How thick should aquarium glass be

It doesn't matter whether you're making a one-off aquarium for your home or manufacturing them at scale. An aquarium needs to be safe, sturdy and beautiful.

To achieve this, you need good-quality glass that's the right thickness. It's not always obvious, however, what thickness that should be.

In this article, we break down the thickness of aquarium glass – and how we here at ToughGlaze can provide you with the materials you need.

What thickness should the glass be?

According to Omni Calculator, a smaller aquarium can have a thickness of 0.25 inches (6.35 mm) to 0.38 inches (9.652 mm).

And as a general rule, some manufacturers recommend a minimum thickness of 6 mm for tanks up to 500 mm high or 10 mm for tanks up to 610 mm high.

The precise thickness, however, will depend on several factors. These include the length, width and height of the aquarium as well as the type of glass used.

Whether or not you use braces (strengthening supports) can also change the required thickness of the glass. If you don't use braces, the glass has to do more work to contain the water pressure. Without braces, you may need to increase the thickness by as much as 100%.

For the technically minded, here's a useful guide to calculating the thickness of aquarium glass. 

You can also use a calculation tool like this one at Omni Calculator. Bear in mind, however, that these types of tools might not account for different types of glass or other structural considerations. If in doubt, consult an expert.

Which glass is used for aquariums?

Most aquariums are made from annealed glass, also known as float glass. This is the material used for many windows.

Some aquariums use toughened glass (also known as tempered glass) for the base. This isn't suitable for the tank, however, as toughened glass shatters into lots of tiny pieces when broken.

Some people choose to use acrylic instead of glass. The key advantage is that the aquarium is lighter than a glass counterpart and more resistant to cracking. On the other hand, it's much more prone to scratches, discolourations and other physical blemishes.

More questions about aquarium glass