Tank Building Question

[jeepjon]

anyone here ever build a tank out of wood? I mean, if you think about it...it would be really easy to do, and you could just coat the inside with fiberglass...it would be easy to plumb, and you could easily add on built in refugiums and sumps in the design, and it would be A LOT cheaper and easier than building an acrylic tank! I mean, by wood, a wooden tank with a glass side installed wherever you want to view the tank. I have seen these built for freshwater, and I know large commercial/zoo aquariums use fiberglass, so couldn't you build the frame out of wood/plywood, install a layer of fiberglass over the wood, then install your glass, and seal with another layer of fiberglass on the inside of your tank? I think this sounds like a good idea to me, because I could finally design my custom tank the way I like it!

[Geoff]

this is done fairly often. the hard part is the glass/acrylic interface.

here is a good thread that will help.

G~

[wanareef]

I have built several plywood tanks and no problems or leaks. Just cut out the ply for the ends, bottom, back. For the face, you can just routout an opening for the viewing area or make a frame of 3/4" -1" wood.

What I did was use fiberglass cloth on all the corners, and then pour in a coat of resin to about 1/8" to 1/4" thick. On all sides. For the glass, you just use aquarium silicone on the inside of the frame, place your glass on the silicone and add weights. Wait till dry then water test. For the top leave open and just use two SS threaded bars for the cross piece. This will not hinder the lights.

Make sure you have at least 1.5" overlap on glass and frame.

I have built a 100, 225 and a 250gal ply tanks and the dnext one will be 300gal. Just use common sense in building.

HTH

[jeepjon]

that helps a lot! I wasn't planning on building anything that big. I just wanted to maybe try a cool shaped tank, like a 2' cube tank, or maybe a 2*2*3 foot tank...something good shaped for reef tanks that you can't find around, you know?

[Phil_g1017]

Originally posted by wanareef
I

snip

I have built a 100, 225 and a 250gal ply tanks and the next one will be 300gal. Just use common sense in building.

Charles:

I admire your many DIY accomplishments. Now I am curious to learn what are you doing (have done) with all those tanks?

[wanareef]

Phil

Thanks. It's nice to be able to save a little $$ and use it to buy more corals or fish.

They have all been FW tanks and since have been sold or given away. Wait till you see the next tank - 300 ply in-wall. I'll be posting as I build it.

It will have all the goodies that are on a full blown reef tank. Coast to coast, closed loop w/ spray bars, dual above tank fuge gravity feed, and making most of the equipment - skimmer dual mazzie, sump, large calicum reactor and alk top off and finally will have our own RO/DI - no more lugging water

Hopefully by them the Aquarium Controller will be done and ready and I hope to automate as much as possible.