Purchasing custom tank - TEMPERED OR NON-TEMPERED??

[Tuffloud1]

Where would you mount the overflow if it were your tank?

 

[Tuffloud1]

Anyone have armored seams? Do you like them?

 

[Potatohead]

Overflow back left corner

Armored seams are nice but keep in mind they are much wider than regular seams

 

[Tuffloud1]

Overflow back left corner

Armored seams are nice but keep in mind they are much wider than regular seams

When you say back left corner, do you mean on the back wall to the left?

Since I’m going with an external box, I was thinking on the back wall centered.

 

[jwilliams860]

Following, also considering custom aquarium for next tank

 

[Potatohead]

When you say back left corner, do you mean on the back wall to the left?

Since I’m going with an external box, I was thinking on the back wall centered.

If it’s external it’s less important but I would put it either on the left glass entirely so it’s left of the tank, or just on the back glass but all the way over to the left. Probably the latter unless I wanted it to be peninsula style.

 

[Tuffloud1]

If it’s external it’s less important but I would put it either on the left glass entirely so it’s left of the tank, or just on the back glass but all the way over to the left. Probably the latter unless I wanted it to be peninsula style.

The only access I have is from the back. Currently building stand.

I’m wondering if having an external box might be too much in the way. I really want to keep as much of the overflow out of the tank as possible.

Anyone have access only to the back and have an external overflow?

 

[Tuffloud1]

So Custom Aquariums is saying that 5/8 glass is absolutely fine to use on my size tank especially with their aluminum frame system.

The 3/4 ends up costing $348 more than the 5/8 glass.

Is the upgrade to 3/4 worth doing?

 

[Steve Fast]

So Custom Aquariums is saying that 5/8 glass is absolutely fine to use on my size tank especially with their aluminum frame system.

The 3/4 ends up costing $348 more than the 5/8 glass.

Is the upgrade to 3/4 worth doing?

5/8 tempered will also cost more, would be equally strong, but would be lighter. If your tank is larger than what they deliver, you will have to enlist friends to move it and perhaps lighter would be better. 3/4 would be 20 percent heavier.

 

[Tuffloud1]

5/8 tempered will also cost more, would be equally strong, but would be lighter. If your tank is larger than what they deliver, you will have to enlist friends to move it and perhaps lighter would be better. 3/4 would be 20 percent heavier.

It would be 5/8 non-tempered which would cost $348 less than 3/4 non-tempered.

The 5/8 would be 100 pounds lighter than the 3/4.

 

[Potatohead]

Looking at the CA builder thing, it looks like they use 5/8" front/back/bottom and 1/2" on the sides. There's not much point to upgrading to 3/4" if the sides are still 1/2", better to just do the whole thing in 5/8" if you want it a bit overkill. 3/4" f/b/b and 5/8" sides would be really overkill but if it's not much more I might do that. Only thing that sucks is it's harder to find powerheads that really hold well on 3/4" so 5/8" might be better anyway.

Also, if I had young kids I would probably temper the exposed panel front, and just use 5/8"

 

[Tuffloud1]

I’m not doing the 1/2 sides thing.

It’s 5/8 all around or 3/4 all around.

CA doesn’t recommend tempering and I don’t see any benefit.

I’m not worried about my kids “hitting” the glass. They know better.

Plus, on an exposed corner, I wouldn’t want tempered anyway because the edge is the weak point of tempered glass.

 

[Tuffloud1]

Is there a difference between 5/8 and 3/4 low iron glass in terms of distortion.

Was wondering if looking through another 1/8 of glass on the 3/4 would be more distortion than the 5/8.

 

[Tuffloud1]

I just placed my order. I decided on 5/8 non tempered for all panels. After speaking thoroughly with Custom Aquariums as well as tons of research on safety factors the 3/4 was just way overkill for 72x28x30H.

 

[Steve Fast]

I just placed my order. I decided on 5/8 non tempered for all panels. After speaking thoroughly with Custom Aquariums as well as tons of research on safety factors the 3/4 was just way overkill for 72x28x30H.

Well done

 

[Tuffloud1]

I hope not tempering the bottom will be okay. Custom Aquariums didn’t think it was necessary at all.

I hear tons of people say to temper the bottom in case rocks fall.

 

[Steve Fast]

I hope not tempering the bottom will be okay. Custom Aquariums didn’t think it was necessary at all.

I hear tons of people say to temper the bottom in case rocks fall.

If the water goes in first it will reduce the issue of rock landing hard

 

[JoshH]

I hope not tempering the bottom will be okay. Custom Aquariums didn’t think it was necessary at all.

I hear tons of people say to temper the bottom in case rocks fall.

Another way to protect the glass is to add something like starboard overtop

 

[Tuffloud1]

Another way to protect the glass is to add something like starboard overtop

What is starboard? Is it another word for egg crate?

 

[Antics]

What is starboard? Is it another word for egg crate?

It's a brand name for a material people often use on barebottoms. Like a brushed plastic. Can't remember if it's HDPE or some other material.