cutting a 40g breeder...

[Jisko]

So I've been working on coming up with a way to create a frag tank in a dorm room next year. The tank will be setup for a year and will house my favorite corals along with a lot of other corals that I find while on trips or online when a sale hits. I can't help but notice the crazy prices of a decent sized frag tank. So I had this idea of taking a 40g breeder and cutting it. Couldnt I just remove the top rim... cut the glass then reapply the rim?

Here is a quick lil diagram of what I'm talking about:

 

[Lowell Lemon]

The question is how are you going to cut the panels and keep them square and even without taking the whole tank apart? You would have to use some type of diamond blade on a saw and keep the saw from scratching the tank in the process. A simple score and break tool would require you to take the panels and score them one by one and make your break then re-assemble and silicone. Perhaps you have another way in mind to cut the glass?

In the end you are going to have a 20 gallon tank about so why not just by a 20 gallon long or purchase a frag tank already made to your dimensions?

 

[cilyjr]

You could. But cutting it while assembled might be tough. How are you planning on cutting it?

 

[Lowell Lemon]

By the way I have a diamond saw that would cut the glass but it could also break it in the process. It only cost about $5000.00 to $7000.00 for a new saw so...it would be way cheaper to buy a custom tank.

 

[Jisko]

You could. But cutting it while assembled might be tough. How are you planning on cutting it?

You could. But cutting it while assembled might be tough. How are you planning on cutting it?

Honestly I was kind of looking for input on the best way to cut it. Tools are not a problem as we have a shop so its more or less which option is the best. I'm looking at doing it this way just because of the prices of some of the frag tanks are just insane. Spending $200-300 on a 20g tank just because its not as high is robbery haha

 

[Jisko]

By the way I have a diamond saw that would cut the glass but it could also break it in the process. It only cost about $5000.00 to $7000.00 for a new saw so...it would be way cheaper to buy a custom tank.

yeah if I decide to have it cut ill just take it down the road have someone cut it up. What I was kind of thinking is taking the entire tank apart then having someone cut them then I just put them back together and use the rims as extra support

 

[Lowell Lemon]

If you take it apart then a simple score and break tool will work for you. They are cheap and all you need is a flat clean table and a straight edge. You run the tool (small scoring wheel on a small handle) down the side of the straight edge and then apply pressure on both sides of the score to break the score line. Then clean up the break with silicone carbide cloth abrasive to remove the sharp edge and re-assemble.

This is an impossible job if the tank manufacturer uses tempered glass as the panels will shatter instead of break along the score.

 

[Jisko]

If you take it apart then a simple score and break tool will work for you. They are cheap and all you need is a flat clean table and a straight edge. You run the tool (small scoring wheel on a small handle) down the side of the straight edge and then apply pressure on both sides of the score to break the score line. Then clean up the break with silicone carbide cloth abrasive to remove the sharp edge and re-assemble.

This is an impossible job if the tank manufacturer uses tempered glass as the panels will shatter instead of break along the score.

so you think I could just score the panels? I mean a 40g breeder is 36 inches long so it would be a big chunk

 

[Lowell Lemon]

As long as the glass is not tempered you can score and break. I have scored full panels of float glass 4' x 8' or larger and broken the parts to any size I need.

 

[Jisko]

As long as the glass is not tempered you can score and break. I have scored full panels of float glass 4' x 8' or larger and broken the parts to any size I need.

Maybe ill have to give it a shot... 36x18x9 would be a really nice frag tank size... and if the tank is only gonna cost $40 during the petco $1 per gallon sale it might be worth a shot...

 

[cilyjr]

Petco changed it to only tanks under 29g here. It's still a discount on bigger tanks though. I think it will cost like 50 or 60

 

[Jisko]

Petco changed it to only tanks under 29g here. It's still a discount on bigger tanks though. I think it will cost like 50 or 60

haha at this point anything is better then over priced 20gallon tanks

for a 20g long its something like $150 on amazon because its such a weird size...

 

[Jisko]

I've also been looking into this option

 

[tyler1503]

Haha I literally did this the other day. Slightly different, but the same idea. I have an old 6gal and I was wanting to shorten a single wall. The 6 gal is to go inside a larger tank that will be a sump. I had to shorten a side so water would overflow into the rest of the sump. I hope I explained that well. I've worked all night and I'm severely sleep deprived [emoji23]
I removed the trim (much harder than expected), cut the silicone away, scored a line, then tried to knock the top piece away. I scored it REALLY well but still shattered the entire piece of glass. No biggie, it's only a 6gal tank that was never going to be used again.
Anyway the moral of the story is, getting the trim off is insanely difficult and you'll most likely have to remove each pane of glass, cut them and resilicone them. I imagine doing each pane of glass individually would be easiest.

 

[Jisko]

Haha I literally did this the other day. Slightly different, but the same idea. I have an old 6gal and I was wanting to shorten a single wall. The 6 gal is to go inside a larger tank that will be a sump. I had to shorten a side so water would overflow into the rest of the sump. I hope I explained that well. I've worked all night and I'm severely sleep deprived [emoji23]
I removed the trim (much harder than expected), cut the silicone away, scored a line, then tried to knock the top piece away. I scored it REALLY well but still shattered the entire piece of glass. No biggie, it's only a 6gal tank that was never going to be used again.
Anyway the moral of the story is, getting the trim off is insanely difficult and you'll most likely have to remove each pane of glass, cut them and resilicone them. I imagine doing each pane of glass individually would be easiest.

I found a company about 5-10 minutes from my house that uses a water jet to cut glass so I'm gonna most likely have them cut the glass once I take everything apart. I'm working on a lil "design" but yeah ill post in once im finished with it haha

 

[R_C]

I don't know if you know this but here it goes anyway. I have been wanting a shorter style breeder as well to make my own all in one. I have found this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/30-Gallo...8724&wl11=online&wl12=121905897&wl13=&veh=sem

it is not as cheap as I would like it but hope this helps.

 

[Jisko]

I don't know if you know this but here it goes anyway. I have been wanting a shorter style breeder as well to make my own all in one. I have found this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/30-Gallo...8724&wl11=online&wl12=121905897&wl13=&veh=sem

it is not as cheap as I would like it but hope this helps.

wow that's perfect... my only concern is not being able to check it in person to see if its tempered or not :[

 

[Jisko]

a little update I did some calling and the glass shop will cut it for $20... score!

 

[cilyjr]

Interesting. And they will do it whole? I am very interested to see how this will turn out

 

[Jisko]

Interesting. And they will do it whole? I am very interested to see how this will turn out

no I'm gonna be tearing it into parts and taking the sheets over haha oh god I wouldnt even wanna be in the same building if they were gonna try to cut it whole... haha