4300 Gallon Plywood Build (3600+ Take 2)

[zennzzo]

Yes, the acrylic will be sealed in before the liquid rubber coating goes on and even before the plywood sheathing is installed. The acrylic is scheduled to be installed this Saturday. Let's hope everyone shows up and everything goes as planned.

:fingers crossed:

 

[nolapete]

Except for the header, the framing on the tank walls are done. The front framing is complete and the platform to hold the acrylic when we lift it into place is built. Only need to clean up and clear out all the miscellaneous then install the hard rubber spacers to be ready for Saturday.

 

[nolapete]

Debating on installing floor drain... My plan is/was to install bulkheads near bottom in the back on either side. These will allow me to drain the tank to the substrate. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and install floor drain. The only benefit I see is being able to drain the tank dry. That could easily be done with a shop vac after moving some of the substrate aside. I think I just talked myself out of it, but what do you guys think?

 

[Conner]

The only problem I see with a floor drain is plumbing under the tank. How would you get to it? Especially once the tank is running, what happens if it leaks?

 

[nolapete]

That's pretty much the reason I talked myself out of it with.

 

[CJH]

Debating on installing floor drain... My plan is/was to install bulkheads near bottom in the back on either side. These will allow me to drain the tank to the substrate. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and install floor drain. The only benefit I see is being able to drain the tank dry. That could easily be done with a shop vac after moving some of the substrate aside. I think I just talked myself out of it, but what do you guys think?

Remind us what your plans for the floor are? Sorry if you covered this earlier in this thread or in the previous thread.

If you're going to put a plywood floor up on joists you could install the drain close to an edge and make it very easy to access.

If you're just going to sheath the floor then I assume you'd have to cut into the slab which is more trouble than it's worth, especially with the high water table in New Orleans.

 

[nolapete]

The floor is raised on a grid of 3 2x6s stacked then sheathed in plywood. I'd have to cut a slot or a hole in 3 2x6s to put it in. I don't like that I wouldn't have access to it, so I've decided against it.

 

[The1and only]

Are you going to double up the 2x4 frame at all? It seems like alot of pressure on the frame.

 

[nolapete]

Are you going to double up the 2x4 frame at all? It seems like alot of pressure on the frame.

If you mean the insert that the acrylic sets against, no. It's actually a 2x4 and 1x4 together. The 2x4 is glued and screwed to the 2x6 next to it. There's at least a 1/2 lb. of 3" deck screws in there.

The heavy duty liquid nails construction adhesive forms a bond that would likely hold even if the deck screws weren't in there. The Dow 795 that will be sealing the window bonds extremely well to wood, so the sheer strength of frame is extremely strong.

The greatest pressure is at the bottom of the tank then moving upward it lessens, so the most critical point is the bottom of the acrylic contrary to popular belief thinking the top is.

The entire forward thrust of the acrylic is distributed over almost 300 linear inches of surface on the 2x4/1x4 frame. Every deck screw would have to fail in addition to the bond between 300" x 3.5" of 2x4 to 2x6 frame and the dow 795 seal for that acrylic to go anywhere. I'm confident it's not going anywhere.

Also, doubling up the 2x4. If you mean adding another on the top of the one that exists, will do nothing to help the strength of it since the bond is between the first 2x4 and the 2x6 next to it.

 

[zennzzo]

Right on schedule...
Lookin' good!