# DIY Braceless Tanks



## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

I am thinking of building a braceless 70cmX45cmX50 cm height tank.
I was wondering can we standardize the thickness of braceless tanks of various sizes (I found the thicknesses ADA uses in Senskes site) still it would be nice if we had those thickness here as reference.
60cmX30cmX36cm 5mm
90cmX45cmX45cm 8mm
120cmX45cmX45cm 8mm
180cmX60cmX60cm 15mm
180cmX60cmX60cm 15mm
30cmX30cmX30cm 5mm
45cmX45cmX45cm 6mm
55cmX55cmX55cm 10mm
31cmX18cmX24cm 4mm
36cmX22cmX26cm 4mm
45cmX24cmX30cm 4mm

What of higher tanks could we add glass thickness for those as-well?
What of the bottom of this tanks does it go inside the sides or the sides sit on top of the bottom glass?
Also I was thinking would it be a good idea to place a greek P shaped 0.6 mm wire that is kept in place with sticking tape in 2 sides (the side that is to apply glue won't be one of them) in one of the glasses in each pair that are supposed to be glued together so it will keep a distance between the glasses when they are pressed together and thus give the joint the ability to be more flexible and withstand more strain, then when the aquarium dries out the wires could be removed and silicon injected in the holes.
What do you think of all this?
Please add sizes and thickness of glass for different sized braceless tanks if you know of plus make more suggestions on the gluing of the glass panels.

Thanks
Freemann


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## dwhite645 (Jan 9, 2005)

The glass is 'glued' using the silicone, the same used for sealing it. You start by adding silicon to the ends of the glass surfaces to be glued, then place it all together. Once everything is positioned, you run a bead of the same silicone up the corners. Your wire idea is good, but not too practical since there has to be a glass-on-glass adhesive area. If a large tank had flexibility, the weight of the water would want to push out the sides and tear the silicone away from the glass. It has to be tight together when drying too.


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

I have glued hundreds of tanks together by using the method you suggest.
What I am trying to do here is a braceless tank with no nerves at the bottom aswell, I will be using 8 mm glass with polished edges and I really don't want to run any silicon up the sides. What I have realized lately is that if there is absolute contact in the edges after some times small whitish spots and tiny bubbles are created (which increase in amount over time) along the glued edges of the glass from the strain, I have observed this in different aquaria, by the way I am using brand silicones, I was wondering if this could be avoided by leaving this silicon filed space between the glass panels.


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## dwhite645 (Jan 9, 2005)

I see what you're saying about the bubbles that appear between the panes. You can always make a 10 gallon or so with the wire method and see how it works. Do lots of testing and bumping and that sort of things and see how it holds up.
By the way, what do you build your tanks on for a flat surface? I use a granite plate that's perfectly level.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Sorry to interrupt with my own question but exactly how is the edge of the glass treated. It is not right from the "cut" is it? The edge has to be straight and square and the edges polished so they are not sharp, correct? I am wanting to make a 10-12" cube, 3/16" glass, for my desk and I want the glass to be right Sorry to hijack the thread a little but I fugured 2 experienced aquarium makers in one place....


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Yes, the edges should be polished and ground. Polished to provide a nice gluing surface and ground to keep the edges from being too sharp.


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

The edges of the glass here are made straight and are polished but the shape is really like that 
\_/
but the polished corners are 1mm wide and not that much as in the shape above. I have heard that one club in France was doing this wire trick and kept the glass abit apart.

dwhite645
I glue my aquaria usually in a flat surface and mask all the sides with wide selotape. This way I avoid making a silicone mess on the glass. I also use wide selotape to keep the glass together while curing.
Which brand of silicone you guys consider best for gluing tanks?

By the way dennis most of my tank were glued straight from the cut only in few occasions I polished the edges there was never a problem this way aswell.


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## dwhite645 (Jan 9, 2005)

I have used all glass aquarium brand silicone with good success. I did, however, use standard masking tape which made a messy area underneath that required a razor and lots of scraping.
Also, as a side note, I was looking at some oceanic tanks earlier tonight to discover that the bonding isn't so much as glass-on-glass with a very thin layer of silicone that you really can't see like most tanks. Instead, there was a gap between the panes that was about .015 thick of black silicone that they use. I guess thats kind of what you were talking about. I stand corrected.
Also, do you get your glass cut and polished for you at a glass store, or do it yourself? Do you use tempered glass? I've only built the small cube tanks and I use 1/8"-3/16" non tempered. I'd like to build a custom sized 15 gallon to replace a 10 gallon I have.


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## Mortadelo (Mar 14, 2004)

I like braceless tanks very much, but I wonder if the values given for ADA tanks still apply to normal glass, since ADA uses Staphire glass.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Not all ADA tanks are Starphire glass. They come in different clarity levels.


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## gnatster (Mar 6, 2004)

Not only are they all not Starphire but it is unknown if the brand of low iron glass used is Starphire or another brand.


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

> I did, however, use standard masking tape which made a messy area underneath that required a razor and lots of scraping.


Masking tape if you refer to the tape that looks like paper is no good cause it has not that good adhesion and leaves spaces where silicon goes in. bet is the wide width transparent tape they use for packing. Believe me it takes time to apply but you save so much time at the end you will never regret it.



> I was looking at some oceanic tanks earlier tonight to discover that the bonding isn't so much as glass-on-glass with a very thin layer of silicone that you really can't see like most tanks. Instead, there was a gap between the panes that was about .015 thick of black silicone that they use. I guess thats kind of what you were talking about. I stand corrected.
> 
> 
> > Yes this is exactly what I am talking about I have seen the above mentioned tanks as-well and they confirmed my previous information on the technique the french guys in the club used.
> ...


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