350G tank build

G

greengiant

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 25, 2008
833
1
0
British Columbia Canada
now I know this isn't a real big Monster tank but heres what I got. I was moving and in doing so we where setting up my 230G tank and someone got rammy (not me. well now I have a giant eyesore in my Basement as it is broken. I went to a glass shop and they want more for 1 pane of glass than I paid for the hole tank. not to mention my friends now don't ever want to help me move again lol that tank was weighed at over 600Lb. it used to be a turtle tank and has a bunch of built in ornaments. it wasn't the most beauitful tank to look at either. so in deciiding what to do with it I decided to build a 350G tank same footprint as the old tank but taller. now I know what some are gonna say. no the glass will be just fine as it was 12MM glass. way overkill for the old height. so heres the plan I am gonna disassemble the old tank and take the bottom panel and get it cut to 28" the tank dimensions will be 72X36X31T I plan on building out of 3/4" or 1" plywood I don't want to have a stud frame as that will take away a significant amount of tank space. the stand is already built it is 1 1/2 " steel square tubing so it has lots of strength to hold it up. I'm going 31" tall so I can get it through doors in the future. if I go 2 layers of 3/4 ply I think it should be strong enough. if I am way out let me know but please only if you have experience I am not gonna run around on inexperienced opinions. I gotta go get some more ply so I wont be starting construction until thursday afternoon.

If you have valid suggestions let me know but keep it civil or I will just Quit posting on it I don't need to be bashed. thanks guys I can't wait to get started.
 
Rivermud

Rivermud

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 14, 2007
980
14
48
Idaho
Honestly IMHO you do not need the double layer your plywood. Simply using cross braces along the top, 3 or so should be sufficient enough to prevent bowing. This is of course if you are not planning on using a brittle water sealant. If you go with something brittle then overkill is always a solid plan. Also, you may want to rethink the idea of double layering if you plan on having the two layers attached with screws or glue, any flex and they could cause their own failure.

You may want to consider a floating frame of 1x2's or something similar for the walls as an alternative. It will allow you to add structure integrity to the tank itself as well as provide an open area for insulation that could be covered by thin skin veneer. You may sacrifice a few gallons this way but you'll add piece of mind.
 
G

greengiant

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 25, 2008
833
1
0
British Columbia Canada
awesome that will save me a fair bit of the cost. I am going to buy 3/4" Birch Cabinet grade 7ply if I can find it. I had some 7 ply oak but not enough and I want to stain the tank to make it look like a piece of furniture. I want to do this right. I plan on using Zavlar as they had it in stock at Home Hardware a few monhs ago so should be easy to get. I'm not setting a timeline as I'm sure I will blow it like all other builds do. well gotta go
 
Muni

Muni

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 22, 2009
950
73
61
Central Washington
If your reusing glass panels you could build around the size you have.

Your bottom panel for instance. Build the wood tank 6"s or wider then the glass to support it nicely and you can go wider with the wood. Another cool thing with fluid dynaimcs is if you keep the same height your glass is thick enough so you could make the tank 20" from front to back or 100" and be perfectly fine.


But good luck whichever way you go.
 
C

CJH

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 21, 2007
531
1
0
*Confidential*
greengiant;3739504; said:
... it was 12MM glass.

I am gonna disassemble the old tank and take the bottom panel and get it cut to 28"

the tank dimensions will be 72X36X31T I plan on building out of 3/4" or 1" plywood

I don't want to have a stud frame as that will take away a significant amount of tank space.

if I go 2 layers of 3/4 ply I think it should be strong enough.
Click to expand...
IIRC, there is a guy on The Cichlid Forum who claims to have built plywood tanks 42" tall out of single layers of 3/4" ply and no extra framing. Pretty sure these were really just ponds (no glass viewing panel) so any flex in the plywood may not have mattered as much.

I'm not completely convinced on the merits of doubling up the plywood either. I have seen the results of basic strength tests done on this and in general the adjoining glue joint is often the weak link unless the panels are vacuum bagged.

Assuming you don't have a vacuum bagger than can handle panels that large, I'd suggest at the very least using epoxy as your adhesive and make sure you get the panels on the flatest surface possible when adhereing them together. Sand bags are a cheap way to weight the panels so there is as much surfact contact as possible.

If it were me I'd probably just use a single layer of 3/4" ply and use fiberglass reinforcement. If you don't like the idea of glassing the inside of a tank that deep you could always apply it to the outside, which is now some epoxy companies recommend it's done anyways.

I normally recommend avoiding fiberglass but this is one case where it's probably a good idea.
 
G

greengiant

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 25, 2008
833
1
0
British Columbia Canada
ok guys I got a question for the carpenters. I have the wood cut except for the front. I have decided to use 2x4's for the front rather than buying another sheet of plywood to cut it all away. so heres my Quesion. I want this to be strong and not have week seams so I don't thing doing a butt joint would be the right choice. I can't remember the proper term but I'm gonna try to describe the way I'm thinking of doing it. I plan to cut away half the thickness of each each 2x4 where the joint will be and fasten them togeter so it will still be flush. does that make sense? will it work an be strong enough? thankyou


PS I just Aquired a few new fist that will be inhabiting this once its done likely. an Upside down Catfish and another Catfish (not sure of the type yet they are rescues) and a couple PLecos. they may go in the 300 depends on the Gator Gar he may move to the 350G first hmmmm decisions

Happy New Years everyone
 
C

CJH

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 21, 2007
531
1
0
*Confidential*
greengiant;3745677; said:
ok guys I got a question for the carpenters. I have the wood cut except for I plan to cut away half the thickness of each each 2x4 where the joint will be and fasten them togeter so it will still be flush. does that make sense? will it work an be strong enough? thankyou
Click to expand...
I think you mean a half lap joint. Do you plan to have the 2x4's on their faces so the 3.5" depth is sticking into the tank or on their edges so the 1.5" width is sticking into the tank?

It will be stronger if you have them on their faces, btw.
 
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