Building a 75g all glass tank

[scolley]

Wendle better take that one. I don't know a thing about braces. But braces won't help you on the bottom.

As for the cost of low iron glass, for a tank that size, in what has to be 1/2 to 3/4" thick - it's gonna be more than $100 for that piece. Maybe more than $200 - that is unless you can talk someone out of a remnant. That's a big piece of low iron glass.

And depending on how your tank is displayed, it could be a waste. If there is no ambient light, and the tank only has light shining in the top, it would be OK. But if there is a lot of ambient light coming in from around the room, those 3 other sides are going to color your tank anyway, in which case I wouldn't bother.

[Sponsors]

[Badcopnofishtank]

The room it will be in is a west room that gets only little light during the day, so no worries there.

As for the braces, I will determine that when I pull all of them off of the tank and get the exisisting glass cleaned up. If it looks feasible, I may attempt it.

It currently has a huge ( 2 foot long piece) of 1/2" thick glass in the top middle of the tank. Not really the best for a planted tank.

[pineapple]

This is a bonzer thread. The info is great. The initial write up is excellent, Scolley.

What type of maximum size would you recommend for a first-time "throw away" test tank. Would a 60 x 45 x 45 cm be too large to handle? It's a practical size - but I'd rather not get in over my head, so-to-speak.

Do the ADA tanks or Aquarium Obsessed tanks build the same way as Wendle - i.e. have the sides assembled around the base (rather than on top of it)?

Andrew

[scolley]

Andrew - I've NEVER seen an ADA tank in person. But I've been looking REAL hard at the many ADA publications that I have, and I'm convinced that they do it as Wendle describes. I guess I'm just lucky that I did not screw up worse.

As for the test tank, I suppose it depends on what you are testing... anything in the 10-20g size gives you a taste of the issues involved (like how unbelievably messy and hard to remove silicone can be!) and still keep the glass thin enough for it to be cheap.

As you start to get to larger sizes, requiring 3/8" glass or thicker, you are going to get a feel for the issues associated with hefting heavy glass in the assembly process - but then you are spending a lot of money on glass for a "throw away" tank.

No, I'd definately recommend something in the 10-20g size range, unless of course money has no meaning for you. In which case, please send me a PM...

[pineapple]

Originally Posted by scolley

As for the test tank, I suppose it depends on what you are testing...

I reckon I'd be testing me, more than anything else! ;-) Especially the planning and preparation phase. I was wondering whether the seams for 60 x 45 x 45 would be too long to handle for a beginner. Maybe I'll just give it a shot - depending on the cost of glass and availability in NYC.

I'm inspired by understanding how things work and how to make QUALITY ITEMS (rather than some DIY stuff which is cheap and cheerful but not very good looking as regards quality). The shipping fees are expensive and I'd as soon save some money too. I can put that to good use on my other hobby, cameras.

I think I'm going to give this a shot and replace my 20g All Glass tank in the office. I'll keep my eye on this thread and I hope, one day, to contribute something too.

[Sietch31]

My own philosophy is that you very often succeed at the first attempt, but the second time not (ask your wife when she tries a new recipe...)

So I would advice you to go directly for your definitive tank, the pressure will make you organize very well, checking everything twice and not feel too much confident...

Plus with all the experiences shared in this board you have a lot of info !

But may be it works that way only for me....

[scolley]

Originally Posted by Sietch31

My own philosophy is that you very often succeed at the first attempt...

Yeah, that sounds good. But I gotta ask, have you gotten all (and I mean all) that excess silicone off your tank yet?

If so, then maybe your suggestion makes sense. And if not, maybe a test tank would have been a good idea.

[Sietch31]

Good point Steve !!!

No I havent...

I did it on the outside, with razor blades.
I used 5 packs of 5 blades (for cutting exess siliconne under tank, and cleaning external corners).
THe secret I discovered is that you cannot use a blade for very long, after may be 10cms (3") scratching becomes very much less efficient !

And it is OK now for the exterior of the tank. Took me couple of evenings though...

What is remaining is a very thin layer of silicone inside the corners (around 1" wide) left by the credit card sides...

But I haven't drained the tank since I tested it first, I will clean that just before I start laying my soil...

[wendle]

Practice makes perfect, build a couple more tanks and you will have NO silicon to clean off other than dry squeeze out, which can be cut away in seconds.I don't know about the credit card idea, that is a fairly long edge to distribute a mess across the glass. If you are going to use that method spray the glass and the card with a little soapy water first.
For the man asking about the plastic bracing, any plastic won't be adding to the structure of the tank. A lot of mass produced tanks just have plastic trim so they can be handled a bit more roughly in transit without damage. I haven't paid any attention to how ADA brace their tanks, but the best way is a 30-40mm rib all the way along the front and rear panes, and then 100-150mm braces running front to back on top of them. Gives you a large glue area plus provides a recess for lids to sit down into. I think planted tanks are better off without lids. Better off without braces where possible, but that adds expense by needing heavier glass.

[CardBoardBoxProcessor]

I want to amkea tank.. something long wide.. but not too high.. haha odd huh?

something small though.. where could one get glass for a pratice tank but one that might wanna keep?

[scolley]

Try any local glass shop - people that make window panes.

Look at the tables I provided in the links in my first post to find the thickness of glass you need. You said "not too high", so I'll wager you'll find 1/4" is thick enough. If so, your glass shop will have it in abundance, and will sell it to you cheap.

[CardBoardBoxProcessor]

I wish I had money and my own place.. I would have a Goldfish pond and a self made tropical tank.. -sigh-

mm.. wel I am not gonan try to make my own 50 gallon.. I just was offered one free from my friend haha 55 even!

[plantbrain]

Scolley,

The 75 gal 120 cm ADa tank is awesome and worth the hassle for around 480$

I modified a 75 gal AGA tank and made braces.
See the Dallas Forth worth site under plant fest 2004, you can see a little of it.

Cost: 300$ total.

The ADA tank looks better and if I paid myself 5 $ a hour, I'd probly lost money doing my own.

With larger glass tanks, weight and shipping really make it tougher.

Nice well made acrylic tanks are an option as well.

Every giant tank I owned was a broken tank I got for free and fixed.
I had a 100, 125, 135, 180 and 240 that way.

Smaller tanks are nice to make, I like making cube tanks.


Regards,
Tom Barr

[scolley]

Originally Posted by plantbrain

Scolley,

The 75 gal 120 cm ADa tank is awesome and worth the hassle for around 480$

I modified a 75 gal AGA tank and made braces.
See the Dallas Forth worth site under plant fest 2004, you can see a little of it.

Cost: 300$ total.

The ADA tank looks better and if I paid myself 5 $ a hour, I'd probly lost money doing my own.

With larger glass tanks, weight and shipping really make it tougher.

Nice well made acrylic tanks are an option as well.

Every giant tank I owned was a broken tank I got for free and fixed.
I had a 100, 125, 135, 180 and 240 that way.

Smaller tanks are nice to make, I like making cube tanks.


Regards,
Tom Barr

Thanks Tom. As to your specific quote below...

Originally Posted by plantbrain

With larger glass tanks, weight and shipping really make it tougher.

...I contacted the Senske's, and the shipping of one of their 75's to Connecticut was INSANE. Of course, ADG had zero control over that. It was just one of the factors in the decision to build.

If I had to do it all over again, I might seriously consider buying that 75g ADA tank, and just sucking up that shipping charge. Building to my satisfaction was a real PITA. But like everything in this hobby for me, I had to learn that the hard way. If I had known how much material cost, tool cost, time, and frusteration would have been involved, the ADG+shipping cost would have seemed much more reasonable.

At the same time, though it WAS NOT an original criterion, it is indeed nice to say, "Yes, I built that." And BTW - I am only able to say that because, to a large extent, of the help from your good advice.

Thank you Tom.