My 650g plywood tank also Wetsuit

[wheatgerm]

nice build im putting a check mark here so i can come back and see how you finish.. im planning on building a 5 foot tall tank the same way with 2 windows butted up in a month or 2

 

[GrossGraphix]

I would be a little uneasy with just a 3/4 ply wall for support. I have only built one tank so i am definatly not a professional. I built my 400g corner glass tank with two 3/4 sheets bonded together with 3 layers of heavy matted fiberglass, no other structural bracing other than across the top.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298499
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=344878

not sure why i made two threads been a while since i have posted it.

 

[sashimimaster]

Nice build. Did you notice any bowing of the walls after it was filled? What weight fiberglass cloth did you use? How many layers?

 

[GrossGraphix]

I did not see any bowing of the walls. Ill have to double check on the matt weight. I know that is is pretty heavy stuff. But i believe that the fiberglass does add some strength to the build i would not count on it being the main strength, unless you have like 15+ layers. Its more for keeping the water from penetrating the wood. Then i also used some sweet water stuff to coat the fiberglass of course after i had sanded/scuffed it for the sweet water epoxy to adhere to it.

 

[sashimimaster]

Well I've only got 3-4 layers of fiberglass but in the corners and seams it's glued, screwed, filet with more glue, fiberglassed inside and out and wetsuit with reinforcing fabric. The corners should be pretty strong. My concern is if the walls start to bow over time the seams may develop cracks. On the other hand my tank is only 30" deep. I've seen plenty of glass tanks with 1/2" glass that size. I can't believe it would be stronger than plywood with reinforcing. If the wetsuit lives up to the claims that it can stretch 1500% then even if things shift a little it should hold up.

The ultimate test would be of course when I add water. The plan is to half fill in a few months when it warms up here let it sit for a while. Observe for leaks then if stable fill the rest of the way.

My main concern is the concrete floor under it. It's not exactly poured with precision and the waviness doesn't give me a lot of confidence that it is has a consistent thickness. Hopefully with my extra 6 bags added will distribute the weight more evenly. I remember when I had a water bed I noticed the house started to settle more and cracks in the drywall started showing up. This tank is twice the size of the waterbed. The differnce being that it's in the basement vs the bed on the first floor.

 

[Taydeon]

nthis is a very ice build

 

[sashimimaster]

nthis is a very ice build

Thanks! Let's hope it gets even better when it's filled.

 

[koopman]

Looks awesome
Will the be a special background or just leave it black?

 

[GrossGraphix]

Well seems like ya have it covered. So like you said up to the ultimate test. Fill it, and good luck.

 

[sashimimaster]

Looks awesome
Will the be a special background or just leave it black?

well I was thinking of doing some type of back ground but I'm going to paint it royal blue pool paint because the Wetsuit turns brown under constant submersion.