48x36x24

bc29 · Apr 19, 2019

Hello, I am currently planning to build a display tank approximately 180 gallons. I am having trouble finding the right thickness for the glass. The dimensions will be 48"x36"x24" and it will be euro braced. I just cant sewm to find a calculator for euro bracing. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

Ron Reefman · Apr 20, 2019

Three comments as an offer of help:

1) I've built 6 tanks over the years. One was 4'x2'x14" and a couple of smaller ones were 20" and 24" tall. I've always used 3/8th" glass and made them rimless. I've never had a failure. But then your tank is more volume than any that tall that I've made.

2) I had a 120g CADlight tank that was euro braced. If I recall correctly, the euro bracing was about 3" on all 4 sides with a cutout in the middle of the back for the overflow. The tank and the bracing was all a bit less than 3/8th" glass.

3) If I were building the tank you propose, I'd do 3/8th" glass and use the same for the euro brace. I think 3" is enough for the bracing. However, I'd prefer to have the back brace run coast to coast which means doing something exotic with the overflow. Or do the back glass with 1/2".

Hope that helps a bit?

dantimdad · Apr 20, 2019

I agree 3/8 eurobraced is plenty.

lapin · Apr 20, 2019

I do not know of a calculator that takes euro bracing into consideration. Non braced with a safety factor of 3.8 would give you 12mm on thickness. I would have the edges professionally polished. You do not want uneven surfaces that can cause cracks to form.

bc29 · Apr 20, 2019

Ron Reefman said:
Three comments as an offer of help:

1) I've built 6 tanks over the years. One was 4'x2'x14" and a couple of smaller ones were 20" and 24" tall. I've always used 3/8th" glass and made them rimless. I've never had a failure. But then your tank is more volume than any that tall that I've made.

2) I had a 120g CADlight tank that was euro braced. If I recall correctly, the euro bracing was about 3" on all 4 sides with a cutout in the middle of the back for the overflow. The tank and the bracing was all a bit less than 3/8th" glass.

3) If I were building the tank you propose, I'd do 3/8th" glass and use the same for the euro brace. I think 3" is enough for the bracing. However, I'd prefer to have the back brace run coast to coast which means doing something exotic with the overflow. Or do the back glass with 1/2".

Hope that helps a bit?

Glad to see you have experience building tanks. Is there any special silicone you would reccomend? I would rather have a full euro brace all around so I will have to figure something out for the overflow. Would you suggest the injection method or the traditional bead and squeeze method? Also the bottom glass does not go under the side panels correct?

dantimdad · Apr 20, 2019

Look on Amazon for asi

I used it for my builds.

I am about to build 36 tanks for a store I am opening.

Been building for years.

lapin · Apr 20, 2019

Is there any special silicone you would recommend?

Momentive RTV100 series. comes in clear and black

The bottom glass does not go under the side panels correct?

Silicone has several different measurements of strength, two of these are tensile and shear. One of them applies to glass on top of the bottom panel, the other applies to the glass around the sides.
The floating bottom design is actually prone to failure for several reasons.
The most obvious is the weight of all the water in the tank is being held by the silicone on the bottom pane of glass.
A not so obvious reason for failure is the fact that, in addition to the water weight, decor and substrate, any upward force would have an equal stress factor....like when people put styrofoam under their tanks.
Placing the sides of the tank on top of the bottom piece actually gives you more surface area to apply silicone.
Placing the end glass inside the front and rear panels is a matter of opinion and I am of the opinion that strength isn't the reason, moreover, it is the fact that glass is purchased in standard lengths and having to remove an inch from a 36", 48", 60", 72"....etc...is more work. It is also my opinion that the exposed edges of glass is better viewed from the side than the front. Everything that is done to commercial built tanks is done for two reasons mainly:
-Build cost
-Liability
Liability is a risk factor that determines how the manufacturer builds the tank and they go by industry standard and experienced past failures. The point is, if you are building a tank on your own, it would be wise to "copy" the building standards of current manufacturers. ..they have paid their dues most likely and so-to-speak.

Ron Reefman · Apr 20, 2019

bc29 said:
Glad to see you have experience building tanks. Is there any special silicone you would reccomend? I would rather have a full euro brace all around so I will have to figure something out for the overflow. Would you suggest the injection method or the traditional bead and squeeze method? Also the bottom glass does not go under the side panels correct?

I agree with everything lapin says in the previous post. I got my RTV silicone from Grainger Supply.

Every tank I've made has the glass sit on the bottom and the ends inside the front and back glass. BTW, building a tank as big as you are considering, don't squeeze the glass onto the silicone, just set it on and get the four sides clamped together with corner clamps. The weight of the glass will be more than enough pressure on the bottom bead of silicone. Then ever so slightly loosen the corner clamps and use a couple long bar clamps to add just a bit of pressure to the front and back, squeezing the silicone in the vertical beads. Then re-tighten the corner clamps. Also my corner clamps came without any cushion, so I attached small cork pads (used by many glass suppliers to space glass sheets apart) to the disks of the clamp that contact the glass. I chipped a panel on my first build due to over tightening the corner clamps without any cushion.

Good luck.