4300 Gallon Plywood Build (3600+ Take 2)

[zennzzo]

I probably have to revise the solid wood comment I made to every other, but I surely wouldn't use as many cuts.

No conversion necessary on mine. She's all about the tanks and tried to get me not to sell the ones I had in the sunroom. She loves feeding the fish, especially lettuce and greens. They get fed far more regularly now that she's around. They'll starve while she's out of town working the next few days. Haha.

excellent!...and smooth too! I like...

 

[wild bill]

I have just heard of plywood tanks but I am relatively new to the hobby. I want to build a 4x8x4 tank for my gouramis I will watch this project closely any help or pointers would be great

 

[nolapete]

I have just heard of plywood tanks but I am relatively new to the hobby. I want to build a 4x8x4 tank for my gouramis I will watch this project closely any help or pointers would be great

If you can fit it, go 4' x 10' instead. The reason being that you can use dimensional lumber standard sizes and eliminate wasted wood and a lot of cuts on your front/back. You lose double the dimension of your side lumber when they overlap.

In example. If you went with 2x4's to build your tank, you'd lose 7" since 2x4s are 3.5" wide. You wouldn't be able to put an 8' viewing window since you'd only have an inside dimension of 89" to work with. If you went with the 10' boards on front/back, you'd still lose the 7", but you'd have 113" to work with. Plenty of room for an 8' viewing window.

 

[familyman03]

pete this looking on the up and up cant wait and best wishes for finally filling it with fish

 

[nolapete]

Got sidetracked since gf returned home last night instead of tonight. We went to pick up a bunch of box turtles from a friend for her and I spent the afternoon building their temporary enclosure. Still not finished dig proofing it yet, so that's on the table for tomorrow. Hopefully, I can get some time coating the tank in tomorrow.

 

[blacktarotannis]

 

[wild bill]

Sorry I missed a few days there but I pretty much stucck at those dimenssions, watcing this project I see the support the tank will need. Should I be building this thing on the floor or raise it up off the floor. What kind of filtration works best.

 

[nolapete]

In hindsight, I'd build it at least 1 ft. above the floor to be able to see where leaks are coming from. Just a regular joist floor 12 inch centers is sufficient. VLDesign's build can show you how to do that. I'd put the floor plywood in place then start screwing the walls right to the joisted floor.

While no filter is perfect, I didnt want to buy filters or use a sump, so I'm using a modified version of http://www.tadege.com/wakinfilter.htm with 55 gallon drums and Uniseals and Reeflo Hammerhead pumps.

 

[Griller]

In hindsight, I'd build it at least 1 ft. above the floor to be able to see where leaks are coming from. Just a regular joist floor 12 inch centers is sufficient. VLDesign's build can show you how to do that. I'd put the floor plywood in place then start screwing the walls right to the joisted floor.

That would have to be one strong stand! I though your tank was around 6' deep.

Thanks for the retrospective analysis into your design.

 

[nolapete]

It wouldn't be a stand really, but part of the tank. Supporting 400 lbs. per sq. foot wouldn't really be a big deal even if I did the floor the way I have it now. It would just be a matter of stacking more boards.

The tank wouldn't be able to be 6' deep though.

In even more hindsight, I would have built the tank where my sunroom is on the end of my living room. It would have been open air like JohnPTCs tank. Though it would have had to be made of pressure treated lumber or concrete due to possible termites.