Glass thickness...

[gatorracer]

There is a glass shop going out of business here in town that does some service work with my company. I guess the question I have is what thickness of glass do I need to make a sump out of? I want a three chambered on about 36" lond 12" wide and I'm not sure on the heigth yet.
I know I can get it cheap so lets here some advice please.

Oh I suppose I need some aquarium silicone too or will normal work? Any tips on building would be appreciated also.

Thanks

Oh and I almost forgot what about acrylic? How thick does that have to be?

 

[Anonymous]

Do a search on DIY forum.

Depends on the dimension, you will want 1/2 inch glass.

Silicone will need to be aquarium safe (no mold or antifungal chemicals)

same for acrylic, you will need 1/4 or half inch, depend on material type (casted or extruded) and size.

 

[Len]

Height and length are the two biggest factors in choosing glass thickness. For a 36" long and assuming a height no greater then 18", 5/16" is probably the lowest I'd go with. I know the sump normally doesn't hold water to the top, but I'd build it as if it were going to be fully filled (in case of a power outtage). If it has internal panels siliconed to form baffles, you can get away with thinner glass (because the panels will serve as cross-braces). Since you can get glass cheap, I'd personally go for the thicker stuff for peace of mind.

Any silicone that doesn't leech will be fine. Aquarium or FDA-approved silicone will work.

I'm not sure about acrylic myself

I'll copy this to the DIY forum as well.