4mm tempered glass for plywood aquarium?
Question:I have a few mulltiple sized 4mm(5/32")thick tempered glass ranging from
24" to 54" in length and all pieces are 24" tall. What are my options with this glass. Would they be safe to use on a 8'long by 2-3' wide plywood aquarium. I could use 1 4ft long piece and 2 smaller pieces on the outside.
Also is the height compared to thickness measured by the viewable area or the viewable area plus the overlap?
With 3" overlap top a bottom would only be 18" viewing area.
Could I use 3 30"high by 24"wide pieces with a 3" overlap and 1' spacers.
Is there a possibilty to double them up for added strength. How would you do that too.
Maybe I can't even use this glass at all. All help is appreciated
Answers:
i would caution you not to use tempered glass for an aquarium, especially one so large. tempered glass is much stronger than annealed (regular, non-tempered) glass, but it shatters. that is one of the major reasons for making glass tempered. (the process is interesting if you want to look it up.)
when regular glass breaks, it cracks into large shards that can be sharp and dangerous. with tempered glass breaks, it generally makes a bizillion little chunks that are relatively dull. this is great for some things like glass doors or bathroom shelves. but imagine if this happens to your fish tank.water and sweet fishies all over the floor within an instant.
regular glass will crack but usually remain in place long enough for you to prevent a tragedy. check with online sources or copy what you find for sale to figure out how thick your regular glass should be. i'm a little confused about your design, but only use one piece of glass for each side and the bottom. i'm not sure what you mean by "plywood aquarium" but the plywood can't be used in any way that could get wet.
as someone who once researched making her own aquarium, i think you would be much better off just buying one. their structural requirements prohibit much flexibility in their design, and the materials are more expensive than ready-made--not to mention your time. think of some other creative thing to do with your tempered glass. (remember that they can never be cut or drill or altered in any way without shattering.) have fun with it!
The water has weight not pressure. Build your dream! If you are a skeptic, place the finished unit in the driveway and fill it with water. drain and refill when you get it where you want it.
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