The tank is still holding water.I haven't had a leaker in the twenty years that I've been using this building stile. You must have quite the eagle vision to see the seam in this shot
Hi TJ. Thanks for watching. The silicone is 100 percent, and unfortunately unavailable through any retail outlets. IT's a special grade sold for the commercial glass industry.
Would I be ok with GE1? I have a almost 1 inch thick glass very old 55 gallon aquarium. 18" wide by 48" length by 20" height aquarium that has a shotty job done of silence. Makes me nervous so I want to reseal it and remove the top and bottom trim. Is it safe? Can that silicone be strong enough to hold it together?
Hi. Okay. Long-time fish owner, first time (prospective) tank builder lol couple questions if you don’t mind...One, silicone seriously holds the entire thing together that securely? I’m definitely not doubting you, I’ve seen most do it with JUST silicone, but can someone give me some facts about it or something that helps me to wrap my head around the fact that silicone is THAT strong?! Haha I know that you get a professional-grade product that isn’t readily available to everyone, but what product would you recommend that IS accessible to someone like me? Or how do I go about acquiring the good stuff? And secondly; not sure if I’m going to stick with this plan or not, depends on the responses I get from all you experts haha, but the glass thickness increases exponentially the taller the tank you are building, correct? My dream tank plan is one that would fit into a corner nook we have, and the tank would have to be roughly 35”Wx56”Hx18”D. Would that create a situation that isn’t worth the increase in thickness, or how thick would you recommend? Thanks a million in advance!
Just wondering if you put those glass separators on the bottom to raise the tank up. Then silicon the sides which rest on the stand. Will the weight of the bottom glass filled with water compress those cork separators in turn moves/push down on the bottom panels and stretch the silicon seal?
Hi King. Thanks for taking the time to comment. The cork lifts the bottom of the tank so that the silicone bead has a place to expand when I put the tank together preventing bubbles in the joint. Once it is cured you can remove them, though I've always been too lazy.
Cool, never seen that done before. Because you have the large window, the video would benefit from a good light source by the camera. You should look into a Kreg pocket hoke jig for your stands. They are awesome.
It's unlikely i will ever get around to making extra recording equipment for off site work. I already have to bring allot of equipment and materials to do the job. Did you mean "Kreg pocket hole jig". Never used one. I will look into it. One of the reasons for doing these videos is to learn new ways of doing things. Thanks
Fishman - Yes the Kreg jig. I've been woodworking for over 30 years now, they're a great company with a great product. Tons of videos on CZcams about the jig you can look up and watch.
I've been a carpenter for 20 years... Pocket screwed cabinets are not near as strong, They are good for some things, and work pretty good in hard wood, face frames, styles to rails. Aquarium stands are not a good place to use them, You're building for strength!
HI. "Are you using the "floated" bottom method? to build the tank? or what method? thanks. Did you use temper glass for the entire tank or just the bottom? thanks
I want to ask, is it ok to put the side panels above the lower base(the base panel) design with a 80x50x50, 4mm glass and with no braces and no supports and just with only panels??
The most important dimension is the column of water being supported. Your tank is just under 18". With the 4' of free span, I would recommend, 10 mm glass
Custom is always more expensive, but you get the size and shape you want. I find that most clients don't mind the extra if they end up with their "dream tank"
I just got this five foot tank, 24" high were all the sides sit on top of the bottom glass. Is there anything to know as far as supports for this type of construction? ie. Where would the major stress points be?
Why do some people put the silicone on the side of the bottom glass of tank. then attach all the front and side glass panels...i see people also putting silicon on the top of the bottom glass panels and putting the front and side panels on top of bottom glass what the difference ? thanks
The first one you described is what I'm doing here. It's my preferred method as the bottom of the tank is raised off of the stand. That way when I squeeze the panes together the silicone has somewhere to go and I get less bubbles. The second method puts too much pressure on the bottom of the tank as all of the glass is pressing down on the edge of the bottom glass. This is OK as long as the stand is completely flat.
Great Video. I've been thinking about building my own 120 and found your video hoping for some useful info. You have definitely cleared up some gray areas that other videos I have watched seemed to gloss over. I'd love to ask more questions but this is hardly the forum to do so. Keep "em coming. It's nice to hear from someone who actually does tank builds professionally.
Thanks. That's one of the main reasons for doing these videos to help people out. Go ahead and ask your questions and if it's too lengthy to answer in the comments I will at least know what to cover in future videos.
Is it possible to build a 125-gallon tank without the Euro-bracing? Would you have to move to 3/4 inch glass or is that going to create an overly heavy tank?
I build these tanks for clients and therefor over build them. I don't like emergency calls in the early hours of the morning. If you use 3/4" glass that should be more than enough as long as the tank isn't more than 24"H. As far as weight goes the water weighs way more than the tank so the support won't need to change between 1/2" and 3/4".
I have rebuilt three Mid 1990's 120g Hagen tanks... 5'x2'x2' I am pretty sure they were... any way... they had no bracing on the tank or built into the trim. Never had a problem with them yet. No bowing and no leaks... I use the same process as this guy so I'm sure you will be ok. But if it fails be ready to spend all day/night cleaning water ;) I had it happen to me... I was like "Is that a drip? Hmmmm..." barely made it over to the Aquarium to have a look the it started to run out faster... the it just failed completely on one edge. It's amazing how fast 120g can drain onto your floor lol alot faster then it takes to fill it lol soooo... that little DIY Voice we all have in our head "Are you sure this is going to work?" Is a legit thing... but do Diligence and research. This is one of the better videos out there... but I disagree that your first built that big should be done by yourself. That's how my tank failed. I wasn't ready for the underlying issues... tank longer then my reach lol... Tues of silicone not cut and ready (I used 2 tubes)... I got frustrated and did my best but my best left me frustrated and I overlooked a few air pockets is what I think. It held water for 1 1/2 months then SPLASH! LOL
That's a difficult thing to put in a specific number, as I do it by feel. The most important detail is to make sure the seems are under no pressure as they cure.
I think of starphire glass the same way picky stereo people think of tube amps versus transistor versions or vinyl vrs cd, The clarity is better but if it's worth the cost difference is a personal thing. I tend not to use it because the tanks I tend to build are larger than the the average and no one so far has wanted to spend the extra for that difference. The funny thing is that my supplier just sent me the glass for two sumps that ended up being starfire. They said some thing about a new cutter that they hired. Since it was already cut I got it at the normal price. If it will show up on camera I will try doing a video showing the difference. I wouldn't hold my breath on that though. I don't think cameras are sensitive enough yet.
The silicone is the only thing holding all the weight of the water? If so... can u imagine who tried this for the first time... it just seems that it's not enough to hold the water in.
I will be scared to use this stand for this tank size. It looks nice but when full with water , gravel and stones the weight will be around a ton. Mine is 160 gallons and I have 8 bags of gravel 25 kg each plus around 50 kg rocks. Water weght is approx 8 pound a gallon. I build my stand to hold at least twice as the tank weight.
Hi Ronan. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I've been building this size tank this way for about twenty years with no leaks or stand issues. There is a separate video for the stand build if you want to have a look at it.
Is it necessary to be tempered on these dimensions using 10mm.if non tempered would the glass have to be thicker.also any particular reason you place 2 side panel on the base glass and front and back off.
@@FishmanEricRussell hi again sorry to trouble again it's just I'm in South Africa and cant seem to find assistance locally. I want to build a freshwater tank of dimensions 1800mm×600(w)×750(h) The actual water height will be at 600. Planned on a 10mm glass The base I was planning on adding on width 4 braces of 250mm equally spaced also 10mm. For the top I planned at 600mm mark to place to 60mm ×10mm strips on either side of front and back pannel and cross brace with to 350mm×10mm on either side.appreciate any feedback on desighn
@@ebrahimmohamed4829 Always glad to help. It all sounds good. The only issue is with the 600 mm water depth. That"s at the max for 10 mm glass and preferably tempered at that. As long as the glass is quality it will hold. It just won't last as long as 12 mm. Hope that helps and thanks for watching
The film of silicone between the glass is actually thinner than 1mm. I can't give you an exact number as I do it by feel, but it is in the range of about 1/3 of that
Hi Travis! I know I should create a play list for these. I still have one more update before this series is done. The bracing is in the next 2 videos. The two part 20 year framing videos
that was pretty good. I just picked up a 300G with broken bottom glass to try and fix and you helped me clear up a few questions. i was going to flip it upside down and place the glass directly on the bottom but after reading though the comments i see that i could be better off having it sit on the inside of the walls rather then have the walls sit on the bottom glass. Is it possible to do that without rebuilding the whole tank?
300 gal. is a lot of pressure. I wouldn't put it anywhere you don't mind getting wet even if you rebuild it. The problem with putting a sheet inside and on top of the old one is getting a good flat fit. Any kind of tilt or spot you miss with silicone may cause issues. On the other hand rebuilding the tank is a major pain and depending on how old the tank is and therefore how brittle the glass is it may not come apart in one piece. I use to do rebuilds for people and stopped because of this. Best of luck.
I've never used 8 mm on anything near this large. Even when I'm building small tanks like 10 or 15 gal I use 6 mm glass. That said I tend to overbuild. The cost of 8 mm shouldn't be less than 10 mm because it is a standard construction thickness. I've used 10 mm on tanks up to 24" of water column just not this total capacity. Hope that helps
Nope. Never have. I've used this method for over 20 years with no issues. The extra safety with tempered glass offsets the slight increase in color. Unless they are side by side most people can't tell the difference when the marine lights are on. Thanks for watching
Not so important with the standard sizes of home aquariums (under 50 gal.), but with the larger ones. When float glass is made it can have micro bubbles in it causing weak points. In larger tanks that can lead to a crack. When glass is tempered if there is such a weak spot it blows up in the oven. Tempering also increases it's strength as well. I tend to build tanks upwards of 100 gal. to 1000 gal. and it really makes a difference with them.
Did you cut the glass yourself or did the local supplier that you have mentioned do that? Also, you mentioned your silicone is special grade, what would be the next best thing for the majority of us that do not work in the glass industry? Also, do you have measurements for the tank? Is there a build video for the stand? Thanks!
The glass is tempered, so it came from my supplier. As long as the tank is framed, you can use any 100% silicone. Just make sure it doesn't have any additives. All tank measurements can be easily figured out. The front and back are full length and height. The ends are full height and width minus two glass thicknesses. The bottom is short all around by two glass thicknesses. Here is the link for the stand czcams.com/video/wJtKmIKutgk/video.html
Silicone is hard to deal with if you have no experience with it... Those who can handle a Tude of Caulking/Silicone you know who you are ;) lol ... but if you make a mess a Scrapper is your best friend.
I use Windex to clean glass... then 91% Isopropyl to make sure it is 1000% Bondable... I like to redo tanks. Buy cheap... Strip and Reseal it so the Isopropyl is REALLY good to clean off the old Silicone Residue. Good Luck!...
Right. I found myself with a used 65 gallon Aqueon that needed the bottom replaced, as in, reseamed and resealed. Never did one before so I found yours and a couple other videos and taught myself. After scraping off what I could, I had little to no luck with the alcohol/acetone. Tried mineral spirits, a silicon remover product but had the best success with...purple pvc primer. It was a moment of inspiration, standing there in my garage wondering wtf else I could try to get this crap off the glass, knowing that I couldn't put this in the living room unless it was a perfect repair. What I found was that after using a pristine razor blade to scrape, the primer would seem to harden and swell what silicon remained . After application there seemed to be even more to be scraped off, then it was some scrubbing with some 0000 steel wool and finally an alcohol wipe. The tank's been full for over a month now without issue.
@@FishmanEricRussell good pricing there. I am an aquarist in Kenya, I recently made a fishtank 9 feet long,2.5 feet wide and 3 feet high (9'x2.5'x3') and I charged equivalent of 1,600 USD including the stand and i thought i overcharged. Thats the advantage and disadvantage of being in a third world country
what other materials we can use under the base of glass and of what thickness ?which glass is best for 100 g or above floating glass or tempered glass?if the tank height is about 24 inch.
There are quite a few things you can use. I've used thin plywood, foam and rubber. The thickness of the underlay does not matter beyond losing tank volume if it is too thick. I've used thicknesses between 1/8" and 1/4". It's just there to hold up the bottom until the silicone sets. This tank is 24" H and I used 10mm tempered glass. Thanks for watching
Thanks and have one question more to ask. u used tempered glass and holes in the bottom glass while holes cannot be done in tempered glass because it may shattered. Did you make hole in non tempered glass? And used tempered glass for front sides. Is this ok if I use non tempered 10 mm glass for all sides even bottom for 5x2x2 with euro bracing on top or 12 mm with euro bracing?
The bottom is also tempered. It was drilled first and tempered afterwards. You can make the tank you mentioned out of 10 mm non tempered. I temper my larger tanks to reduce the risk of micro bubbles in the glass causing cracks. This is only an issue in about 5 % of tanks
@Fishman this video by far has been the most informative for me, I would like to know what are the measurements for the glass I would need to build this tank Thank.you
Hi Michael. The top center support allows you to use thinner glass. You can do the same by using thicker glass. For a tank that size without bracing you would need 3/4' tempered to be worry free. 1/2' tempered would be a small gamble and anything thinner would not be a great idea
Fishman, just wondering what is the best way to sand down glass if its a hair too big? about 1-2 mm. and will the sanded part of the glass still stick to silicone afterwards? or does it need to be polished. Thanks.
Hey King. Thanks for stopping by. Sanding glass is problematic. I used to do it allot. You need a special grit (carborundum). I had to order it in special. You also need a belt sander that has a section with no backing and preferably a source of water the belt feeds through to keep it wet and cool. Then you need patience. With this set up you can sand glass though it is tricky to get a straight edge. The good news is the edge can be glued once cleaned and dry. I'm assuming this is an internal edge and not tempered otherwise you can just let it overhang a little on both sides. Hope this helps
Fishman unfortunately it is on the inside of the tank. It's the edge of the bottom brace. I left enough space for the side panel of glass but it moved while curing now the side panel is over hanging a tiny bit which I think is ok but if adding silicone will make it over hanging even more. Was thinking of using 2x3 to brace the outside perimeter of the bottom to give extra support. Do you think that over hang will cause a problem or should I try to push hard and try pushing out as much silicone as possible while putting the side panels in place. There should still be silicone but very little on that one edge/corner about 5 inches in length.
Unfortunately you can't clamp the glass while the silicone cures. Once you release the clamps the glass will try to go back to it's original spot and that puts stress on the silicone before water is even put in the tank. Another problem is the tank should be built all in one go. It is easier to make small position changes when the tank is first put together. Now that some of the silicone has cured all you can do is fit it as best as possible and brace from the outside.
Really! That's awesome! can you please explain how to tape glasses? I didn't really get those? Is it double glued tape? Should I place the side pieces above the basement glass or stick it by side?
Yes 10mm would be fine. You would have to be careful supporting that large of a tank bottom. There is a greater chance of twisting given the 36 square feet of base
Fishman twisting? It will be on a wooden 2x4 stand and a plywood sheet in top? It's not moving. I don't understand what you mean by twisting? And I'm assuming it will be levelled before I assemble the tank on top.
Sorry this is one of those things that is difficult to explain in a comment. It is difficult to make a 6' by 6' stand completely flat. Then when you add 4700 lbs. of water it can cause the stand to settle unevenly. That is where a twist or a not completely flat surface to form. You just need to be careful. Good luck with it
Fishman thanks for clearing things up. Just one last question. How high can I make it before I need to increase the glass thickness? You said 10mm is ok for a 72x72x18. How high can I go with 10mm thick glass? Also would you prefer a 72x72 glass bottom or 72x72 plywood bottom.
10mm tempered should be good to 24" in height. Depending on how you reinforce the the tank and how comfortable you are with risk. I always prefer glass over wood for longevity. The other problem with a plywood base is you won't be able to do it as a single piece in that size
what type of glass are you using there? I have a small reef tank and wanted to try to make a bigger one that would fit perfectly on a corner. Great video.
Very nice. Where do you get your glass from? What kind of edge options do you recommend like polished edges and beveled, etc. I found a seller online that quoted a sheet of glass 48”x24”x1/4” at $150. Seemed expensive to me. What would a good price be on glass by the foot/thickness be? Thanks.
Thanks. I get my glass from a local supplier who gets it straight from the manufacturer. Polished or beveled edges are for looks and that's up to your personal preferences. They all hold water. 8 sq ft of quarter inch would cost me about $70.
Great video. I am in the process of designing a 48in by 48in by 18 in high rimless tank. I was thinking of using 1/2in tempered glass for the build would the glass be thick enough without any bracing? I was also going to have the bottom drilled before it is tempered what size holes do you usually have drill in the bottoms of your tanks?
That thickness is great for those dimensions. I like lots of flow so I drill 2" holes. They fit the 1 1/2" standard plumbing. If you want slower flow use 1" holes and they fit 1/2" standard plumbing. Thanks for watching and good luck with your tank
@@FishmanEricRussell Due to several delays I am finally about to order the glass for my build. After speaking with my local glass shop I can go 20 inches high on my build with a small up charge. I wanted to reach back out to confirm 1/2 tempered glass would be strong enough for a 48 in by 48 in rimless tank 20 in high. I will not be having any bracing and wanted to make sure adding the 2 inches in height would still be structurally sound. Thank you for all your assistance and videos they are great....!
@@jasonstengel9439 Hey Jason. Glad to hear you're building that tank. 20" H is fine for 1/2" tempered. If you want added security just use the bottom bracing in these videos. Let me know how it goes. Would love to hear about it.
Please don't rely on them. I bought 2 professional lifters for $200.00 a piece years ago and those I trust. This build wasn't big enough to require them though. Thanks for watching!
This is the most complete and detail video on building a large reef aquarium. Thanks for the video. Was planning on buying a tank 6'x2'x2' with low iron glass on the three viewing panels. Got an estimate for about $3500. I'm therefore thinging of a DIY TANK. Are all the vertical glass not sitting on the bottom panel? Also if I'm using 3/4" glass do I need to brace the tank on the top and bottom.
Thanks so much I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. If you want to save some money just use low iron glass for the front sheet. All of the sides go to the stand and aren't on the bottom sheet. With 3/4" you don't need top bracing but I would still recommend doing the bottom bracing. Best of luck with the build and thanks again for coming by.
I am looking to put a 120g Hagen back together. A side panel was ripped off somehow so I got it cheap... it is 5'x2'x2' pretty sure that's 120g... it has 3/4 glass and has no braces for it. The factory trim had no braces built in either. So I am going to try it... no Trim... no braces. Hopefully it holds water ;) turn my house into a swimming pool lol
It's 10 mm glass and is 76" x 21" x 24" H. Here is the framing video : czcams.com/video/R7oyfCntpEg/video.html . I like to frame most tanks, but it isn't really necessary for tanks under 50 gal. Thanks for watching
I'm ok with that. I own a store and my father owns a construction company. Most of what we buy is in bulk and commercial. That being said, if you can't say what you use, what brands would you recommend?
No problem feel free to ask all the questions you like. The exact distance is difficult to say as I do it by feel now, but if I had to put a number to it I'd say it was about 1/4 mm.
But im seen other videos or pictures they eve have bigger gap between the glass where the silicone going...but the gaps is only on sides ..the bottom is less ...
17:10 Has anyone tried to use those suction handles they sell for unstable people to get in and out of baths and showers? They aren’t too expensive, just less strong, but they can hold the weight of a smaller person yanking on it.
I actually use two commercial grade glass suction cups for these kinds of installations. When I was deciding to make this video I didn't use them to show it can be done without them. In hindsight I probably should have
Fishman It’s fine, I understood why you didn’t use them, I was only wondering if you or anyone else out there tried those and had any success (or not). Thanks for the info!
Excellent buddy. I have few questions. What were those small little things you put on the base glass ten turned that over? Wont they disbalance the water pressure? Recently I had imported one 300 gallon molded aquarium from Hong Kong. Suddenly one day the glass cracked. Now can I use ultra clear tempered glass? For a similar size. Once again excellent tutorial and I am so grateful for this wonderful hands on.
Thanks a lot. Hope to live up to the compliment. Believe it or not those pieces are the cork shipping spacers that come when I receive the glass. They are just there so that as I assemble the tank the silicone has somewhere to go when I attach the sides. Otherwise you end up with bubbles in the seam. It's also good to keep the bottom raised up in case the stand warps. I don't think that will happen here as the top of the stand is 1.5" thick. On smaller lighter tanks I remove what ever spacer I use after I assemble the tank but on larger ones like this it's best to leave the tank exactly where it cures for best conformity to the stand. Unfortunately when it comes to giving advice on glass and silicone for tank building there are too many variables to cover here in the comment section. I f there is enough interest I will make a video that goes over in detail what people need to know. Thanks again
I'm tearing down my 220 gallon aquarium. The bottom glass floats 1/2 inch off the stand. Is it necessary to float the bottom glass again or could I drop it down to the surface of the stand so that it'll be flushed with the surrounding 4 glass panels and the stand surface?
Hi Jonathan. It's not 100% necessary. It does give an extra measure of strength. When the bottom is off of the stand there is little chance of any warping of the stand putting pressure on the bottom sheet. Also when you seal the bottom, it being raised gives the silicone somewhere to go causing fewer bubbles in the seam. Hope this helps
Fishman thanks! U replied faster than Marineland! I haven't seen any videos of the floating method in a large aquarium build and was wondering if that's the old fashioned way. Thanks again.
Fishman Thanks. The tank I am building is 8x3x1' out of 1/2" glass. The stand top is fully support with a layer of Styrofoam between two layers of plywood to prevent warping. Would you still recommend I build the tank with the bottom panel floating since the stand top is very flat and if so would you put any kind of support under the bottom pane or have the entire surface floating unsupported. Lol, sorry for all the questions this just looks like a huge sheet of glass to be held up only by the silicone!
I'm assuming the the dimensions are 8'L x 3'W x 1'H since 3' of water column wouldn't be supported by 1/2" glass. I would cut a piece of 1/4" ply so that it is 1 - 2" all around smaller in dimension than the bottom. That way when you silicone the tank together the excess has a place to go and you don't get bubbles in the seam. I use this method on my larger bottomed tanks up to 14' x 3'. In the shop I've made 7' x 2' completely unsupported and they are still holding after ten years. I wouldn't if it is somewhere you value the floors though.
Awesome, thanks so much for the help! This is the information I've been looking for! One more question... do think it would be safe to have this tank rimless? The stand will have a wood lip around the edges to brace the bottom and prevent bowing but with only 12" of depth will bracing be necessary around the top? And thanks again for your help!
Bracing is usually base on depth of water and free span of glass. Even though you have 8' of free span the tank is only 1' deep. You shouldn't have a problem
For some reason i thought when building a tank the walls of the tank sat on top of the bottom glass sheet thats the way the tank i have is. Can you do it both ways ???.Is it just float glass that is used?
The different types of glass all have their uses, such as tempered, annealed, and float, to name a few. They were designed for things other than aquariums. We just use them for our tanks. Most can be used depending on the size and shape of your build. As far as whether to put the sides on top of or around the bottom I prefer the bottom to float up inside the sides as it is one less stress on the bottom plate. I have seen both builds as well over the years.
I really did not expected the reply , but thanks a lot for help , i am new to this Reef hobby i have been struggling with tank build part, 1 tank took 3 build from some stupid and i have no one around to build a perfect tank for me, 1 out of 3 build was blown up waters was all the way on ground and it was a nightmare,having kids around is so risky. So this method also work ? Thanks a lot for Answer.
I answer all of the comments I get. It's seem only right considering you took the time to watch. I have been building tanks for over 30 years and have been using this method for over twenty of that. Since I started using this style I haven't had a single leak. You should have no problem if you follow all of the steps in the series. Best of luck
Actually am quite dumbass lol , that is why i watch it twice 😂 Alright its final i will build it my self and use this method. Once again i really appreciate the help. Would be nice if you give me an idea on glass size for 36Long " 18Wide" 20Heigh , Glass thickness and size of glasses. Am sorry am being so much demanding just don't want to see my tank blowing up.
Bought a 210 gal that needs to be resealed. I don’t like the idea of having 210 gallons of water in my house, so I am thinking of taking it apart, then taking the glass to a glass shop and having them cut the glass into smaller pieces, so that I could make a few small rimless aquariums
@@parkerbenz okay then you have a lot of work ahead the hard part will be cutting the corners get a small snap off razor knife start cutting start cutting top to bottom till you can slide the knife in at the top then slide it to the bottom it will not be easy and there is a big chance you will crack it
@@FishmanEricRussell but here when they make tanks they use the method you use to join the glass (make the structure) and again they apply a silicone seam inside the tank along the joints inside.
@@DAMITH250 All the silicone on the inside does is protect the edge of the glass from accidental bangs when moving rocks around. The edges are sensitive, especially these as they are tempered. I'm the one maintaining this tank so it isn't necessary.
Hello fishman...... I want to say thanks for taking the time to create this video, it has truly been of great help. Fishman i have a question concerning my present project which is obviously a tank and it's my first time building one. The "Dims" of my tank should be 24h 25w 48L they are presently 24h 23w 48L 1/2 in. tempered glass. The difference is the width needing to be 25 so that i can caulk the panel by using the floating method as you did in video but, it seems that the glass i have on hand is made to set all panels on top of bottom glass instead of on the side as you did in the video. Will setting the glass on top of the bottom glass be a problem and if not what method would you suggest me do.... so that, while placing the glass on top and caulking it ...the glass wouldnt move from that spot? or would it be simply better to order two new side panels at 25" to then create the floating bottom and caulk on the sides? 25" because the bottom measures 24w x 48L .....if i put the front and back panel on the sides then that would add another 1" making the side panel to be 25"......sorry for the long question and thanks.....
Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. I have seen many tanks built by placing the sides on top of the bottom sheet. If a tank is built this way the stand needs to be built extra sturdy and completely flat to prevent any twisting. With floating bottom tanks this is less important as any twisting puts less stress on the tank. So I guess your choices are to build an extra sturdy stand or to buy two extra sheets of glass. My preference would be the glass route. Hope this helps
Fishman I appreciate your response thanks...I have a question concerning the lettering on glass which mine is tempered. Did u say that the side the letters are on is the tempered side? And do I place the letters on the outside or the inside of the tank when building? Also my tank is drilled from the bottom and centered. I was thinking of using smoked 1/4 glass to make my overflow this will obviously not have the teeth like the acrylic overflow boxes but, I was wondering if you have any ideas for me on what to use to keep fish out. I have read that people who have this setup use a piece of milk crate or screen of some sort, what do u think. One more thing..... how low should I place the internal glass overflow below the top of the tank? Thank you.
Hey Willie. Tempered glass is tempered on all sides. They stamp one side and that is the side I place on the outside so it doesn't get banged by anything in the tank. Milk crate is great as long as the fish you are planning won't fit through the holes. Another method I've done is drill the glass for the over flow and cover that with nylon screen to keep out smaller fish. As far as the height of the over flow, that depends on flow rate and how long it is. A good rule of thumb is to have the top of it at the bottom of the tanks top trim. This will hide any glare from the lights. Hope this helps
Thanks fishman for your help and patience. I just put together the tank and I must say that I feel both sure and unsure if I did a good job. Just so happen that the height of my side panels are an 1/8 taller then the front and back but no big deal I probably put a trim over it. My concern is that the front panel and side panel has a gap bigger than a toothpick. The caulk is touching both panels but did not ooz out from the sides so I squeezed some more caulking into it and after I will caulk along the inside. What do you think about that gap? I would like to send u a pic but I don’t know how.
I have an old-school 90 gallon with half inch glass. I want to take the upper plastic trim off in order to give it this FRAMELESS look. Quite sleek in my opinion. Anyways. I was wondering A. If you were adding a frame to this tank in the video. B. if you think there is any danger involved with my plan. I won't hold you responsible for any problems lmao but considering you make tanks and aquariums id figure id hear your insights!
I am framing this tank. I usually go up a size in glass thickness if I want to go rim less. A 90 gal as rimless should be alright I just like the extra security. Let me know how it goes and thanks for watching
It's not necessary, but tempering lets me use thinner glass. I would have to use 12mm for this if it weren't tempered. You also need to keep in mind the builds I do are for clients and I go for overkill because I don't want leaks. I cover some of this in the next video " 20 year framing of the 175 gal. tank"
ok. I am about to start my first build. the glass I think I wanna do 27in h 60in l 24in w. and it is not tempured. witch comes out around 168 gal. the glass is 1/4 inch. got any suggestions??
I don't even use 1/4" glass on small tanks. When I first started building tanks I made a test tank out of 1/4" glass that was 24" x 24" x 24" to see how long it would hold. It lasted a little over two years. Your tank is 3" deeper and will therefor have more pressure. If your going to build this don't put anywhere you don't mind getting wet or where people might get hurt. Tempering also prevents big pieces of glass from flying about.
Hi sorry to bother you but just had a few questions ..love the videos btw they have been a big help to me.. but my hubby and I are looking at a 125 gallon aquarium and the back glass is cracked on both ends I was wondering if it would be worth buying and possibly fixing and also how or what would be the easiest way to fix it
If it is cracked and they aren't giving it away don't bother. It's allot of work to fix a cracked tank. If you decide to get it anyway, the easiest sheets to remove are the back and front. You need to use a razor blade to cut the silicone and take the broken glass off. Then you need to completely remove any traces of the old silicone from the edges on the tank where the new sheet will go. Then you can silicone on the new piece of glass. Sorry for the less than encouraging words. It's a major pain to do.
Thank you so much for the advice I really appreciate it... as far as I know the crackes are on the back glass and she was wanting a 100 bucks for it do you think it's worth it? Also what would you think it would cost us to fix it?...
The tank isn't worth anything. There are lots of people wanting to get rid of whole tanks. Just be patient and go on whatever swap site is in your area and they will come up. A piece of glass of the right size to fix this tank is about $120 and the tube of silicone $10. Hope this helps and good luck.
@@FishmanEricRussell I used steel fishing leaders to get the silicone from between the sheets of glass for a 220 gallon I picked up for cheap. Cuts very quickly. Took me about 20 minutes to break apart the 220. Love your work.
Your editing skills are appreciative but filming quality is not up to the mark. Can't see clearly. Probably you should have switched on enough lights and kept the camera a little closure. As per your acquarium making skills WELL DONE.
The tank is still holding water.I haven't had a leaker in the twenty years that I've been using this building stile. You must have quite the eagle vision to see the seam in this shot
Hi TJ. Thanks for watching. The silicone is 100 percent, and unfortunately unavailable through any retail outlets. IT's a special grade sold for the commercial glass industry.
Hey, Fishman I'm looking to build a 120g tank for myself. I was wondering where can i find glass for cheap.
Anthony D , any glass shops. I worked at one and glass is cheap
Would I be ok with GE1? I have a almost 1 inch thick glass very old 55 gallon aquarium. 18" wide by 48" length by 20" height aquarium that has a shotty job done of silence. Makes me nervous so I want to reseal it and remove the top and bottom trim. Is it safe? Can that silicone be strong enough to hold it together?
Hi. Okay. Long-time fish owner, first time (prospective) tank builder lol couple questions if you don’t mind...One, silicone seriously holds the entire thing together that securely? I’m definitely not doubting you, I’ve seen most do it with JUST silicone, but can someone give me some facts about it or something that helps me to wrap my head around the fact that silicone is THAT strong?! Haha I know that you get a professional-grade product that isn’t readily available to everyone, but what product would you recommend that IS accessible to someone like me? Or how do I go about acquiring the good stuff? And secondly; not sure if I’m going to stick with this plan or not, depends on the responses I get from all you experts haha, but the glass thickness increases exponentially the taller the tank you are building, correct? My dream tank plan is one that would fit into a corner nook we have, and the tank would have to be roughly 35”Wx56”Hx18”D. Would that create a situation that isn’t worth the increase in thickness, or how thick would you recommend? Thanks a million in advance!
I have one small question, How much was it to build the tank?
@@dmc3489 daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmM
INTERESTING AQUARIUM BUILDING SHOW :)
THANK YOU FOR SHARING :)
THANK YOU FROM ISRAEL :)
Thank you for watching!
Please build from sunlight inwards an throw in a good light source.. great build an step by step.. thanks for your knowledge.
Thanks so much for coming by and taking the time to comment
Grabbing more of your time by watching and supporting one of my favorite content creators! Full watch and view!
Thank you so much! Will be returning the favor
This was an awesome walk through and I appreciate all the info.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video... very informative and helpful. Hopefully my tank holds up lol
Thanks so much for watching and commenting
🤔😁🙏
Just wondering if you put those glass separators on the bottom to raise the tank up. Then silicon the sides which rest on the stand. Will the weight of the bottom glass filled with water compress those cork separators in turn moves/push down on the bottom panels and stretch the silicon seal?
Hi King. Thanks for taking the time to comment. The cork lifts the bottom of the tank so that the silicone bead has a place to expand when I put the tank together preventing bubbles in the joint. Once it is cured you can remove them, though I've always been too lazy.
Thanks for this 😊 much appreciated
Thank you for watching!
One word my friend "AMAZING" "" ""
Thanks so much!
I have a question about that table, it doesn't have any center support, do you think it'll hold long without center support??
It does actually have one. It gets added. The tank is still holding
Very cool build!
Thanks allot and thanks for watching
CR Lawrence silicon for anyone wanting to know. They sell it to the public
Cool, never seen that done before. Because you have the large window, the video would benefit from a good light source by the camera. You should look into a Kreg pocket hoke jig for your stands. They are awesome.
It's unlikely i will ever get around to making extra recording equipment for off site work. I already have to bring allot of equipment and materials to do the job. Did you mean "Kreg pocket hole jig". Never used one. I will look into it. One of the reasons for doing these videos is to learn new ways of doing things. Thanks
Fishman - Yes the Kreg jig. I've been woodworking for over 30 years now, they're a great company with a great product. Tons of videos on CZcams about the jig you can look up and watch.
I've been a carpenter for 20 years... Pocket screwed cabinets are not near as strong, They are good for some things, and work pretty good in hard wood, face frames, styles to rails. Aquarium stands are not a good place to use them, You're building for strength!
HI. "Are you using the "floated" bottom method? to build the tank? or what method? thanks. Did you use temper glass for the entire tank or just the bottom? thanks
The glass is all tempered. Prevents cracking issues with larger tanks and I guess you could call it a floating bottom build. Thanks for watching!
I want to ask, is it ok to put the side panels above the lower base(the base panel) design with a 80x50x50, 4mm glass and with no braces and no supports and just with only panels??
So the bottom is two times the glass thickness plus about 1/16" times two for silicone on each end shorter than the sides? Thanks
hi, i want to build a 4ft by 4ft by 45cm high tank, what thickness glass do you recommend for the sides and the bottom.
The most important dimension is the column of water being supported. Your tank is just under 18". With the 4' of free span, I would recommend, 10 mm glass
Ultimately, unless it is custom sized and has holes in tempered glass, is it less expensive to buy one already made?
Custom is always more expensive, but you get the size and shape you want. I find that most clients don't mind the extra if they end up with their "dream tank"
I just got this five foot tank, 24" high were all the sides sit on top of the bottom glass. Is there anything to know as far as supports for this type of construction? ie. Where would the major stress points be?
Why do some people put the silicone on the side of the bottom glass of tank. then attach all the front and side glass panels...i see people also putting silicon on the top of the bottom glass panels and putting the front and side panels on top of bottom glass what the difference ? thanks
The first one you described is what I'm doing here. It's my preferred method as the bottom of the tank is raised off of the stand. That way when I squeeze the panes together the silicone has somewhere to go and I get less bubbles. The second method puts too much pressure on the bottom of the tank as all of the glass is pressing down on the edge of the bottom glass. This is OK as long as the stand is completely flat.
@@FishmanEricRussell Thank you
Great Video. I've been thinking about building my own 120 and found your video hoping for some useful info. You have definitely cleared up some gray areas that other videos I have watched seemed to gloss over. I'd love to ask more questions but this is hardly the forum to do so. Keep "em coming. It's nice to hear from someone who actually does tank builds professionally.
Thanks. That's one of the main reasons for doing these videos to help people out. Go ahead and ask your questions and if it's too lengthy to answer in the comments I will at least know what to cover in future videos.
Is it possible to build a 125-gallon tank without the Euro-bracing? Would you have to move to 3/4 inch glass or is that going to create an overly heavy tank?
I build these tanks for clients and therefor over build them. I don't like emergency calls in the early hours of the morning. If you use 3/4" glass that should be more than enough as long as the tank isn't more than 24"H. As far as weight goes the water weighs way more than the tank so the support won't need to change between 1/2" and 3/4".
I have rebuilt three Mid 1990's 120g Hagen tanks... 5'x2'x2' I am pretty sure they were... any way... they had no bracing on the tank or built into the trim. Never had a problem with them yet. No bowing and no leaks... I use the same process as this guy so I'm sure you will be ok. But if it fails be ready to spend all day/night cleaning water ;) I had it happen to me... I was like "Is that a drip? Hmmmm..." barely made it over to the Aquarium to have a look the it started to run out faster... the it just failed completely on one edge. It's amazing how fast 120g can drain onto your floor lol alot faster then it takes to fill it lol soooo... that little DIY Voice we all have in our head "Are you sure this is going to work?" Is a legit thing... but do Diligence and research. This is one of the better videos out there... but I disagree that your first built that big should be done by yourself. That's how my tank failed. I wasn't ready for the underlying issues... tank longer then my reach lol... Tues of silicone not cut and ready (I used 2 tubes)... I got frustrated and did my best but my best left me frustrated and I overlooked a few air pockets is what I think. It held water for 1 1/2 months then SPLASH! LOL
An old video but a good one!! Made me wonder how this tank is doing today? Impressive my friend 🌱🐟🌱🌿💚
What gap should between the glass be for silicone in large tank
That's a difficult thing to put in a specific number, as I do it by feel. The most important detail is to make sure the seems are under no pressure as they cure.
I'd be very interested in your thoughts on using low iron/starphire glass?
I think of starphire glass the same way picky stereo people think of tube amps versus transistor versions or vinyl vrs cd, The clarity is better but if it's worth the cost difference is a personal thing. I tend not to use it because the tanks I tend to build are larger than the the average and no one so far has wanted to spend the extra for that difference. The funny thing is that my supplier just sent me the glass for two sumps that ended up being starfire. They said some thing about a new cutter that they hired. Since it was already cut I got it at the normal price. If it will show up on camera I will try doing a video showing the difference. I wouldn't hold my breath on that though. I don't think cameras are sensitive enough yet.
The silicone is the only thing holding all the weight of the water?
If so... can u imagine who tried this for the first time... it just seems that it's not enough to hold the water in.
Silicone: tough stuff!
I will be scared to use this stand for this tank size. It looks nice but when full with water , gravel and stones the weight will be around a ton. Mine is 160 gallons and I have 8 bags of gravel 25 kg each plus around 50 kg rocks. Water weght is approx 8 pound a gallon. I build my stand to hold at least twice as the tank weight.
Hi Ronan. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I've been building this size tank this way for about twenty years with no leaks or stand issues. There is a separate video for the stand build if you want to have a look at it.
Why so much substrate? That's way too much
Is it necessary to be tempered on these dimensions using 10mm.if non tempered would the glass have to be thicker.also any particular reason you place 2 side panel on the base glass and front and back off.
No. Just safer. This build style puts less stress on the bottom sheet
@@FishmanEricRussell thank you I appreciate the time you took to reply.
@@ebrahimmohamed4829 anytime
@@FishmanEricRussell hi again sorry to trouble again it's just I'm in South Africa and cant seem to find assistance locally.
I want to build a freshwater tank of dimensions 1800mm×600(w)×750(h)
The actual water height will be at 600.
Planned on a 10mm glass
The base I was planning on adding on width 4 braces of 250mm equally spaced also 10mm.
For the top I planned at 600mm mark to place to 60mm ×10mm strips on either side of front and back pannel and cross brace with to 350mm×10mm on either side.appreciate any feedback on desighn
@@ebrahimmohamed4829 Always glad to help. It all sounds good. The only issue is with the 600 mm water depth. That"s at the max for 10 mm glass and preferably tempered at that. As long as the glass is quality it will hold. It just won't last as long as 12 mm. Hope that helps and thanks for watching
Hi Fishman how much millimeters should I consider for silicone thickness per joint. I presume 1mm on my knowledge, is that fine?
The film of silicone between the glass is actually thinner than 1mm. I can't give you an exact number as I do it by feel, but it is in the range of about 1/3 of that
Fishman, Thank you so much 😊
@@gauthamr9558 Anytime
How many tubes of silicone did you use. Will 4 tubes be enough to build and seal a 4x2x2?
This took a tube and a half. Four tubes will be plenty
@@FishmanEricRussell ok, I ended up using 5 😂 filling it up tomorrow, I’m not very confident
@@jwaquatics5792 Let it cure for at least three weeks
What is the glass cleaning product you’re using thanks
Just windex.
Hello, I know this is an older video, but what did you do to brace the tank? Or is the glass thick enough to not worry about bowing?
Hi Travis! I know I should create a play list for these. I still have one more update before this series is done. The bracing is in the next 2 videos. The two part 20 year framing videos
that was pretty good. I just picked up a 300G with broken bottom glass to try and fix and you helped me clear up a few questions. i was going to flip it upside down and place the glass directly on the bottom but after reading though the comments i see that i could be better off having it sit on the inside of the walls rather then have the walls sit on the bottom glass. Is it possible to do that without rebuilding the whole tank?
300 gal. is a lot of pressure. I wouldn't put it anywhere you don't mind getting wet even if you rebuild it. The problem with putting a sheet inside and on top of the old one is getting a good flat fit. Any kind of tilt or spot you miss with silicone may cause issues. On the other hand rebuilding the tank is a major pain and depending on how old the tank is and therefore how brittle the glass is it may not come apart in one piece. I use to do rebuilds for people and stopped because of this. Best of luck.
10 years ago I bought an aquarium with a cracked bottom, set the new piece from the inside and still water tight (I paid £2 with the stand, Bargain)
Do yo have the glass measurements and thickness of the glass?
It's 72"L x 18" W x 20" H and made with 10 mm tempered glass. Thanks for watching!
Are the sides on the outside of the base or are you putting the sides onto the top of the base?
The sides go around the bottom and rest on the stand
Hey I have tempered glass panels that are 6 foot long and 20” height and 1/4 thick can I build the aquarium with bracing of course
Not recommended. I have built them in my shop to test out and they do hold for quite a while but not nearly as long as 3/8"
Will 8mm glass be ok to build a 175 gallom aquarium same like the one in the video??
I've never used 8 mm on anything near this large. Even when I'm building small tanks like 10 or 15 gal I use 6 mm glass. That said I tend to overbuild. The cost of 8 mm shouldn't be less than 10 mm because it is a standard construction thickness. I've used 10 mm on tanks up to 24" of water column just not this total capacity. Hope that helps
aquarium can I use 8mm glass for 180 gallon tank , with bracing and belts at top . I don't need a open top aquarium's . I just need to make it cheap
@@FishmanEricRussell do you think 10 mm glass would be good for a 300 gallon aquarium?
Sorry not even close unless it was really shallow
@@scaryperson27 The glass here is 10 mm. Thanks for watching
Have you ever tried the injection method ?
And why tempered glass ? Doesent tempered glass have a more of a green hue
Nope. Never have. I've used this method for over 20 years with no issues. The extra safety with tempered glass offsets the slight increase in color. Unless they are side by side most people can't tell the difference when the marine lights are on. Thanks for watching
Fishman extra safety ?
Not so important with the standard sizes of home aquariums (under 50 gal.), but with the larger ones. When float glass is made it can have micro bubbles in it causing weak points. In larger tanks that can lead to a crack. When glass is tempered if there is such a weak spot it blows up in the oven. Tempering also increases it's strength as well. I tend to build tanks upwards of 100 gal. to 1000 gal. and it really makes a difference with them.
@@scaryperson27 Most manufacturers only temper the bottoms of their tanks. Thanks for watching
@@scaryperson27 True. If the tanks is going in a high traffic public spot I cover all of the edges
just a quick question what thickness would a glass tank need to be at 72 inch long 20 inch high 30 inch wide in toughened glass
Height is the important dimension here and at 20" the glass should be 10 mm or 3/8". Thanks for watching
thanks for the help@@FishmanEricRussell
Did you cut the glass yourself or did the local supplier that you have mentioned do that? Also, you mentioned your silicone is special grade, what would be the next best thing for the majority of us that do not work in the glass industry? Also, do you have measurements for the tank? Is there a build video for the stand? Thanks!
The glass is tempered, so it came from my supplier. As long as the tank is framed, you can use any 100% silicone. Just make sure it doesn't have any additives. All tank measurements can be easily figured out. The front and back are full length and height. The ends are full height and width minus two glass thicknesses. The bottom is short all around by two glass thicknesses. Here is the link for the stand czcams.com/video/wJtKmIKutgk/video.html
Can i know how many tube of silicon was used
Depending on how good one is with applying silicone it takes between 1 and 1 & 1/2 tubes.
Silicone is hard to deal with if you have no experience with it... Those who can handle a Tude of Caulking/Silicone you know who you are ;) lol ... but if you make a mess a Scrapper is your best friend.
I've resealed and made rimless but Im seriously wanting to try building my first Aquarium , cool video I subbed your channel ✌️🐟☮️
Cool! Give it a go and thank you for the sub
hi hope you can help what do you clean the glass With before silicon Please
I actually just use windex and a lint free towel
Handy Helper
She certainly is!
Hi do you think 10 mm glass will be ok for aquarium 72Lx48Hx10W?
Sorry way too high. 24" is almost a max for 10mm
Can you upload glass dimension sketches and what is the the make of sealant used
love you too
Lol!
@@FishmanEricRussell lol...welp, that's where that text to my wife went.
Still learning from this video, and your others. Thanks!
Minor question: what do you like for cleaning the glass?
Thanks so much. If you are asking about what I use to clean the glass before I glue it, then that would be windex
I use Windex to clean glass... then 91% Isopropyl to make sure it is 1000% Bondable... I like to redo tanks. Buy cheap... Strip and Reseal it so the Isopropyl is REALLY good to clean off the old Silicone Residue. Good Luck!...
If you like reseal old tanks then you like lots of work my friend. That's one of my least favorite things to do but I'm lazy
Right. I found myself with a used 65 gallon Aqueon that needed the bottom replaced, as in, reseamed and resealed. Never did one before so I found yours and a couple other videos and taught myself. After scraping off what I could, I had little to no luck with the alcohol/acetone. Tried mineral spirits, a silicon remover product but had the best success with...purple pvc primer.
It was a moment of inspiration, standing there in my garage wondering wtf else I could try to get this crap off the glass, knowing that I couldn't put this in the living room unless it was a perfect repair.
What I found was that after using a pristine razor blade to scrape, the primer would seem to harden and swell what silicon remained . After application there seemed to be even more to be scraped off, then it was some scrubbing with some 0000 steel wool and finally an alcohol wipe.
The tank's been full for over a month now without issue.
The funny thing is Chuck the active agent in that PVC primer is acetone. Glad it all worked out.
What thickness of glass is that also what are the dimensions of the panels? thanks
It's 10 mm glass and is 76" x 21" x 24" H.
How much do you charge for this?
The tank itself runs about 1500
@@FishmanEricRussell good pricing there. I am an aquarist in Kenya, I recently made a fishtank 9 feet long,2.5 feet wide and 3 feet high (9'x2.5'x3') and I charged equivalent of 1,600 USD including the stand and i thought i overcharged. Thats the advantage and disadvantage of being in a third world country
I tried rebuilding my tank using this video. I noticed I still got bubbles in my seams after a few hours. Should pry the panes apart and try again?
A few bubbles aren't a problem. It would be really difficult to remove all of the silicone for a reseal.
@@FishmanEricRussell oh that's good to hear. So is a good seal more important than a perfect seam?
@@tic857 Yes and you can always brace the tank as I have for this build
what other materials we can use under the base of glass and of what thickness ?which glass is best for 100 g or above floating glass or tempered glass?if the tank height is about 24 inch.
There are quite a few things you can use. I've used thin plywood, foam and rubber. The thickness of the underlay does not matter beyond losing tank volume if it is too thick. I've used thicknesses between 1/8" and 1/4". It's just there to hold up the bottom until the silicone sets. This tank is 24" H and I used 10mm tempered glass. Thanks for watching
Thanks and have one question more to ask. u used tempered glass and holes in the bottom glass while holes cannot be done in tempered glass because it may shattered. Did you make hole in non tempered glass? And used tempered glass for front sides. Is this ok if I use non tempered 10 mm glass for all sides even bottom for 5x2x2 with euro bracing on top or 12 mm with euro bracing?
The bottom is also tempered. It was drilled first and tempered afterwards. You can make the tank you mentioned out of 10 mm non tempered. I temper my larger tanks to reduce the risk of micro bubbles in the glass causing cracks. This is only an issue in about 5 % of tanks
thank you and how do you calculate the dimensions of glass cuttings (a formula you always consider while cutting of glass panels)
Sorry it's kind of difficult to go into in a comment section. I'm planning a video that goes through these things soon though
very good job!
Thank you!
What thickness glass would you use on something like this?
10 mm tempered
@Fishman this video by far has been the most informative for me, I would like to know what are the measurements for the glass I would need to build this tank
Thank.you
Thanks so much. That's very kind of you. It's 10 mm glass and is 76" x 21" x 24" H. Thanks for watching
Thank you very helpful and informative
Is it necessary to use tempered glass
With dimensions 76" x 21" x 24" H, is it safe not to support the top centre of the aquarium please?
Hi Michael. The top center support allows you to use thinner glass. You can do the same by using thicker glass. For a tank that size without bracing you would need 3/4' tempered to be worry free. 1/2' tempered would be a small gamble and anything thinner would not be a great idea
Thanks and keep up the good work. Very helpful videos.
Fishman, just wondering what is the best way to sand down glass if its a hair too big? about 1-2 mm. and will the sanded part of the glass still stick to silicone afterwards? or does it need to be polished. Thanks.
Hey King. Thanks for stopping by. Sanding glass is problematic. I used to do it allot. You need a special grit (carborundum). I had to order it in special. You also need a belt sander that has a section with no backing and preferably a source of water the belt feeds through to keep it wet and cool. Then you need patience. With this set up you can sand glass though it is tricky to get a straight edge. The good news is the edge can be glued once cleaned and dry. I'm assuming this is an internal edge and not tempered otherwise you can just let it overhang a little on both sides. Hope this helps
Fishman unfortunately it is on the inside of the tank. It's the edge of the bottom brace. I left enough space for the side panel of glass but it moved while curing now the side panel is over hanging a tiny bit which I think is ok but if adding silicone will make it over hanging even more. Was thinking of using 2x3 to brace the outside perimeter of the bottom to give extra support. Do you think that over hang will cause a problem or should I try to push hard and try pushing out as much silicone as possible while putting the side panels in place. There should still be silicone but very little on that one edge/corner about 5 inches in length.
Unfortunately you can't clamp the glass while the silicone cures. Once you release the clamps the glass will try to go back to it's original spot and that puts stress on the silicone before water is even put in the tank. Another problem is the tank should be built all in one go. It is easier to make small position changes when the tank is first put together. Now that some of the silicone has cured all you can do is fit it as best as possible and brace from the outside.
Fishman thanks so much for your input. Really appreciate your help.
Anytime
pls say youre from illinois. i need a tank done
Sorry. Considerably further north
Really! That's awesome! can you please explain how to tape glasses? I didn't really get those? Is it double glued tape? Should I place the side pieces above the basement glass or stick it by side?
I will have a video up soon on how I do all of that. It will be in the tank building 101 series. Thanks for watching
Are you using silicone or glue to fix glass?
Silicone
Hi do you think 10mm glass be ok for a 72Lx72Wx21H tank?
Yes 10mm would be fine. You would have to be careful supporting that large of a tank bottom. There is a greater chance of twisting given the 36 square feet of base
Fishman twisting? It will be on a wooden 2x4 stand and a plywood sheet in top? It's not moving. I don't understand what you mean by twisting? And I'm assuming it will be levelled before I assemble the tank on top.
Sorry this is one of those things that is difficult to explain in a comment. It is difficult to make a 6' by 6' stand completely flat. Then when you add 4700 lbs. of water it can cause the stand to settle unevenly. That is where a twist or a not completely flat surface to form. You just need to be careful. Good luck with it
Fishman thanks for clearing things up. Just one last question. How high can I make it before I need to increase the glass thickness? You said 10mm is ok for a 72x72x18.
How high can I go with 10mm thick glass?
Also would you prefer a 72x72 glass bottom or 72x72 plywood bottom.
10mm tempered should be good to 24" in height. Depending on how you reinforce the the tank and how comfortable you are with risk. I always prefer glass over wood for longevity. The other problem with a plywood base is you won't be able to do it as a single piece in that size
what type of glass are you using there? I have a small reef tank and wanted to try to make a bigger one that would fit perfectly on a corner. Great video.
So glad you liked it! This is 10 mm tempered glass
Very nice. Where do you get your glass from? What kind of edge options do you recommend like polished edges and beveled, etc.
I found a seller online that quoted a sheet of glass 48”x24”x1/4” at $150. Seemed expensive to me. What would a good price be on glass by the foot/thickness be? Thanks.
Thanks. I get my glass from a local supplier who gets it straight from the manufacturer. Polished or beveled edges are for looks and that's up to your personal preferences. They all hold water. 8 sq ft of quarter inch would cost me about $70.
Great video. I am in the process of designing a 48in by 48in by 18 in high rimless tank. I was thinking of using 1/2in tempered glass for the build would the glass be thick enough without any bracing? I was also going to have the bottom drilled before it is tempered what size holes do you usually have drill in the bottoms of your tanks?
That thickness is great for those dimensions. I like lots of flow so I drill 2" holes. They fit the 1 1/2" standard plumbing. If you want slower flow use 1" holes and they fit 1/2" standard plumbing. Thanks for watching and good luck with your tank
Great thank you for the information I will go with the 2in holes in the bottom
@@FishmanEricRussell Due to several delays I am finally about to order the glass for my build. After speaking with my local glass shop I can go 20 inches high on my build with a small up charge. I wanted to reach back out to confirm 1/2 tempered glass would be strong enough for a 48 in by 48 in rimless tank 20 in high. I will not be having any bracing and wanted to make sure adding the 2 inches in height would still be structurally sound. Thank you for all your assistance and videos they are great....!
@@jasonstengel9439 Hey Jason. Glad to hear you're building that tank. 20" H is fine for 1/2" tempered. If you want added security just use the bottom bracing in these videos. Let me know how it goes. Would love to hear about it.
Harbor Freight sells 110lb glass lifter thingies for $10.
Please don't rely on them. I bought 2 professional lifters for $200.00 a piece years ago and those I trust. This build wasn't big enough to require them though. Thanks for watching!
This is the most complete and detail video on building a large reef aquarium. Thanks for the video. Was planning on buying a tank 6'x2'x2' with low iron glass on the three viewing panels. Got an estimate for about $3500. I'm therefore thinging of a DIY TANK.
Are all the vertical glass not sitting on the bottom panel? Also if I'm using 3/4" glass do I need to brace the tank on the top and bottom.
Thanks so much I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. If you want to save some money just use low iron glass for the front sheet. All of the sides go to the stand and aren't on the bottom sheet. With 3/4" you don't need top bracing but I would still recommend doing the bottom bracing. Best of luck with the build and thanks again for coming by.
I am looking to put a 120g Hagen back together. A side panel was ripped off somehow so I got it cheap... it is 5'x2'x2' pretty sure that's 120g... it has 3/4 glass and has no braces for it. The factory trim had no braces built in either. So I am going to try it... no Trim... no braces. Hopefully it holds water ;) turn my house into a swimming pool lol
I'm actually want to build my own 120g tank. Where can I glass or buy it for cheap
Sorry I don't know of any cheap glass sources. I buy all of my glass from a local supplier. Thanks for watching
amazing , how many millimeters glass thick pl ?
10 mm
can you give the measurements too
Great video! What are the dimensions? Rimless? What size aquariums require top braces, trims, eurobrace? Thanks!
It's 10 mm glass and is 76" x 21" x 24" H. Here is the framing video : czcams.com/video/R7oyfCntpEg/video.html . I like to frame most tanks, but it isn't really necessary for tanks under 50 gal. Thanks for watching
Fishman Thanks for responding, I watched the framing video 👍🏼!
What kind of silicone do you use?
Sorry the brand I use is for commercial applications and not available in stores
I'm ok with that. I own a store and my father owns a construction company. Most of what we buy is in bulk and commercial. That being said, if you can't say what you use, what brands would you recommend?
GE 1200 construction grade should work fine
Thank you for your answer and time.
Your quite welcome. Thanks for watching
Will 10mm glass be ok for a 6x2x1.5
Yes
Can im just ask how many mm gap you have between the glass ...where is silicone plz
No problem feel free to ask all the questions you like. The exact distance is difficult to say as I do it by feel now, but if I had to put a number to it I'd say it was about 1/4 mm.
Fishman right im just build one tank and is seen like 2mm is that bad ? Maybe is less but can't say
That depends on how big the tank is. On a tank this size it would be disastrous
Fishman is about 800lit tank..6ft long double glass
But im seen other videos or pictures they eve have bigger gap between the glass where the silicone going...but the gaps is only on sides ..the bottom is less ...
17:10 Has anyone tried to use those suction handles they sell for unstable people to get in and out of baths and showers? They aren’t too expensive, just less strong, but they can hold the weight of a smaller person yanking on it.
I actually use two commercial grade glass suction cups for these kinds of installations. When I was deciding to make this video I didn't use them to show it can be done without them. In hindsight I probably should have
Fishman It’s fine, I understood why you didn’t use them, I was only wondering if you or anyone else out there tried those and had any success (or not). Thanks for the info!
Excellent buddy.
I have few questions. What were those small little things you put on the base glass ten turned that over? Wont they disbalance the water pressure?
Recently I had imported one 300 gallon molded aquarium from Hong Kong. Suddenly one day the glass cracked.
Now can I use ultra clear tempered glass? For a similar size.
Once again excellent tutorial and I am so grateful for this wonderful hands on.
Thanks a lot. Hope to live up to the compliment. Believe it or not those pieces are the cork shipping spacers that come when I receive the glass. They are just there so that as I assemble the tank the silicone has somewhere to go when I attach the sides. Otherwise you end up with bubbles in the seam. It's also good to keep the bottom raised up in case the stand warps. I don't think that will happen here as the top of the stand is 1.5" thick. On smaller lighter tanks I remove what ever spacer I use after I assemble the tank but on larger ones like this it's best to leave the tank exactly where it cures for best conformity to the stand. Unfortunately when it comes to giving advice on glass and silicone for tank building there are too many variables to cover here in the comment section. I f there is enough interest I will make a video that goes over in detail what people need to know. Thanks again
Thanks a lot.
I'm tearing down my 220 gallon aquarium. The bottom glass floats 1/2 inch off the stand. Is it necessary to float the bottom glass again or could I drop it down to the surface of the stand so that it'll be flushed with the surrounding 4 glass panels and the stand surface?
Hi Jonathan. It's not 100% necessary. It does give an extra measure of strength. When the bottom is off of the stand there is little chance of any warping of the stand putting pressure on the bottom sheet. Also when you seal the bottom, it being raised gives the silicone somewhere to go causing fewer bubbles in the seam. Hope this helps
Fishman thanks! U replied faster than Marineland! I haven't seen any videos of the floating method in a large aquarium build and was wondering if that's the old fashioned way. Thanks again.
hi Buddy i will love to know the glass thickness of this tank in millimiters? is possible? and thanks for put this videos here bro!
Thanks for the comment. The glass is 10mm
Excellent video. Do the tabs you placed under the bottom pane remain under the tank? The bottom glass floats above the stand?
Yes. That way if there is any warping of the stand no pressure points are formed on the bottom sheet.
Fishman Thanks. The tank I am building is 8x3x1' out of 1/2" glass. The stand top is fully support with a layer of Styrofoam between two layers of plywood to prevent warping. Would you still recommend I build the tank with the bottom panel floating since the stand top is very flat and if so would you put any kind of support under the bottom pane or have the entire surface floating unsupported. Lol, sorry for all the questions this just looks like a huge sheet of glass to be held up only by the silicone!
I'm assuming the the dimensions are 8'L x 3'W x 1'H since 3' of water column wouldn't be supported by 1/2" glass. I would cut a piece of 1/4" ply so that it is 1 - 2" all around smaller in dimension than the bottom. That way when you silicone the tank together the excess has a place to go and you don't get bubbles in the seam. I use this method on my larger bottomed tanks up to 14' x 3'. In the shop I've made 7' x 2' completely unsupported and they are still holding after ten years. I wouldn't if it is somewhere you value the floors though.
Awesome, thanks so much for the help! This is the information I've been looking for! One more question... do think it would be safe to have this tank rimless? The stand will have a wood lip around the edges to brace the bottom and prevent bowing but with only 12" of depth will bracing be necessary around the top? And thanks again for your help!
Bracing is usually base on depth of water and free span of glass. Even though you have 8' of free span the tank is only 1' deep. You shouldn't have a problem
For some reason i thought when building a tank the walls of the tank sat on top of the bottom glass sheet thats the way the tank i have is. Can you do it both ways ???.Is it just float glass that is used?
The different types of glass all have their uses, such as tempered, annealed, and float, to name a few. They were designed for things other than aquariums. We just use them for our tanks. Most can be used depending on the size and shape of your build. As far as whether to put the sides on top of or around the bottom I prefer the bottom to float up inside the sides as it is one less stress on the bottom plate. I have seen both builds as well over the years.
Good 🎥 but music is distracting lol. 👍
Thanks!
So you basically put all uper glass out side of bottom glass?
Pretty much
I really did not expected the reply , but thanks a lot for help , i am new to this Reef hobby i have been struggling with tank build part, 1 tank took 3 build from some stupid and i have no one around to build a perfect tank for me, 1 out of 3 build was blown up waters was all the way on ground and it was a nightmare,having kids around is so risky.
So this method also work ?
Thanks a lot for Answer.
Am building a 3 feet long 18 wide and Height 20 , can you please suggest me thickness of glass ?
I answer all of the comments I get. It's seem only right considering you took the time to watch. I have been building tanks for over 30 years and have been using this method for over twenty of that. Since I started using this style I haven't had a single leak. You should have no problem if you follow all of the steps in the series. Best of luck
Actually am quite dumbass lol , that is why i watch it twice 😂 Alright its final i will build it my self and use this method. Once again i really appreciate the help.
Would be nice if you give me an idea on glass size for 36Long " 18Wide" 20Heigh , Glass thickness and size of glasses.
Am sorry am being so much demanding just don't want to see my tank blowing up.
Who makes good tank glass?
Unfortunately unless you live in Canada I can't help you
Bought a 210 gal that needs to be resealed. I don’t like the idea of having 210 gallons of water in my house, so I am thinking of taking it apart, then taking the glass to a glass shop and having them cut the glass into smaller pieces, so that I could make a few small rimless aquariums
You can’t cut that glass it has been tempered it would explode leaving you Little pieces of glass shard everywhere just don’t work
@@rogermcneely454 It is NOT tempered glass... its a 30 year old aquarium.
@@parkerbenz okay then you have a lot of work ahead the hard part will be cutting the corners get a small snap off razor knife start cutting start cutting top to bottom till you can slide the knife in at the top then slide it to the bottom it will not be easy and there is a big chance you will crack it
how do you calculate glass dimension , please share formula or calculator
Too many variables for a fits all formula. If you have dimensions I can give you a thickness
@@FishmanEricRussell 5x2x2 .glass 12mm, how do you calculate cut dimensions for sides and front back panels.
@@boaxite front, back (60"x24") both ends (24"x23") bottom (59"x23")
@@FishmanEricRussell appreciated
Awesome!!
Thanks so much!
Very nice 👍👍👍
Do we need to put another silicone layer covering the inside edges ? (Most of the tanks have thicker inside layer)
No. It's all done. The silicone between the joints is what holds it together. You can actually razor off the rest. Thanks for watching!
@@FishmanEricRussell but here when they make tanks they use the method you use to join the glass (make the structure) and again they apply a silicone seam inside the tank along the joints inside.
@@DAMITH250 All the silicone on the inside does is protect the edge of the glass from accidental bangs when moving rocks around. The edges are sensitive, especially these as they are tempered. I'm the one maintaining this tank so it isn't necessary.
@@FishmanEricRussell oh ok cool , LFS says it's to add additional protection and prevent leaking. 👍
@@DAMITH250 Protection: yes. Leaking: no.
Hello fishman...... I want to say thanks for taking the time to create this video, it has truly been of great help. Fishman i have a question concerning my present project which is obviously a tank and it's my first time building one. The "Dims" of my tank should be 24h 25w 48L they are presently 24h 23w 48L 1/2 in. tempered glass. The difference is the width needing to be 25 so that i can caulk the panel by using the floating method as you did in video but, it seems that the glass i have on hand is made to set all panels on top of bottom glass instead of on the side as you did in the video. Will setting the glass on top of the bottom glass be a problem and if not what method would you suggest me do.... so that, while placing the glass on top and caulking it ...the glass wouldnt move from that spot? or would it be simply better to order two new side panels at 25" to then create the floating bottom and caulk on the sides? 25" because the bottom measures 24w x 48L .....if i put the front and back panel on the sides then that would add another 1" making the side panel to be 25"......sorry for the long question and thanks.....
Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. I have seen many tanks built by placing the sides on top of the bottom sheet. If a tank is built this way the stand needs to be built extra sturdy and completely flat to prevent any twisting. With floating bottom tanks this is less important as any twisting puts less stress on the tank. So I guess your choices are to build an extra sturdy stand or to buy two extra sheets of glass. My preference would be the glass route. Hope this helps
Fishman I appreciate your response thanks...I have a question concerning the lettering on glass which mine is tempered. Did u say that the side the letters are on is the tempered side? And do I place the letters on the outside or the inside of the tank when building? Also my tank is drilled from the bottom and centered. I was thinking of using smoked 1/4 glass to make my overflow this will obviously not have the teeth like the acrylic overflow boxes but, I was wondering if you have any ideas for me on what to use to keep fish out. I have read that people who have this setup use a piece of milk crate or screen of some sort, what do u think. One more thing..... how low should I place the internal glass overflow below the top of the tank? Thank you.
Hey Willie. Tempered glass is tempered on all sides. They stamp one side and that is the side I place on the outside so it doesn't get banged by anything in the tank. Milk crate is great as long as the fish you are planning won't fit through the holes. Another method I've done is drill the glass for the over flow and cover that with nylon screen to keep out smaller fish. As far as the height of the over flow, that depends on flow rate and how long it is. A good rule of thumb is to have the top of it at the bottom of the tanks top trim. This will hide any glare from the lights. Hope this helps
Thanks fishman for your help and patience. I just put together the tank and I must say that I feel both sure and unsure if I did a good job. Just so happen that the height of my side panels are an 1/8 taller then the front and back but no big deal I probably put a trim over it. My concern is that the front panel and side panel has a gap bigger than a toothpick. The caulk is touching both panels but did not ooz out from the sides so I squeezed some more caulking into it and after I will caulk along the inside. What do you think about that gap? I would like to send u a pic but I don’t know how.
fishmanericrussell@gmail.com
CZcams, thank you for the 10 sec forward
can i go rimless on a 75 gallon glass tank?
How tall do you want it to be?
I have a standard 75 gallon glass tank that I’d like to derim. It’s 21” high, 18” deep, 48” long
@@TwoOnesTanks If the glass is 10mm (3/8")or thicker it will work fine
Fishman i think it’s 1/4”
@@TwoOnesTanks That's too thin to be safe as rimless. You could get away with it but it's not a good idea. sorry
Did he use Temperd glass?
Yes. Thanks for watching
How much would all that glass cost? Thanks awesome video
The glass is tempered and polished and would be about $1200.00
is that stand 100% plywood? o.O
Yup! Hardwood plywood
Without a lumber frame that stand is weak.
I have an old-school 90 gallon with half inch glass. I want to take the upper plastic trim off in order to give it this FRAMELESS look. Quite sleek in my opinion. Anyways. I was wondering
A. If you were adding a frame to this tank in the video.
B. if you think there is any danger involved with my plan.
I won't hold you responsible for any problems lmao but considering you make tanks and aquariums id figure id hear your insights!
I am framing this tank. I usually go up a size in glass thickness if I want to go rim less. A 90 gal as rimless should be alright I just like the extra security. Let me know how it goes and thanks for watching
I decided not to do the frameless on the 90 gallon. Too many opposing opinions for my comfort.
@@MangoNinja333 Probably for the best
do you have to use tempured glass
It's not necessary, but tempering lets me use thinner glass. I would have to use 12mm for this if it weren't tempered. You also need to keep in mind the builds I do are for clients and I go for overkill because I don't want leaks. I cover some of this in the next video " 20 year framing of the 175 gal. tank"
ok. I am about to start my first build. the glass I think I wanna do 27in h 60in l 24in w. and it is not tempured. witch comes out around 168 gal. the glass is 1/4 inch. got any suggestions??
I don't even use 1/4" glass on small tanks. When I first started building tanks I made a test tank out of 1/4" glass that was 24" x 24" x 24" to see how long it would hold. It lasted a little over two years. Your tank is 3" deeper and will therefor have more pressure. If your going to build this don't put anywhere you don't mind getting wet or where people might get hurt. Tempering also prevents big pieces of glass from flying about.
how thick does it need to be
On tanks over 24" and up to 30" in height with a free span of glass of no more than 72" I use 1/2" tempered glass.
Hi sorry to bother you but just had a few questions ..love the videos btw they have been a big help to me.. but my hubby and I are looking at a 125 gallon aquarium and the back glass is cracked on both ends I was wondering if it would be worth buying and possibly fixing and also how or what would be the easiest way to fix it
If it is cracked and they aren't giving it away don't bother. It's allot of work to fix a cracked tank. If you decide to get it anyway, the easiest sheets to remove are the back and front. You need to use a razor blade to cut the silicone and take the broken glass off. Then you need to completely remove any traces of the old silicone from the edges on the tank where the new sheet will go. Then you can silicone on the new piece of glass. Sorry for the less than encouraging words. It's a major pain to do.
Thank you so much for the advice I really appreciate it... as far as I know the crackes are on the back glass and she was wanting a 100 bucks for it do you think it's worth it? Also what would you think it would cost us to fix it?...
The tank isn't worth anything. There are lots of people wanting to get rid of whole tanks. Just be patient and go on whatever swap site is in your area and they will come up. A piece of glass of the right size to fix this tank is about $120 and the tube of silicone $10. Hope this helps and good luck.
@@FishmanEricRussell I used steel fishing leaders to get the silicone from between the sheets of glass for a 220 gallon I picked up for cheap. Cuts very quickly. Took me about 20 minutes to break apart the 220. Love your work.
Hi, measurements of the glasses?
It's 10 mm glass and is 76" x 21" x 24" H.
Thanks. I want to build a 200 gallons, what measurements of the glasses should I use?
Your editing skills are appreciative but filming quality is not up to the mark. Can't see clearly. Probably you should have switched on enough lights and kept the camera a little closure. As per your acquarium making skills WELL DONE.
Had just started making CZcams videos at that time. Learning as I went. Thanks for watching
I think your 10mm glass might only be 3mm after your cleaning!😄
Is it safe
Support it properly and you will be fine
Awsome
Thanks so much
Fishman ur welcome
Hola
que medida tienen los vidrio
Thank you for watching. The tank is 72" x 21" x 24"H. The glass is 1/2" thick