Plywood aquarium build

[stempy]

Look at Max ACR http://www.ebay.com/itm/EPOXY-RESIN-AQUARIUM-TANK-PONDS-CONSTRUCTION-1-5-GAL-/310075939459 for the sealant. Easy to use, goes a LONG way and they sell pigments to add to it so that you can make it whatever color you want. I used 1 1.5 gallon kit ($88) to get more than 7 coats on my 500 gallon that's been up for over 3.5 years now with zero issues.

 

[Homer Siped]

Sweet, thanks for info, I think I'll use that stuff. Now gotta save more money for that and the glass, then water test time . In meantime I can redo my stand so it ACTUALLY will fit through my door lol

 

[BrookKeeper]

until that last post, I thought it was the TANK that was too big to fit through the door... feeling a little better for you, now...

 

[Homer Siped]

Finally going to be making some more progress on my tank build, got my resin ordered, cloth on its way along with some blue pigment for the resin. Can't wait to get home from work next week to start. I do have a question about top support though. I have some 3/4" threaded rod that I had planned on putting across the top, but I'd rather not if I don't have to. My plan was to go directly under the top 2x4 front to back. Was planning on putting it inside of PVC to keep it away from water. I have a week off to get the foberglassing finished before I head back to work for 3 weeks, then I'll do my glass front on my next days off. Can't friggin wait haha

 

[Homer Siped]

First layer of glass and resin on bottom, going to do sides tomorrow, got a late start this morning. Pigment isn't quite as dark as I thought but it is first coat

 

[Homer Siped]

Made some progress on tank this week. Doing beananimal style overflow, shorted myself a bulkhead, guess I can't count to 3 haha. Did get the main and secondary drains done though. I used shower drains as bulkhead fittings, went all over and could find inch and half or larger, the drains are 2" but I necked it down to inch and half on outside of tank. Going to use a 2 inch for emergency drain. Got glass ordered, will be here middle of next week, unfortunately I will be away at work when it comes in so it'll be a bit before I get glass in. I bought a jebao 15000, can't wait to fire it up. Hoping in a couple months it will be sitting in my living room. I decided I'm going to try my hand at a 3d background, figured it'd be a little easier than paint due to fiberglass.

 

[takagari]

Cool. WAY overbuilt for only a 300, but I guess better safe then sorry haha.

Good luck

 

[Homer Siped]

Haha ya just a tad over built, when I started I really had no idea what I was doing . Going to finish it with 1/4 inch cabinet plywood with a cherry stain and some oak trim to match our furniture

 

[kelz]

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.

Yes pay the extra for tempered glass it's much better. And looking good on the build.

I made a 600 gallon plywood bottom tank and used 1/2
Inch Tempered glass. And tank is doing great.

 

[Homer Siped]

Finally got the glass . After sanding the fiberglass down I noticed a couple spots that had small air pockets under, so sanded them all down and layed some more cloth and resin down. The worst part of entire thing was the edges of plywood where glass is setting, cloth constantly wanted to bubble up there no matter what I did, so I made some small slits in it and layed small strips over them. Tonight when my daughter gets out of school we are going to get the glass all siliconed in place. Then when I get home from work in 3 weeks will be time to add water. Been a year project thus far.