2x 6155s, 2x 6255s and a gyre 350.

The 6155s and 6255s on the glass at the end of the tank where the overflow is, the Gyre on the other end and the Streams in the middle and towards the end where the Gyre would be.

Would love to have just the 6155s and 6255s on one end and the Gyre on the other but I don't think even the 6255 can push water the full length of the tank...

 

[Toolmaker]

The thicker the glass, the more strength. Yet you run into clarity and distortion issues. Starfire is pretty clear. Depends on your needs and monetary allowance. If you are in it for the long haul, this hobby, as in anything. Go for quaility.

 

[Laith]

The thicker the glass, the more strength. Yet you run into clarity and distortion issues. Starfire is pretty clear. Depends on your needs and monetary allowance. If you are in it for the long haul, this hobby, as in anything. Go for quaility.

I agree about the quality... and it will be Starfire

 

[PCguy21]

Tbh if you want no center braces id go with the thicker glass..


My 135 is 1.2 inch thick with no braces as its an older tabk that had non..

Then they got cheaper in making tanks and 125 and 135 and so forth are all thinner 3/8th because of braces.

So id personally get 1 inch thick.. even eith my 1.2 inch thick glass my tank bows about 1.2 an inch when filled.. its quiet terrifying but awsome to see how much glass can actually bend lol

 

[Laith]

...even eith my 1.2 inch thick glass my tank bows about 1.2 an inch when filled.. its quiet terrifying but awsome to see how much glass can actually bend lol

1.2" of bow? :eek1:

Yes, I've decided to stick with the 24mm (2x12mm with laminate) thickness.

Hopefully the Eurobrace around the top will avoid a bow like that! :uhoh2:

 

[PCguy21]

1.2" of bow? :eek1:

Yes, I've decided to stick with the 24mm (2x12mm with laminate) thickness.

Hopefully the Eurobrace around the top will avoid a bow like that! :uhoh2:

Well my tank is 40 years old.. wanna know something even scarier ome of the main panels have a perm bow in it empty... i first was freaking out.. but tbh if it hasnt broken in 40 years it probly never will