Gonna build plywood tank..

[Marx]

need some advice..

i want to build 400g tank.. 6x3x3
out of plywood.. with front glass..

what thickness of glass do i need?

Thanks!

[Nelson]

In Webster's, under "courage"   :arrow:   "Marx"

[Evan]

Here is a link


http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28487

http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38891

Good luck

[Nelson]

Here is a link


http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28487

http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38891

Good luck

I'm absolutely amazed....In all the reading and surfing I've done on our hobby I've never encountered discussions or even a reference to wooden tanks.  What an excellent and obviously safe and doable project.  Good on ya Marx.  If you decide to go ahead with construction it sure would be interesting if you could keep us up to date with your progress, by way of pictures if possible.

[Marx]

ok wife wants me to start smaller.. (doesn't trust my building skills) lol...

so i plan i building 200g  its gonna be neat.. now i need a huge stump.. lol.. as the center peice..

[Nelson]

ok wife wants me to start smaller.. (doesn't trust my building skills) lol...

so i plan i building 200g  its gonna be neat.. now i need a huge stump.. lol.. as the center peice..

So obviously this is going to be a fresh water habitat??

[Marx]

yes.. i have my saltwater tanks.. and i want a big freshwater.. i might go community will tons of fish.. or SA or CA cichlids.. or even discus

[Woody]

I'm planning on building a few also this summer, except 48" x 24" x 24". With this size I am going with 3/8" glass, anything over 18" should be sized up from 1/4" glass. With your size if you want a complete glass coverage in the front instead of two halves I would probably think of 1/2" glass.  
The only problem i am having is finding the epoxy paint. Smallest size I found so far is a five gallon kit, find any smaller that is potable.

Woody

[Marx]

how much was the five gallons..

[Evan]

I'm planning on building a few also this summer, except 48" x 24" x 24". With this size I am going with 3/8" glass, anything over 18" should be sized up from 1/4" glass. With your size if you want a complete glass coverage in the front instead of two halves I would probably think of 1/2" glass.  
The only problem i am having is finding the epoxy paint. Smallest size I found so far is a five gallon kit, find any smaller that is potable.

Woody

Try Lee Valley although it may be a little more expensive.

[dawilkinson]

A good place to look for epoxy paint would be a chandlery.  I havent owned a boat in Ottawa, but try the yellow pages under boat supplies.

[328iGuy]

ok wife wants me to start smaller.. (doesn't trust my building skills) lol...

Just a word of advice, check with you're home insurance company, they more than likely won't cover any water damage on a home made tank like that.  :x

[gvv]

Some other links on the cichlid-forum about plywood tank DIY:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_plywood_aquarium.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_plywood_aquarium2.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_plywood_aquarium3.php

Nevertheless, I myself do't like the idea of such a tank, as I always like to have my tank being visible from 3 sides...

Regards

[StylinT]

I have been thinkin of building my own 300 gallon plus tank
since i can get my hands on all sorts of left over material from are job sites
I just dont have the knowledge of the pocket deep enough if it didnt hold

[james]

Hi
Go and look at MalawiCichlidHomepage.com. There is a detailed plan on how you go about building a huge plywood tank. Its also a great site for A.Cichlids

James

[Woody]

how much was the five gallons..

250.00  but that was Sherwin Williams, talked right to the technician and it leaches no properties back into the water, safe, guaranteed for aquariums and tropical fish, he just recommended five light coats.

Woody

[PuddingTime]

Check out this web site it has paint for sure in 1 gallon kits for $50 US.   It also has many other interesting items for somebody with your interests marx...

http://www.aquaticeco.com/

Also garf.org has some calculators for glass thickness and materials and such for plywood tanks.

[328iGuy]

Check out this web site it has paint for sure in 1 gallon kits for $50 US.  .

:shock:

[scottmd]

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_list.php
here is a do it yourself list, you should be able to scale it to any desired size......as long as you go down that is.

[gator]

Marx:
I don't know anything about building plywood tanks, but one time I was involved in building a clean room for a disease vector research lab.  In order to prevent bacteria from growing on the walls, ceilings, etc. the architects specified an epoxy paint.  I noticed that during the application, they installed some kind of fine mesh (fibreglass?) on the first layer of epoxy, and then built other layers up on it.  When I asked them why, they said the mesh acted as reinforcing to lessen the likelyhood that the epoxy paint would crack at the drywall joints, wall/ceiling joints, etc. etc.  Perhaps something like this technique would help make your tank more durable?