Rimless build glass thickness.

[thediscobandit]

Hey everybody. I have some spare pieces of 5/8" glass and wanted to try my hand at a 30"Lx24"Wx23"H rimless tank. Will 5/8" be adequate for my build?

I've built a few tanks before for sumps and whatnot, but never rimless.

I usually use ge silicone 1, but i understand there are better, stronger options out there for aquariums, and I'd like to go black on the seams for this build. Can anyone recommend a good black silicone for a rimless build?

Thanks in advance!

 

[JoshH]

Hey everybody. I have some spare pieces of 5/8" glass and wanted to try my hand at a 30"Lx24"Wx23"H rimless tank. Will 5/8" be adequate for my build?

I've built a few tanks before for sumps and whatnot, but never rimless.

I usually use ge silicone 1, but i understand there are better, stronger options out there for aquariums, and I'd like to go black on the seams for this build. Can anyone recommend a good black silicone for a rimless build?

Thanks in advance!

I think the 5/8" might be a bit of a stretch for a rimless tank of that height. But that's JMO and I'm by no means a glass master. Momentive RTV 103(Black) Silicone is the usual go to recommendation for tank building and what most tank builders use to my knowledge.

 

[thediscobandit]

I think the 5/8" might be a bit of a stretch for a rimless tank of that height. But that's JMO and I'm by no means a glass master. Momentive RTV 103(Black) Silicone is the usual go to recommendation for tank building and what most tank builders use to my knowledge.

Gotcha. I think the red sea tanks use 5/8" at about that height so thats what i was going off of. Thats the silicone i was considering to use too.

 

[JoshH]

Gotcha. I think the red sea tanks use 5/8" at about that height so thats what i was going off of. Thats the silicone i was considering to use too.

Yes they certainly do. In all honesty for some reason I thought your tank was longer. But at 30" you should be just fine. 5/8" is even thicker than some manufacturers at that length.

 

[thediscobandit]

Yes they certainly do. In all honesty for some reason I thought your tank was longer. But at 30" you should be just fine. 5/8" is even thicker than some manufacturers at that length.

Yeah i have just enough extra glass to put a tank together this size. I could order a 1/2" piece for the bottom and make a 35x24x23 but dont really think the extra 5" is worth it.

 

[mfinn]

Hey everybody. I have some spare pieces of 5/8" glass and wanted to try my hand at a 30"Lx24"Wx23"H rimless tank. Will 5/8" be adequate for my build?

I've built a few tanks before for sumps and whatnot, but never rimless.

I usually use ge silicone 1, but i understand there are better, stronger options out there for aquariums, and I'd like to go black on the seams for this build. Can anyone recommend a good black silicone for a rimless build?

Thanks in advance!

It should be more than adequate.
My 30 x 20 x 20 rimless is only 3/8" and it's very solid.
I'm currently looking at a 32" x 24" x 20" being made from 1/2".

 

[thediscobandit]

It should be more than adequate.
My 30 x 20 x 20 rimless is only 3/8" and it's very solid.
I'm currently looking at a 32" x 24" x 20" being made from 1/2".

One of those sca tanks? I was checking out their specs as well.

Another thing i was worried about was the plumbing. I wanted to go with a 16" box mounted on the back with external plumbing. Any reason to think this wouldn't work or be too much going on with the back panel? I guess what im asking is there a reason one shouldn't drill the back panel instead of the bottom with a rimless design?

 

[mfinn]

One of those sca tanks? I was checking out their specs as well.

Another thing i was worried about was the plumbing. I wanted to go with a 16" box mounted on the back with external plumbing. Any reason to think this wouldn't work or be too much going on with the back panel? I guess what im asking is there a reason one shouldn't drill the back panel instead of the bottom with a rimless design?

My current 30" x 20" x 20" x 3/8" is my own build.
The one I'm wanting for my new one, is going to be made by @Crystal Reef Aquatics .

I have no idea about the external overflow box.
I do know that it's recommended to fully support the pipes coming ( pipe clamps) out of the bottom of the external overflow box, so maybe that would make up for any extra stress caused by the weight of it.

I plan on a bottom drilled herbie design.

 

[mfinn]

One of those sca tanks? I was checking out their specs as well.

Hmmm, interesting