Will My Tank Crack?

Good Morning,


I recently DIY’d a fish tank build without initially calculating the correct glass thickness. I spoke with a local glass manufacturer who specializes in aquariums and gave him the dimensions off the top of my head. He advised that 6mm glass would be suitable.



Tank Dimensions:

• 80cm (L) x 50cm (W) x 50cm (H)
  
  
• Water level is filled to around 45cm
  
  
• Sealed using black Den Braven silicone
  
  
• Two bracing strips running width-wise at either end
  
  
• Two additional bracing strips across the top middle
  

The tank is for my daughter and will likely house community fish like angelfish and neon tetras. I don’t notice any visible bowing on the front panel when viewing it directly.

Given these factors, do you think we’re safe with the 6mm glass, or is there a risk of cracking or failure down the line?

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

With the bracing I think the 6mm glass be be more than fine. I have a 60cm cheapy with 4mm glass and no bracing - although I won't be hanging a hob on it anytime soon. It's only 36 high though. My ada is 60cm 6mm, 40 high and no bracing.

 

Thank you for the feedback. Bit of relief here.

 

My 120cm x 47cm x 45cm tank has 6mm glass, and it includes additional bracing along the bottom of the front and back glass

 

Would it be worthwhile to increase the safety factor by displacing water volume with additional gravel, logs, or similar materials—if physics would allow?

 

Pressure is a function of depth not volume - but I like the way you think.

 

P = ρgh

Very interesting thing about dam walls is that it doesn't matter if there is 1m of water behind it or 10km of water, the pressure at a specified depth on the dam wall will be the same.

 

Good Morning.

here’s the tank in question. It’s being running for a week now and has not cleared. No livestock has been added Any ideas on what could be causing this. The 2 filters are Aquaclear 70 and 500.
Thanks

 

.

 

Have you done a water change?

 

What's on the bottom? It looks like a thin layer of black gravel and if that's the case, it's likely gravel dust and will never ever settle out for as long as there is no chemical activity in the water, biological or otherwise and paradoxically by the very act of trying to filter it out and adding tonnes of flow in the process. It's too fine to be caught by the filter media and too fine settle out because it forms a colloid that is kept in suspension through brownian motion plus the fact that each particle likely has an electric charge associated with it that keeps them from clumping together.

ETA: I can't be the only one who is curious about the sins being hidden by the green censorship

 

By any chance. Have you tried filling up one of the filters with filter floss? This should polish the water enough

 

Filter floss and AccuClear is the answer. I have had great success with that combination to clear cloudy water.

 

I have not, did not think it would be necessary. I did add 25ml of 50% hydorgen peroxide though. I dabble in water purification systems.

 

Gravel was purchased from the local store and thoroughly washed. I can add flocculant if needed, but I’m hoping the system settles on its own—I’d prefer not to turn this into a science experiment rather than an aquarium. Going to add filter floss as advised by @Shabir.



Greened-out images are of my kids.

For whats its worth, both filters have a fresh batch of GAC as well.

 

I agree, just leave it be, it's not like you can't see what's what. Once you add livestock and bio stuff starts happening it will clear by itself.