Building a tank

[gregongie]

I am considering building my own 55 gallon acrylic tank, rather than shelling out $200.

My plan is to get a sheet of 3/8" thick acrylic and get it cut at a local shop. Then at home I can simply glue together the pieces in my garage.

I'm building my own stand, canopy, and skimmer, why not do the tank too? Is this a risky move?

[MontanaRocknReefer]

I think you will be much happier with a 75 gallon reef tank! JMO

[sean]

I really think there is a good chance that you will spend more money on the supplies than you might think, and spend a great deal of time on the construction, only to worry constantly about it leaking, or worse, collapsing once you have it filled.
Have you looked in your local newspaper classifieds? There are always people selling used but still good aquariums at pennies to the dollar. People jump into this hobby all the time and then quickly realize they don't have the gumption or resources to keep going. They then sell the tank cheap just to get it out of the basement or garage.
I would bet you could buy a tank larger than a 55 gallon for less than $200 and you would probably get supplies thrown in. Just make sure to have the owner fill the tank with water to check for leaks before you buy it.
Be patient and watch the classifieds for a few weeks. See what comes up. I really think you will be happier and rest easier getting a factory made aquarium.
I waited for over two years to find my 180 gallon SeaClear acrylic with two built in overflows. I bought it from a guy who never got around to setting it up. I paid only $400 for it and that included all the plumbing for the overflows and sump. I was the first to call on the Sunday classified.
If you have a little more patience, you will probably find the tank your looking for.

[gregongie]

I think I'll just scour the classifieds for deals. Right now there isn't much, well, plenty of puppies and kitties, but I'll be patient.

[RobinsonFam1]

if you have one of those local classifieds magazines look there too. eg= trading post, thrifty nickle, penny saver so on so forth. a 55 gallon tank is very easy to come by also.

im not real sure on how far you are from illinois but there are alot of fish/reefers there and might be worth the drive. i bought a 55 full setup running for $250, which was pretty easy to come by.
HTH
good luck!

[wanareef]

I would not reconmend it, unless you have some acrylic experience. As stated above, about piece of mind on whether your joints are good and solid, the cost of the sheet is close to $250 retail for "cast" and not extruded.

There are lost of ads for used tanks and supplies if you check around you can get a pretty good deal.

[Geoff]

being someone who has built many things out of acyrlic, it is easier than you think. i have literally hacked together sumps up to 45g using 1/4 acrylic from HD. i find it a really easy material to work with, if you can keep it from melting.

if you can find acrylic that is cut to your specifications in 3/8 for under $200 then i would suggest go for it. i think the cost of the acrylic will be closer to that mark than you think. gluing together professionally cut pieces would be a snap, as long as you can keep everything square. the cement used for acrylic is quick.

i would also suggest trying some smaller acrylic projects first, so you can get the feel of it.

i agree a 75 would be a much better choice.

G~

[theReefer]

i am thinking about building a 200g out of glass. what would be a good thickness for the glass?

[Geoff]

Originally posted by theReefer
i am thinking about building a 200g out of glass. what would be a good thickness for the glass?

do decide on a glass thickness, you must first decide on a depth of the tank. the greater the depth the greater the force. i will try and hunt down info on glass thicknesses.

G~

[Geoff]

try this

G~