520 gallon plywood tank

[Leebtattoos]

Hey y'all. I used to frequent here a lot but a few years of not having a set up I guess it's been a while.

So I'm building a 84x48x30 plywood tank as a room divider/wall to my walk in closet. I'm building my master bedroom addition currently so the tank build will be coinciding with that so I'll try and keep this updated.

My plans are basically taken off the DIY kings videos and scanning through all of the threads here. I'll be using .75 birch with glass I'm pirating off a 220 (72x30) tank I got cheap. My plan is to get back into my gar obsession. Hoping to aquire some Cubans a long nose and short nose. But Who knows.

Currently today I reinforced my pier and beam foundation under where the tank will set. I used techniques you'd use for a 6person hot tub on a deck so I'm confident it will hold. The pic I'm providing is before I corrected level on the piers. I layed in a cactus so currently am not planning on laying back on the ground for a new pic. So just trust I leveled them

Also I started on the stand. Finishing the framework of that today and will post tonight.

 

[Leebtattoos]

Stand level and ready.

 

[Leebtattoos]

Still need to do reinforcing and some spacing off the wall. But couldn't help but put it on the stand to see how she fits. I ended up cutting the height to 34". To allow more usable viewing window and a little room above water since I'll have gar.

 

[pescado209]

that thing is huge!!. didn't look to big till I saw the pic on you in it. lol. defenetly following this build

 

[Leebtattoos]

Honestly it didn't sound big enough with my measurements until i built it. I would have prefered a full 96" length, but I got the glass for so cheap from a tank on cl that I decided it's large enough. I'm happy with it. It will be the largest aquarium I've ever had in 20 years of keeping fish

that thing is huge!!. didn't look to big till I saw the pic on you in it. lol. defenetly following this build

ry

 

[Leebtattoos]

I got the supports on and wood filled I'll sand tomorrow after turkey naps. Also finally separated the viewing glass from the donor tank. It was not as easy as all the tutorials suggest on YouTube.

And I apologize in advance to any woodworkers. I spread my wood fill like I do bondo. Messy. And I have to work harder when sanding

 

[DRteugelsi]

Looking good man, how big is the viewing panel?

 

[Leebtattoos]

Thanks! The full sheet of glass is 72x29". There's a 1.5" overlap so 68x23" opening.

Looking good man, how big is the viewing panel?

ull

 

[Leebtattoos]

I routered and sanded everything down after thanksgiving naps yesterday. This morning I layed down the first coat of pond armor. It's my first time for all of this, and I'll say that process was easy to mix, but not quite as easy to roll on. But to be fair when I started was only 5-10 degrees above minimum temps. Tomorrow is supposed to be much warmer so hoping it's a little smoother. Overall, not hard. Just planned on as simple as many videos make it look.

So now I'll wire my room while I have all day to wait anyways.

 

[DRteugelsi]

Looks awesome. What are you putting in it?