Glass Thickness For Large Tank
 

Hey guys. I'm getting some mixed responses when it comes to the appropriate glass thickness for a large tank so I thought I'd throw it out there and see what everyone here thinks. So lets say for an 8 foot long by 3 feet wide by 30" tall tank, what would you suggest? My other option is 7 feet long by 3 feet wide by 30" tall. I realize that you can make a tank bullet proof but I it doesn't need to be overkill either. I'm just looking for what's appropriate or recommended. I'd like it eurobraced too. Thanks in advance.

I'd go 3/4". Go as long as you want... it's the height that determines the glass thickness due to pressure. You may need a thicker bottom, I'm not sure.

If you get to 24" or less in hight you could probably drop to 1/2", IMO.

Actually length is a major contributor for glass thickness, the longer the tank the larger the bending moment which results in more deflection.

For the size 5/8" min for sure but 3/4" would be better. A standard 230 is 72" x 30" and uses 1/2" but they show a noticeable bulge as a result. With 8 feet and 5/8" you may notice a similar effect but it still be perfectly safe but the deflection causes some slight distortion which can be annoying to some people. It also depends on the bracing.

tank thickness
 

go to aquarium tank calculator

My 300 ( 96"L x 30"H x 24"W ) is 3/4" all sides, euro-brace and bottom inside cleats ( front & back )

No less than 3/4 ", you especially for a 30" height

for my 330 i got 3/4" glass it is 6'x3"x30" and it has a safety factor of 4.5 :mrgreen: . I know someone who just built a 12' tank and he used 1" glass

I used 5/8 on a ten foot 31 tall 40 wide.

call me crazy my tank is 84x42x28 half inch glass i did put in another strip around the top and bottom just in case but any higher i would deffintaly go with more

Still sounding a little conflicted to me but it seems like most people are leaning towards the 5/8 of an inch and 3/4" would be if you don't want to take any chances.

just hope you dont have to move it with the thicker glass cuz at 1/2 inch it was still not a fun move at all and should have thought of that before i moved it in to the bacement of a rental

Also keep in mind you can vary the glass thickness throughout the tank depending on it's design and layout.

For example 3/4" on the front with a 4" euro brace will eliminate any noticeable distortion. You could use 1/2" for the sides if you're OK with seeing a noticeable difference in glass thickness (not an issue if only viewed from the front). The back could be 5/8" or even less depending how the overflow boxes are laid out. The base can also be significantly thinner provided the stand offers adequate support, 1/2" is typically plenty provided the entire base area is supported. The overflows could be as thin as 1/4" unless they are being used to support the back in which case 3/8" is sufficient.