# Glass prices



## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Hey all, just wondering how much you guys pay for glass. I want to build a tank and got a quote for a 3/16" 48x16 piece for $33. I thought that was really expensive. What about everyone else?

Luke


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## Jonny5 (Jan 26, 2005)

Hey Darkside,
I recently bought a piece of 3/16" glass 11.5X18 for $10.36 near my house. Jon


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## Darren Meyer (May 22, 2004)

I get my3/16s for $5.26per lid measuring 9 3/4 x 19 1/2 fits 10 gal and 18 gall . Which is almost 2 square feet so it's a little over 2.70 a square foot .
Happy frogging and supply hunting !!!!!!
Darren Meyer


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

I pay about $3.60 a sq ft for my glass.


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

I just bought a piece of 3/16" 20x24 and it cost me 15 bucks. 3.95 per sqft.



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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Damn, the cheapest I can find it $5.5 sq/ft. From those with tank building experience what is the max tank size (or length of glass) that could be built using 1/8" glass? Also, does home depot ever cut glass above 1/8"?

Luke


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

HD/Lowe's usually carries 3/32" glass. A 10g tank is made of 1/8" glass, 20g of 3/16" glass so there's a good idea of maximum tank size for 1/8" glass. 

Kyle, thanks for those glass shops. I went to Thomas Glass and my piece is perfect. I didn't ask them to do anything to the edges (seaming) and they knocked off the sharp corners for free. I'm not sure if that's standard but it was a plesent suprise.



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## Guest (Feb 11, 2006)

_A 10g tank is made of 1/8" glass, 20g of 3/16" glass so there's a good idea of maximum tank size for 1/8" glass._

The thickness reflect tanks designed to have loads top to bottom from the water. The key to these tanks is the simple plastic frame. A viv. can be much thinner in theory. (picking up and racking would be the greatest loads) on these tanks.


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

In theory yes. Considering a gallon of water weights about 8lbs, a ten gallon tank filled would weigh around 80lbs. Now I don't have a ten with anything in it right now, but I know my tanks usually end up getting real heavy real fast, so a 40lb ten gallon wouldn't be unreasonable. I know my 20s are at least 80lb. 

Now this takes into account some assumptions, one being the total length of glass carrying load. Say you have two piece of glass with a given area, one a square and the other a thin retangle. Because of the way the shear force and bending moment are distributed within the geometrys, each piece will be able to carry a different maximum load. So the foot print of the tank plays into the total amount of load the tank can handle. 

Also thickness is NOT linearly related to load capacity. So a .125 thick piece of glass cannot handle half as much at a .25 piece of glass. This comes from the retangular moment of intertia for a retangle being 1/12*b*h^3. The h^3 factor is the biggy here. 

Now you mentioned a real big condition that doesn't appear to be significant at first: that we move our tanks. If you read what is printed on the insert of any tank it says do not move the tank while the tank is filled with water. Movement adds stress to the joints and glass that can cause cracking, so these tanks were designed around _static_ loading. 

When was the last time you built a tank and didn't move it? Probably never. Movement and shifting in loads can easily produce stresses that are in excess of the designed static loading conditions and can cause cracking/failure of the tank. 

IMO, it would be a bad idea to reduce the thickness of glass just because a viv doesn't present the same static load as a filled tank of water without running the numbers using the loading created during movement of the tank.



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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Would sort of glass would be recommended for a 16" cube. I was thinking possibly a 3/16" bask and 1/8" sides?

Luke


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

Ok, I've been thinking about this and feel I should clairify a bit. If you plan to go for the flat ground with a foam background type tank then 3/16 for the bottom and back and 1/8 for the sides and front will be fine. If you plan to have a fair amount of soil, wood and rocks then go with all 3/16" construction. I think to err on the side of caution is a good idea with tanks. 

I've just replaced the front on my 25g so if you have any questions about how I did it just ask. I'll say this, packing tape was my best friend. Kept all my lines nice and clean.



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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Well I just finished the construction of the 16 cube using 3/16" bottom and back and 1/8" everything else. Just the vents and door hinge are left to install. We'll see how this thing holds up.



Luke


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## Jordan B (Oct 8, 2004)

Looking good!

Jordan


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Looks good so far how do you plan to setup the door. Also how are you planning on sealing between the vent and the front.

When I had made some I put a 1inch piece in front and then mesh after.
http://www.kylesphotos.com/frogs/album45/album23/aac.jpg.html


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

This is what I have done witht he door closing mechanism. I still have to get the hinge for the door.

As to the bottom vent. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. I would like to use the screen door frame, but the metal border takes up to much space...I might just glue on some mesh right onto the glass.

Luke


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Kyle, I was looking at your pics and was wondering what you use for background, sorta looks like treefern, but also sorta looks like GS foam and something glued on...

Luke


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

So this what I have done with the vents minus the door.


The latch is screwed into the top vent.


And I siliconed on a full vent onto the front to add extra support for the small piece of glass that will hold the door.


And here is the piece of driftwood that I would like to use inside the cube.


I think it came out pretty nice.

Luke


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## ErickG (Nov 28, 2004)

nice job, so far!

Where did u get your glass cut? I think you mentioned Home Depot?!


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

The 3/16" i got at a glass shop, and the 1/8" i got at ACE hardware.

Luke


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## rjmarchisi (Feb 16, 2004)

The edges look pretty sharp, better hit them with some wet silicon carbide sandpaper before you slice your hand ( speaking from many cuts myself ).
Looks great otherwise.

Rob


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## defaced (May 23, 2005)

I just picked up a diamond coated knife sharpening stone for the same reason. Very very nice tool to have on hand.



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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

I actually did sand the sharp edges out in the open with some 60 grit paper and it took the sharpness off.

Luke


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Defaced.. which tank? i've used a few different methods.


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Kyle, it was actually me who asked the question, but this one.

Luke


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Oh my fault... 

That is actually pink styrofoam covered with weldbond and coco fiber. I melted the styrofoam to make is not as flat and then put the mix on.


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## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

Hey Kyle,

I really like the look of that tank that Luke asked about as well. What is that Weldbond stuff. That's the first I've heard/seen it. Is it a liguid that you poured onto the pink stryofoam that is sticky for the coco fiber to stick to???

GARY


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Well you basically make a paste with weldbond, water and the coco fiber and cake it on. It then takes about a week to dry. Some people have had rehydrating issues with weldbond but I have not.

Like I stated you can do the same thing with silicone and it is a bit less trouble.


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