Salt water aquarium glass

[corrosionjerry]

Ok this is the question... I am new to saltwater so this may sound a bit silly...

I am in the process of choosing a tank / thinking 55-75G

Can I use a freshwater aquarium ... is there any difference in the thickness of galss between freshwater and saltwater tanks?

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by corrosionjerry

Ok this is the question... I am new to saltwater so this may sound a bit silly...

I am in the process of choosing a tank / thinking 55-75G

Can I use a freshwater aquarium ... is there any difference in the thickness of galss between freshwater and saltwater tanks?

you can use a freshwater tank no prob there is no difference in glass as its done by the amount of water it will hold and over what span.i would make sure that the freshwater tank has been cleaned good and absolutely can never of had copper used in it for medications,the silicone soaks it up and leaches into the saltwater.

if you get a freshwater tank get it drilled theres lots of people who will do it and youll be thanking yourself everyday that you do cheers jerry buddy

[corrosionjerry]

Thanks for the advice / I am starting to think I should be getting a tank built... with it being drilled as you suggest / I am not all that keen on going the route of an overflow the more I think about things...

any suggestion of how it should be drilled?

I want the tank to be about L48 x W16 x H20

[reefwars]

avoid hang on overflow boxes that syphon water to a sump they are very very unreliable.theres alot of places that will drill glass for you and its very easy to do your self as well and the bits can be got at princess auot for cheap.you dont need to get a tank custom made as most tanks on here are drilled anyways.just post an ad with the dimensions you are looking for and ask if anyone has one for sale or if anyone wants to build one for you.a tank that size should cost you less than $100 second hand but if you get it made it would cost more depending on the style of overflow you choose and type of glass work

any advice jerry and feel free to ask its what were all here for

[lockrookie]

Originally Posted by reefwars

avoid hang on overflow boxes that syphon water to a sump they are very very unreliable.theres alot of places that will drill glass for you and its very easy to do your self as well and the bits can be got at princess auot for cheap.you dont need to get a tank custom made as most tanks on here are drilled anyways.just post an ad with the dimensions you are looking for and ask if anyone has one for sale or if anyone wants to build one for you.a tank that size should cost you less than $100 second hand but if you get it made it would cost more depending on the style of overflow you choose and type of glass work

any advice jerry and feel free to ask its what were all here for

i have used a life reef overflow box for over a year now withno problms whatso ever would haveloved todrill this tank but regretfully it was made with tempered glass. andi hate the look of the overflow box inside the tank but all in all for functionality it works flawlessly.

[abcha0s]

Work out a realistic capital and operational budget first and make sure that you can make it work.

Go with the biggest tank that you can possibly afford or you are going to be upgrading in a year. Big tanks (to a point) are also easier for beginners.

Don't try to stock pile all of the equipment before you start setting up your tank. Buy what you need as you need it. You may find that as you learn more, many of the things that you thought were needed, really aren't.

- Brad

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by corrosionjerry

Thanks for the advice / I am starting to think I should be getting a tank built... with it being drilled as you suggest / I am not all that keen on going the route of an overflow the more I think about things...

any suggestion of how it should be drilled?

I want the tank to be about L48 x W16 x H20

steve at redcoral edmonton has some 30g i believe they are 36l x 18h and 12 or 18 w just a guess lol but he sells them for around $30

[DiverDude]

Originally Posted by corrosionjerry

Can I use a freshwater aquarium ... is there any difference in the thickness of galss between freshwater and saltwater tanks?

Be careful that the bottom pane of glass is not tempered (can't be drilled). Otherwise, you're ok.

For dimensions, a 4' tank with a volume of only 50-75 gal is going to be very narrow (front to back) and will make aquascaping and flow VERY difficult.

I don't know if you're trying to fill 4' of wall space or trying to keep to a specific maximum number of gallons, but a 4' tank will 'normal' dimensions will be at least 90 gallons. I would concur with what others are saying about the tank size, too. Go for the largest tank you can practically afford -it will save you from the constant upgrade syndrome we all go through (I'm starting the upgrade process from a 40 gal to around 110 gal now).