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Im planning to build a 90 Gal tank, but I´ve got some doubts to clear... The soon-replaced tank is a 55 gal with 10mm glass, 12'w x 3' x 6' h. The new tank is just 8" ticker, same height, same width.

First, the base of the fishtank is a beautiful cabinet with a metal frame inside, made of 2x1" hollow tubes with diagonal braces at three sides (excluding the front doors of course). The width is 50cm, the same as the new tank as I planned to be. The thing is pretty sturdy, and I often step on it to move rocks on the tank, but Im not 100% sure that It will hold up all the added weight, 55gal versus the new 92.5 gal .... MY FIRST QUESTION...

Then... The new tank will need aluminum frames, since there are not prefabricated plastic frames.

Is the 10mm glass sturdy enough at the base, and could I need more than one brace at the top?

Oh, another question... I´ve got a Fluval 304 canister rated for maximum 70gal tanks , and a 240 gallons per hour powerhead with two Aquaclear quickfiters, one after another. Could both filters would be able to withstand with the 90 gallons?

I havent had any problems with bioload, the current 55gal has a 10" goldfish, a 7" goldfish, and three dwarf gouramies.

Any opinions on this?

Sharpix

Someone can corect me if I am incorect.
The mix of natural salts & any chemicals added to the tank could have some very nasty side effects on the aluminum frames.

I strongly suggest you do some very good research first.

Keith

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The aluminum would be only for the top and lower frames. I know aluminum reacts with hard water and gets corroded over time, but at the top the water would be covered with a glass lid to prevent water contacting the frames.

Since there are no plastic frames of that dimensions, I have to use aluminum to support the glass.

Any suggestion?

Stainless would actually be a better suggestion. More expensive but will hold up. And unless my tanks are the only ones i get alot of condesation on the canopies and hoods. That will affect your top frame (this is due to evaporation. You could also use wood with L brackets to hold the pieces together. If set at the right height the L brackets would actually hold the brace off the tank at a pre-determined height. Also wood would be able to bend a bit with the tank releasing some of the pressure off the glass.

The glass thickness on my 90's is 3/8 ".

You might get a few more suggestions if this was in the DIY section. May want to ask a Mod to move it there for you.

Also if it is going to be a planted tank you want a decreased flow. If not id probably suggest another filter rated around 4-500 gph. Goldfish produce alot of waste (like oscars) and you really should be around 10x filtration per hour.

Bdadawg

Mmmmm stainless!!! I didn't think of that! Its a great suggestion that will set me back a lot of money but in the long run it would be the best option.

For that, I should make an entire fabricationof the frame before setting any glass, and because there are no steel with the proper profile for the glass, a lot of work has to be done, that ends up with a more expensive frame than the glass itself.

The plastic frames support the top covering glass but the stainless steel should be worked and soldered a lot to achieve a custom look and finally im not sure these would look nice on the wood cabinet...

Did anybody has fabricated a custom sized plastic frames by cutting and plastic-welding existing sizes to fit?

I havent done it with plastic. However with all the work and money you woul dbe putting into it would it be a better option to just build your own acrylic tank? I can get sheet of acrylic from a local glass shop and have made canopies that way. Also if thick enough acrylic could be used to make your support. Fairly easy to mold with heat, can be sanded to shape, and the acrylic glue makes seamless bonds.

BTW you had asked about weight in a previous post. My 90's weigh about 1000 lbs apiece without the stand. I use cinder blocks and 3/4 ply as stands to spread the weight across the floor joists. and with 2 of those tanks in the same room the floor tends to flex alot ... so that is something else to keep in mind ... with just 4 points on your stand to spread the weight there is a real possibilty of the stand going through the floor if your tank should leak for some reason.

Bdadawg

I dont like acrylic. For an aquarium that size, i prefeer glass for the anti-scratch resistance property. The tank is not that big to need something too strong as 15mm glass, perhaps the front, back and lower glass should be done with 1/2" glass to ensure peace of mind.

As for the weight, the cabinet has an internal metal structure made of 2x1 hollow tube, with cross-braces diagonally at the three sides other than the front face (doors). I have to ask to someone with more mechanical knowledge if the stand can hold up that amount of weight... I think so, but i gotta be sure first.


...And thanks for the replies Bdadawg.