explain something to me

[Rodders]

Oh yea, and wood, if that got any hint of water seeping into it, you'd have all sorts of trouble.

Glass is just simply the best thing. No disimilar materials to fix to each other, cheap, strong enough, water proof, non toxic etc..etc...

 

[Fella]

How easy would it be to use silicone to stick glass to steel or wood?

 

[rdd1952]

No ones metioned weight. A sheet of stainless strong enough would be stupidly heavy, specially on a 100gallon tank for example, lol.

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I agree. As I said in my earlier post, it would take a piece of stainless at least 1/8" thick and that would be very heavy on a 75 gallon or larger tank. Not that glass is light but I think the steel would be heavier.

 

[GirlinWayside]

Oh yea, and wood, if that got any hint of water seeping into it, you'd have all sorts of trouble.

Glass is just simply the best thing. No disimilar materials to fix to each other, cheap, strong enough, water proof, non toxic etc..etc...

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I agree here - glass just seems like the best choice

 

[ncjharris]

How easy would it be to use silicone to stick glass to steel or wood?

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A chemist may be able to offer more insight, but.....
..... as far as I know, silicone sealant is brill for aquariums as it bonds the materials on a molecular level, thats why it is waterproof (if applied correctly) and better than say selotape.

Anyway, because of the composition of the molecules in wood, steel or any other material, silicone can't bond the molecules togther and only operates as a mild level glue - think trying to stick together a tank with UHU.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

Reasons to use all-glass construction (from an engineering perspective):
--manufacturing is much cheaper when using a single material needing a single process
--you'd have to use a different adhesive to attach the glass to metal/wood
--an organic material such as wood would degrade quickly and require expensive special processing
--most metals corrode to some degree in water
--the less a steel corrodes, the more Chromium it contains and the more expensive it is
--corrosion is almost always oxidation would remove oxygen needed for fishy respiration
--corrosion also leaches impurities into water (many of which could easily be toxic)
--ceramics (glass is a ceramic) exhibit the least amount of temperature distortion
--ceramics resist deformation better as a whole, meaning less bending/warping
--ceramics are rather strong when loaded compressively (pushed down by water and up by stand)
--glass is mostly silicon and silicon is cheap

 

[prios]

Reasons to use all-glass construction (from an engineering perspective):
--manufacturing is much cheaper when using a single material needing a single process
--you'd have to use a different adhesive to attach the glass to metal/wood
--an organic material such as wood would degrade quickly and require expensive special processing
--most metals corrode to some degree in water
--the less a steel corrodes, the more Chromium it contains and the more expensive it is
--corrosion is almost always oxidation would remove oxygen needed for fishy respiration
--corrosion also leaches impurities into water (many of which could easily be toxic)
--ceramics (glass is a ceramic) exhibit the least amount of temperature distortion
--ceramics resist deformation better as a whole, meaning less bending/warping
--ceramics are rather strong when loaded compressively (pushed down by water and up by stand)
--glass is mostly silicon and silicon is cheap

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great answer...thanks.

 

[Xtech]

Years ago some tanks had a slate bottom. Someone in this hobby for many years can vouch for me.

I sure its cheaper to use and make the glass bottom as opposed to the old slate ones.

 

[Angry_Platy]

ummm, stainless steel does rust overtime when exposed to enough water/chemicals.

Also, rusting can occur underwater.....how else would you explain the now rust-bucket of a titanic on the bottom of the Atlantic. Was it rusted that bad when it sailed? NO. If it was it would have fallen apart a LOT sooner. Also, there is enough oxygen in the water to cause rust, where else would our fish get their oxygen from?

 

[colen]

Why not use glass?

Not sure about everyone else reading this thread but I have owned over a dozen different tanks over the past 10 years and I have never broken a bottom in a tank yet... I'm sure if it was wood/steel we would be discussing a thread on why it isn't glass haha.

Xtech, I have a 10 gallon with a slate bottom, bought it at a garage sale a few years back. And its actually a perfect example as to why we use glass. Whatever was used to seal the glass to the slate has rotton away. After looking at it a bit closer it was obvious that someone had already tried to reseal it years ago.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

well, metals are malleble, and that load of water will make it change shape. glass is much harder than steel, but steel is more durable. if you look at a sheet of sheet metal, you will realize why they dont use metal. silicon is a very common element, so its cheaper. it doesnt make sense to use something that isnt as good and costs a lot more than what works really well.

 

[Peter Lovett]

Okay what hold the tank together silicon what glass made from silica. How well does silicon stick to glass. Try getting it off.

And that is pretty much the reason they use glass. Though silicon sticks to stainless and many other materials. The bond on glass is much stronger.

 

[Snowman]

hahaha stainless stell rusting ya right actualy you could use almost anykind of metal that doesent leak toxins because metal cannot rust under water it has to be exposed to air....man thats such a good point on why the bottoms are made out of glass..hmm could it be cheaper maybe ah who knows....would can rot and im guessing the sealents that you use on the wood so it wont rot would be toxic but stell hhmmmmm good point

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Ummmm what is the stuff in the tank that the fish breathe and what is water made up of, H2O. Oxygen will cause the metal to rust.
Stainless or any other metal will corrode under water, that goes for alloy as well.
I would say for it's weight glass would have to be one of the strongest, least flexible, cheapest and also waterproof materials around.

 

[Inchworm]

Years ago some tanks had a slate bottom. Someone in this hobby for many years can vouch for me.

I sure its cheaper to use and make the glass bottom as opposed to the old slate ones.

I remember when tanks had slate bottoms, Xtech. They were also put together with metal on all the edges and the sealant was some kind of messy, dark colored stuff. From time to time my tank would spring a leak and fixing it was a job for my dad.

All things considered, I think the newer, glass all over tanks are better.

 

[cyprinut]

Stainless steel is very expensive, and would be much heavier than the glass it replaced.