Importance of tank design and bracing!

Hi Guys,

Did a stress analysis on my Final Tank Build(No.7)which I will be starting soon. Please note the figure exaggerates on the bending of the glass as it is more visual but values are 100% accurate. I have did one without bracing and one with bracing and one can clearly see how important bracing can be when one goes to larger tanks. Area's in orange to red are bad areas where weak points and possible breakage can occur.

First 3 x Jpeg's are of 1350 x 750 x 480mm made from 6mm glass




Second 2 x Jpeg's are of our 3ft Non Std already made and setting up, 915 x 315 x 500mm made of 6mm glass.




Kind regards

 

@Blade,

Awesome work, what program did you use?

 

Hi Guys,

I use a program called Autodesk Inventor Professional which is a design program. All materials are applied when drawing the parts and placing into an assembly.

Kind Regards

 

Bracing is very important when you start going bigger then 3 foot. Middle bracing side and front is always best and 10mm and higher when going 4 foot. Good luck with your build. How much roughly does it cost do build your own 4 foot braced and all. Sure it cheaper than lfs.

The Tranquility Effect

 

@hviviers75, I calculated the cost of the glass for 1350x750x480 made of 6mm with bracings at about R1200. This size tank uses 3.03m square glass at R365 per meter square.

A standard 4ft uses about 2.03m square glass at 6mm plus bracing, I would estimate cost at R850.

This is of course excluding silicone.

 

Where do you guys buy your Glass, i am asking because I pay alot less than you do from my local supplier here

 

Nice pictures. Your stress results look very dodgy though.

 

I by from a well known glass company, can not metion the name cause that would be advertizing. I think maybe cause we are in PE we pay somewhat extra. I think they are reasonable. I replaced the front on my 4ft measuring 1200x500 and it was R240.

 

Careful with all round bracing, I recall some tank issues when glass expands an people did to the edge bracing in a box fashion.

Also make sure that you do not create extra stress points if you do do only the middle bracing .. it needs something to pull at not just a small strip.

For bigger tanks consider floating base ... then you do not carry the weight of the glass panels on base. 1350x750x480 is probably a good candidate.

Later Ferdie