Measuring Glass for a Refug

[marrone]

I'm going to build myself a new refug, just bought a 29gal tank from Petco, and need to know how to measure for the glass partion that go inside the tank. The tank is 12" wide so do I measure from inside glass to inside glass and then take some off, as it will be silicon in place, or get the exact size. :scratchch


tia
Michael

 

[bad coffee]

leave about 1/4" for silicone. (1/8" either side) Also have them finish the top edge so it's not sharp.

B

 

[marrone]

BC

That what I did and it fits pretty good inside the tank, without the silicone. I also got plexi-glass instead of glass for the inside, 1/8", and I'm going to glue it with silicone. Should that be ok or is that to thin?

Michael

 

[nanoreefer22]

I used 1/8th inch glass in my sump. Works fine just dont knock it around and you should be good. With the plexiglass I guess you just have to use a little extra silicone. I always overdo it with the silicone anyways even glass to glass.

 

[zahner]

generally you would be better off using glass partitions in a glass tank, since silicone bonds glass to glass much better than plexi to glass. but as long as there is not too much water pressure pushing on the partition it will probably be ok.

 

[marrone]

I don't think there will be that much pressure as it's a refug and the water will just being flowing through it, the pressure will be on the tank itself which is glass. I thought the Plexi-glass would be better than the glass as it would be less likely to break. The glass was only 1/8" and wasn't temper so I went with the plexi-glass but I'm wondering if the glass would be better, either the 1/8" or get 1/4".

 

[bad coffee]

The big issue is the water level on both sides of the baffle. If it's higher on one side, it will push the baffle more. If the water levels are relatively the same, it's okay. Also, what happens if the baffle leaks? Water just runs into the other part of the fuge, right?

Silicone is okay for baffles in a tank, but you'd never want to use it to seal plastic to glass FOR a tank.. It won't hold.

B

 

[marrone]

So it's better to get glass than plastic as the baffle where the water will return will go down over time and be lower than the other baffles. Is 1/8" glass strong enough or should I get 1/4" glass.

If it leaks I would think it wouldn't be a problem as it should still work and operate as a refug. I'm more concern of it either breaking or the silicone not hold the plastic in place over time.

 

[inkblue]

...can you use somehing other than siLicone to seal it? :scratchch

 

[marrone]

I sealed it with silicone and it worked fine. I think there is some thing else for plastic, some one had it in another post, but for glass silicone works really well.