Glass safety factor and bracing

[Tobes]

This one is for the tank builders and glass gurus

My question: If I use the glass calculator and get a safety factor of 6, is it still nescessary to put euro bracing at the top?

Aquarium glass calculatorTank Water Height (H) (mm):450Tank Length (L) (mm):1200Tank Width (W) (mm):800Recommended Safety factor (Sf) :3.8Recommended Side Glass Thickness at Sf :7.9Maximum Deflection of Glass (mm):0.34Recommended Bottom Glass Thickness at Sf :9.7Maximum Deflection of Glass (mm):0.27If side glass thickness is changed to (mm):10then actual safety factor =6.0If bottom glass thickness is changed to (mm):then actual safety factor =

 

[lIghty]

You could probably get away without it on a tank that size, but remember, its not the pressure that actually breaks the glass directly, it the pressure that causes the glass to flex to the point of where it cracks and breaks, if that makes sence, that's why bracing is so important, it limits the amount of flex. hope you under stand. it also give you a safe guard against bumps and knocks.

 

[Dohn]

No you wont need bracing.
Your height is low.

 

[Bob the (reef)builder]

You will definately be fine at 450mm with 10mm glass.

 

[Tobes]

Thanks for advice guys

 

[leslie hempel]

You will definately be fine at 450mm with 10mm glass.

agree...

 

[Junz]

where can i ge the glass calculator

 

[jacquesb]

where can i ge the glass calculator

Here you go:

Marine Aquariums of South Africa

 

[Junz]

Thanks Man!

 

[Allen]

How would you know if you would need bracing?

I'm busy designing a tank at the moment => 1200(L) x 600(W) x 600(H) mm with a double floor, glass thickness 10mm
Water level would be 560(H)

 

[mandarin]

You could probably get away without it on a tank that size, but remember, its not the pressure that actually breaks the glass directly, it the pressure that causes the glass to flex to the point of where it cracks and breaks, if that makes sence, that's why bracing is so important, it limits the amount of flex. hope you under stand. it also give you a safe guard against bumps and knocks.

Brace it

 

[brettb2020]

How would you know if you would need bracing?

I'm busy designing a tank at the moment => 1200(L) x 600(W) x 600(H) mm with a double floor, glass thickness 10mm
Water level would be 560(H)

I would brace it. but the double bottom is not necessary. however it is nice to have in case you drop a rock something. can handle that little extra bump.

 

[ravi]

what exactly is euro bracing?? My tank is 1200*500*500 with 10mm glass. do i need it?

 

[brettb2020]

what exactly is euro bracing?? My tank is 1200*500*500 with 10mm glass. do i need it?

check out my tank thread on pages 3 and 4. those strips of glass on the and bottom is the euro bracing.

its the height of your tank that determines the glass thickness and whether or not you need bracing. id say 500mm is the border line for 10mm glass without bracing so should be fine without it.

 

[LuckyFish]

Brace it

I strongly recommend the same and build in B-style!
There was another thread about how to build a tank.
A-style: side panes on top off the base
B-style: side panes against the base, which means the base is laying in between the sides. All tanks should be build like that!

 

[Allen]

Thanks guys!! Getting a lot from this tread!!

 

[Christo]

I strongly recommend the same and build in B-style!
There was another thread about how to build a tank.
A-style: side panes on top off the base
B-style: side panes against the base, which means the base is laying in between the sides. All tanks should be build like that!

And If you were to to build a tank with a dubble base
were do you silicone it to the main tank? As its a Floating
base!

 

[Allen]

This is what I was planning with the double base.
The bottom floor at the full size of the tank.
And the top floor making the double base, at the size after the side walls has been added.
Thus the inner floor is acting as a brace for the side walls?