Temperd Glass Tanks Question

[John Rippen]

Hello all, I asked my professos about the tensile strength of temperd
glass and other questions about stress, loads, strain/sheer tests for
any given thickness.

Does anyone here have some ideas on specifications and structural
limits for aquarium tanks using temperd glass.

I've emailed several manufacturers over the weekend and they havent
responded yet. This might be the wrong group to ask, but since it is
about aquariums, I thought people here could remark or provide me with
some links covering such data / specs.

Thanks

--
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[carlrs]

John Rippen wrote:
> Hello all, I asked my professos about the tensile strength of temperd
> glass and other questions about stress, loads, strain/sheer tests for
> any given thickness.
>
> Does anyone here have some ideas on specifications and structural
> limits for aquarium tanks using temperd glass.
>
> I've emailed several manufacturers over the weekend and they havent
> responded yet. This might be the wrong group to ask, but since it is
> about aquariums, I thought people here could remark or provide me with
> some links covering such data / specs.
>
> Thanks

DO NOT use tempered glass in aquariums. It does have the structeral
integrity of float glass. I have worked with many manufacters over the
years, and they always have told me to never use tempered glass.

Carl

[Sean]

"carlrs" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> John Rippen wrote:
>> Hello all, I asked my professos about the tensile strength of temperd
>> glass and other questions about stress, loads, strain/sheer tests for
>> any given thickness.
>>
>> Does anyone here have some ideas on specifications and structural
>> limits for aquarium tanks using temperd glass.
>>
>> I've emailed several manufacturers over the weekend and they havent
>> responded yet. This might be the wrong group to ask, but since it is
>> about aquariums, I thought people here could remark or provide me with
>> some links covering such data / specs.
>>
>> Thanks
>
> DO NOT use tempered glass in aquariums. It does have the structeral
> integrity of float glass. I have worked with many manufacters over the
> years, and they always have told me to never use tempered glass.
>
> Carl


Correct. Tempered glass explodes when it stresses. Standard tanks fail but
at least they give you warning as in a leak or a seam running across the
surface. If it gets an innocent knock or hit by anything with a halfway
sharp edge it will shatter quite violently.


Sean

[Tynk]

carlrs wrote:

>
> DO NOT use tempered glass in aquariums. It does have the structeral
> integrity of float glass. I have worked with many manufacters over the
> years, and they always have told me to never use tempered glass.
>
> Carl

Hey Carl.
I have to wonder then....
When I bought my All-Glass 75g the bottom is made from tempered glass.
You could get a version that wasn't, but since I wasn't going to drill
the bottom, I got this one.
So now you're freaking me out. = O
If it's not good to use in a tank, why would they make them with it?
There is a sticker on the bottom that says "Bottom is made from
tempered glass for stregnth and reliability. Do not drill."

[[-=HANÑÎBAL=-]]

On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:12:05 -0500, Tynk > wrote:

>
> carlrs wrote:
>
>>
>> DO NOT use tempered glass in aquariums. It does have the structeral
>> integrity of float glass. I have worked with many manufacters over the
>> years, and they always have told me to never use tempered glass.
>>
>> Carl
>
> Hey Carl.
> I have to wonder then....
> When I bought my All-Glass 75g the bottom is made from tempered glass.
> You could get a version that wasn't, but since I wasn't going to drill
> the bottom, I got this one.
> So now you're freaking me out. = O
> If it's not good to use in a tank, why would they make them with it?
> There is a sticker on the bottom that says "Bottom is made from
> tempered glass for stregnth and reliability. Do not drill."
>
Perhaps because the greatest load is on the bottom plate. From the
comments above, I thought it strange to read that tempered glass was a
no-no when I've had numerous tanks using tempered glass. But maybe the
float (plate) glass are used for the walls only. I couldn't remember the
stickers I read being specific to which part of the tank was tempered.

The op didn't make it clear on stress/strain factors or ratios. But if it
helps, within a given dimension, tempered glass is far stronger than
stainless steel and the stress/strain ratios are linear.

HTH.
-ED



--



.... Save The Planet For Another Day -

[Sean]

Perhaps because the greatest load is on the bottom plate. From the
comments above, I thought it strange to read that tempered glass was a
no-no when I've had numerous tanks using tempered glass. But maybe the
float (plate) glass are used for the walls only. I couldn't remember the
stickers I read being specific to which part of the tank was tempered.

The op didn't make it clear on stress/strain factors or ratios. But if it
helps, within a given dimension, tempered glass is far stronger than
stainless steel and the stress/strain ratios are linear.

HTH.
-ED


I look at it in a very simple way. Would you rather 100 gallons of water in
a steel box or a tempered glass box? Steel flexes, just as normal glass
does. Tempered glass shatters into a million pieces at the slightest
bending out of shape. Take a look top down at your tank. You'll see the
glass bulging out near the center. If that was tempered glass your feet
would be wet and perhaps missing a toe or two ;) The reason they use
tempered glass on the bottem of tanks sometimes is because normal glass
flexes. Being at the bottem there is a lot of pressure and normal glass as
stated above will flex quite a bit. This isn't good on the bottem because
the seams and seals with soon part and now you have a leak. I know this is
contradictory to what I said above, but if you stop step back a minute and
think about it...What is under that tempered piece of glass just above the
stand? It should be wood or some other semi-tough material bracing the
glass above between the stand below. The glass doesn't flex because of the
brace and it won't shatter.


Sean

[Köi-Lö]

"[-=HANÑÎBAL=-]" > wrote in message
...
>
> The next big water change I do, I'm gonna check under my tank to see
> if the bottom is flush with the cabinet's top. From what I remember
> when setup, the tank rests on its plastic frame (perimeter). I just
> don't remember. It's a 55 gal perfecto from walmart. Hell, now I'm
> starting to sweat. There might be a water change this afternoon =)
======================
I have two 55s. They don't rest on the glass. They rest on the plastic
bands that surround the bottom edge. Neither stand has a solid top. I have
them on Styrofoam to support the bottom equally and prevent stress leaks.
--
KL....
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }<((((*> ~~~ }<{{{{(ö> ~~~~ }<((((({*>

[[-=Flying Cloud=-]]

Nikki Casali wrote:
> [-=HANÑÎBAL=-] wrote:
>
>> The next big water change I do, I'm gonna check under my tank to see
>> if the bottom is flush with the cabinet's top. From what I remember
>> when setup, the tank rests on its plastic frame (perimeter). I just
>> don't remember. It's a 55 gal perfecto from walmart. Hell, now I'm
>> starting to sweat. There might be a water change this afternoon =)
>
> I have a 14 UK gallon aquarium which comes into contact only with a
> plastic frame at the edge, as you've described. I'm already worried
> about that one. Touch wood, no cracks in the last 6 years of service.
> But I can't imagine a 55 gallon tolerating that. I think someone had
> better explain the "supernatural" forces involved in keeping 1/4 tonne
> from stretching the bottom glass beyond limit. Glass IS a liquid, so
> maybe it's already deformed to fill the void below? lol
>
> Nikki
>
LOL...yeh...or the botton has a 'domed' profile terminating at the frame
perimeter. =?

That tank of your's has a serious plate or tempered bottom and frame,
and rest assured, there's overkill in its makeup or the factory would
have recalled them long ago.

I just put some calipers on my cheap 55 perfecto and its walls (sides)
are 1/4 inch thick. Plate or tempered....beats me.

-ED


--
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