tank has already been made. i think i will make some sort of shelf of some sort to help with the weight.

Ah, well then, a shelf is an excellent idea!

Ah, from the first post it sounded like you were asking for opinions before you get it made. Oops.

Hmm even with shelf support I think this is an accident waiting to happen. I would rethink this and perhaps drop the hang on box down so it is supported properly or add vertical supports underneath.

aha! I called colby and he explained to me something so simple that im not sure why i didnt understand before.

so i wont need a shelf, and it'll hold the weight because....every single baffle is holding it onto the tank! so basically, there's almost 8 places where it's held on!

and also, dont forget i said when completely full (might not be the exact quote)
it will hold 5 gallons. now who you you know that runs a fuge/external overflow full to the brim?

Oh. LOL duh, I don't know why I didn't think of that. I also read somewhere last night that silicone can hold something like 40lbs per square inch, so a properly run bead of silicone is apparently very strong.

I can second this, since I'm in the process of stripping the plastic off a 29 gallon tank. Bleh. :lol:

I would be worried about the pressure on the back pane of glass. How thick is the glass? I have a Hagen 33g and the glass bows about 3/8". It's scary looking. It is made with 1/4" glass

makes sense Evan (and why aren't you in school young man?!)...Colby knows what he's talking about. WOOOOOOT! (fyi, I'm rocking in in poker atm...140K!)

You still in Vegas?

I wouldn't worry about the back part falling off, that def won't happen. Silicone is very strong. That's all that holds the corners of our tanks together! What I would be more worried about is the pressure the bottom part of the back piece will put against that back panel. That back tank will essentially be pushing on the centre of the back pane of the display tank.