Sliding glass doors to fish tank?

[ERICinFL]

Ok, this may sound funny, but my wife and I are planning to replace our current sliding glass doors with french doors. I keep staring at the doors thinking what a waste of glass they will be if we just throw them out. Is there any reason why I couldn't take them to a glass cutter and turn them into a tank?

 

[comatose]

I dont think the glass is thick enough to make any kind of tank.

 

[ERICinFL]

If not a tank, perhaps a fuge.

 

[comatose]

a small fuge maybe, how thick do you think the glass is on the slideing glass doors?

 

[comatose]

one more thing, if the door glass is tempered you won't be able to cut it for pieces. or you'll have many many pieces.

 

[ERICinFL]

LOL, no it's not tempered. From the looks of it, it's probably 1/4in., maybe a little thicker. I'm thinking though, it might be more exspensive to have it cut then to just buy a 25gal tank for a fuge. I was actually thinking of making some grow out tanks. 8in. tall, 8in. wide and a few feet long.

 

[Drakeskakes]

^^ Sounds cool, pics when its done =)

 

[Adam]

Eric,

Make 100% sure that it isn't tempered. I am pretty sure that all building codes have required all glass doors to be tempered for many years.

Adam

 

[Putawaywet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6489180#post6489180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ERICinFL
I'm thinking though, it might be more exspensive to have it cut then to just buy a 25gal tank for a fuge.

:thumbsup:

Far cheaper in the long run to just pickup another tank when you can catch one on sale.

Brett

 

[69vette]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6489180#post6489180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ERICinFL
LOL, no it's not tempered.

How old is the door? Every sliding glass door manufactured in at least the past 30-35 years has tempered glass.

 

[coralnut99]

I'm about certain they are tempered, and if insulated glass(probably), I doubt they are 1/4" double pane.

There was a very cool thread here where somebody made long shallow raceways for a frag system, and put them on shelves on the wall. Very cool and very space efficient. Made out of acrylic, but I don't see why they couldn't be glass.

I think tempered glass doors are stamped/etched as such in one of the lower corners.

So if somehow they aren't tempered, but not 1/4", I don't think long narrow raceways would be unthinkable, and certainly not something you'll find cheap, if at all.

 

[samtheman]

Since about 1960, all sliding glass doors and windows closer than 18" from the floor, were required to be tempered by national codes. They can be laminated to a plastic or wire screen or just tempered. Yours may not be, but my guess is that its tempered.

 

[comatose]

well it's probably better at this point trying to sell the doors for a few bucks and use that to buy material for a sump or fuge. something is always worth something to somebody....lol

 

[BeanAnimal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6492121#post6492121 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by samtheman
Since about 1960, all sliding glass doors and windows closer than 18" from the floor, were required to be tempered by national codes. They can be laminated to a plastic or wire screen or just tempered. Yours may not be, but my guess is that its tempered.

Just to clear up a few misconceptions and make sure nobody does anything stupid or assumes that "most" door glass is safe.

Actually, in 1977 the CSC (the people who outlawed lawn darts and plain old bic lighters) asked that Federal Law require Laminated or Tempered glass in doors. 1960 to 1977 is a LONG time and there are PLENTY of doors out there that were put in before 1977. By 1974 there were a lot of states that required safety glass for commercial glass door. There a tons of doors with non safety lights in them (most are not safety glass). This includes lights beside doors also. I am not sure what the law or code says, but the glass council and others would have you believe that all glass in all doors made since 1977 is tempered. Not at all true, and I would bet most you that the smaller lights and glass in your front doors and side lights are standard plate glass. My borthers new "stained glass" front door from HOME DEPOT got dropped, and about a dozen panes of the glass spider cracked. You will however find that most commercial doors are safety glass.

I watched my babysitter run through a sliding glass door pane(we were playing tag). The house was built in 1972 and the incidient occured in 1978, I was 7 years old. The glass was not tempered. The girl was cut, but not severely. She cried, my brother and I got help.... but I digress...

Most tempered glass in commercial products has a LOGO etched into it in one of the corners. (fish tanks don't). More than likely your door is tempered, but who knows. You can use polorized glasses to see the temper in many cases.

 

[BeanAnimal]

You could take em out back and huck a rock through them.... let is know if they vaporize or spider crack