Plywood aquarium build

[Homer Siped]

Building this for my snapping turtle, it will be 300 gallons when finished. I am going to incorporate a top on it as a basking area. I have him in a 75 right now and 2 weeks ago did my first run with a diy wet dry trickle filter which is what I think I am going to do with the plywood tank. Going to use half inch glass, fiberglass in all corners, then pond shield over plywood. Might try my hand at a 3d background as well. I did have a thought on a bottom and wondering what others opinions are, why not do a 3d on bottom as well? It would save the pond shield from scratches from substrate, be easier to clean, only thing I can see that might be bad would be seeing the poops on bottom, but that's as easy as a net lol.

 

[millerkid519]

Hope that's not your idea of a stand haha. Looks good so far and you will be happy with a trickle tower I love mine and very cheap to build

 

[Homer Siped]

Thanks I like my trickle filter so far, took a bit to get pump and siphon equalized. Ha-ha so you don't think a couple 2x4s will hold that up? Nah I was measuring to see how high I want to do the stand and what it will look like. Getting plywood this weekend, moneys tight ATM so doing a bit here and there and it doesn't have to be finished any time soon.

 

[millerkid519]

You are running a full syphon into your trickle filter?

 

[Homer Siped]

Yes I am running a full siphon into filter, I took 3/4" PVC and slit it inside 1-1/2" PVC that has a cap on bottom and holes drilled at top, that way if pump goes out, it only takes 1/4" of water out of tank then siphon breaks. Not the pump side I put a small piece of air line in the elbow so it can't siphon through that side, I do need to do something as far as the siphon starting back after power loss. That must be what the u-tubes are for??

 

[in_the_seance]

I'd search diy pvc overflow will save you the headache of a full siphon

 

[Homer Siped]

okay so I am thinking I changed my mind on how I am sealing this. After reading the reviews of pond shield, I think I am going to fiberglass the inside. But this leads me to an issue, and that is color. I was going to do a light blue, but not sure of what paint to use that is aquarium safe. Can I use an epoxy pigment of the color I want? going to use the west system epoxy with 6 oz cloth, probably an over kill but I am not interested in having 300 gallons of water in my living room floor, the wife would kill me just looking for opinions on this, it will be a while before I get to that part. Has anyone ever ordered glass from glasscages.com? They are by far the cheapest I have found to get 1/2" glass.

 

[in_the_seance]

Any color will work

 

[Homer Siped]

Got the inside plywooded and the stand mocked up for height measurements, and didn't think about getting it in the house and made it 4" too tall lol. Still have to add more supports and bracing, just wanted to see what it'd look like on a stand

 

[Homer Siped]

Been calling around about glass this morning, found out 1/2" nobody seems to have but can get it. The first place I called gave me a price on tempered which was $199 and $160 for regular plate glass. Another place was $150 for regular. My question is for the $30 difference the tempered will be a lot stronger, right? I was figuring would be like $300 for tempered glass.