Diy Hob Skimmer Need Expert Advice For Revisions

[happyface888]

Well I'm helping a friend out with a DIY hob skimmer project and would like some advice on areas that need working on.

Well, I thought I'd try my acrylic skills by making a skimmer. I don't have a sump so it's going to have to be a hang on or sit behing type skimmer. The max room I have behind my tank to comfortable move is about 5 1/2" and the height of my tank is 18". I've come up with a design for a recirc skimmer to sit back there or hang on the rim. One of my questions is, do you think w/ the size of the skimmer, would it be too much weight resting on an unbraced 18" high 1/4" thick piece of untempered glass? The skimmer I'm thinking will be 22" high (height of main "box") 12" wide x 5" deep. The reaction chamber will be 5x5 at the top. I'm not really wanting to thermoform a square base into a tube neck, so I thought I'd stick w/ a square collection cup design. The right side of the plan has 2 pipes which are for the recirc pump. I'm planning on using a Sedra3500 mesh modded. The skimmer will be fed w/ a MJ1200 or a NW Resun 225 (whichever will be more efficient). The inlet would most likely be 1/2" and the outlet 1".

Before I buy any materials or anything I'd like to get some opinions or design change ideas. I'm pretty open to anything. I was even considering putting a bubble plate at the bottom of the reaction chamber if it would do any good. Anyway, please let me know what you think, here's my idea, please don't crush the idea entirely!

Heres a Update of how its looking

Alright, how's this look?

I put the intake for the recirc pump below the bubble plate just because I didn't know what was best, is it supposed to recirc bubble water or semi-bubble free water? If it's supposed to recirc bubble water, I'll adjust the intake just above the bubble plate and drop the bubble plate down a bit.
I can also raise the inlet/outlet tubes if it'll help. The reaction chamber is 10" right now just at the part where it's completely square to the top of the skimmer, so probably close to 5 or so inches to where I have the collection cup positioned in the drawing. I figured I should maximize the reaction chamber so I'll probably pull those pipes up more. That way they're right about 18" from the bottom of the skimmer to where they elbow in and out.

Please let me know what you would fix and why