impur Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 I'm pretty excited, finally getting my rear in gear on this project. Got an appointment at the glass shop today to finalize the sizes and how i want the edges done. This weekend i'll be building a new stand. The last one i built was planned for a 24" cube and I then changed my mind to the 30". The stand for the 24" cube is 29.75" square. I don't think that in itself would pose a problem, i could cut the piece of plywood i'll put on top of the stand to 30" and it wouldn't affect the integrity. But after thinking about it for a long time, i think it would make skinning the stand difficult in that i'd have that extra .25" to account for. I'd like the stand to be pretty sleek looking. In addition to building the stand this weekend i'm going to need to build a table on which i can build the tank. This should be real simple, a few saw horses and a sheet of 3/4 plywood should do the trick. Hopefully in the next couple weeks i'll have this thing with water in it!!! (clap)(clap) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 So, how much does glass cost? I have never done a glass tank, just acrylic. also, there is a famous thread on RC you probably already knew about for stands...I built this one...super easy. link to rc thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Yeah, I'd like to hear about prices if you don't mind sharing. Are you going to use black silicon? Eurobracing? I'm already jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Sitting at about $675 for 3 1/2" starphire panes, and 2 5/8" float glass panes. I think it will go up to about $700 because of the edge work i want done. I will be using RTV103 black silicon, which is the strongest FDA approved silicon on the market. It will be rimless with an external coast to coast overflow. I'm guessing the total cost will be $800-$900 once I factor in the silicon, overflow, wood for the stand and building table, clamps and beer. Still a far cry from the $1300 quote from Glasscages.com, which was the lowest quote I rec'd from a tank builder. And that had an internal overflow, something i absolutely do not want. The best quote i rec'd on the exact tank i'm going to build was $1600. No worries i'll have a build thread once i get to that point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Thanks! Any idea what it would have cost if you had gone with normal glass all around instead of the low-iron? And yeah, want to see that build thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Probably $400 with regular glass. The bottom pane will be 30x30 in 5/8" it runs 111.60. The back wall is 30x22 in 5/8" and it runs 87.84, just to give you an idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCG CWO Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Miles is your overflow going to be glass also? How do plan on attaching it? Is the rear panel of the tank going to be shorter then the two connecting side panes? Sorry for the questions but I am thinking of trying this as I also can't find a reasonably priced glass tank with an external overflow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrellw Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Sitting at about $675 for 3 1/2" starphire panes' date=' and 2 5/8" float glass panes. I think it will go up to about $700 because of the edge work i want done.[/quote'] Depending on how much edge work you are having done, it might bump it up more than that. I had all the edges done on mine (~20 inch square sizes), and that ran almost as much as the glass..... It sure looks nice with those ground and polished edges, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Just got back from the glass shop Turns out i'm going to go with 3/4" bottom and the rear panel will be 1/2", they don't make 5/8" i guess. Shane - yes the rear panel will be 22" tall instead of 24". Also, the front and rear panels will fit inside the 2 side panels. This is a little different then how normal tanks are built - sides inside the front and back. But its necessary to do it that way so i can have the water flow over the entire rear panel. I will have the overflow box butt up to the sides and i'll be adding a small strip of glass also to help support that spot. The end to end seam is what concerns me the most, but with proper support I don't think it will be a problem. Hope that makes sense. LOL Here is a crude pic i made up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrellw Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Also' date=' the front and rear panels will fit inside the 2 side panels. This is a little different then how normal tanks are built - sides inside the front and back. But its necessary to do it that way so i can have the water flow over the entire rear panel.[/quote'] It shouldn't be any problem to do that, and with polished edges and black silicone you probably won't even notice it much. But you could also have the back between the side, with the front "outside". -Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrellw Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 BTW, here is my build thread from last year, in case you have not seen it: http://www.pnwmas.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9655 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 It'd probably be pretty expensive to have a one-piece eurobraced "top" cut out of glass, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCG CWO Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 It'd probably be pretty expensive to have a one-piece eurobraced "top" cut out of glass, eh? That would be pretty sweet though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algae Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 What kind of overflow? Bean Animal, Durso, Herbie, etc. ? I think the 103 will support the overflow but it might help to add a couple of glass triangle bracings below the overflow? I am going to add a black glass cover (top) over my overflow for a cleaner look and to keep critters out. Course, you don't have that many critters. So you will have about 1 1/4" from overflow to top of tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Darrell - good point, to be honest i had never thought about doing that. Hmmmmmm Andy - yah that would be SUPER expensive. Just not the look i'm going for either, i really want rimless, slick and sleek. Franklin - Probably just a durso, i've always had good luck with them. I will be doing some glass triangles to brace the overflow. Also i'll be clamping the plumbing tight to the stand, so that will provide more support. I'll be making acrylic teeth that will fit on the top edge of the rear panel where the water will overflow. This will give me some freedom to adjust just how high the water is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Sounds good Miles, if this works out, I might have you build me one too LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 haha we'll see!!! The quote went up a bit since i'm going with that 3/4 bottom. Whoooo its $262 alone and will take 2 weeks. I very seriously consider what Darrell suggested and increasing the front by 1" so it looks like a normal tank from the front. I'm putting off the actual order until monday so i can ponder over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 17, 2010 Author Share Posted February 17, 2010 Well it was a week later but its ordered!!! I had to go with 3/4" bottom since for some reason they cannot get 5/8". But thats ok, i think i can get away with not eurobracing the bottom now with the thicker piece. I'm also taking Darrell's suggestion and getting the front panel sized so it will go on the front like a normal tank. Cost went up about $150 for the 3/4" piece. Total is $808.33 for the glass, but i still have to order the external overflow pieces. I don't expect those to be more than $75. Also i did a mock up using some USPS shipping boxes i have laying around. They are 24" tall if i put them on end so i taped them together to get an idea of the size. Then since everyone puts their kid/baby/dog/cat/salamander into the tank before its filled and takes a picture, i did that as well. (laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
undrtkr_00 Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I thought eurobracing was normally around the top not the bottom? Nice fish rug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 18, 2010 Author Share Posted February 18, 2010 On rimless tanks the eurobrace is on the bottom. Thanks! I love that rug, my parents picked it up in Mexico. Its the same as the old Waves logo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackaninny Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Re: Ordering the glass for my cube today!!! What species of catfish is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted March 5, 2010 Author Share Posted March 5, 2010 Well its here!!! The starphire panels are great, the bottom and back panels both had chips on the edges so they were refused and are being recut. So i've got to wait another 2 weeks due to the 3/4" bottom. I guess it takes longer the thicker the glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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