Plywood Tank Discussion!

[Fiji Live Rock]

OMG :shock:

I just did a search for "Plywood Tanks" and I can't believe my eyes! :o :shock:

http://fp.marksfish.f9.co.uk/plywoodtanks.htm
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/panis/plywoodtank2.htm
http://www.garf.org/tank/buildtank.asp

I don't know if I would trust plywood! I think it would bow and warp really easy.

Sure....it would cost you almost nothing to build a massive tank...but I would be highly concerned with structural integrity. :?

Lets get this post rolling cause I want feedback and photos of your tanks if you have plywood tanks. I need to know facts and all the tidbits. I gota have knowledge! :wink:

[steve1s]

You can also check out Vikings (http://www.fishyfrolics.com/viking/) tank.

Cheers
Steve

[Fiji Live Rock]

I was wondering...what about the use of Pressure Treated Plywood or High Density Particle Board?

[steve1s]

Sorry Scott, not my area of knowledge...

Cheers
Steve

[Telco Guy]

What?!! Steve1s, you don't have a great answer on a subject? Are you feeling ok? :wink: :lol: I was wondering when you'd be stumped?!

Well, I think I'd be concerned about water possibly getting in to the wood and leaching out some nasty contaminants from the glues used to make the plywood. Not to mention the wood delaminating and rotting.

It's like my scuba instructor said about housing for underwater cameras, do you really want to skimp on the housing when your camera is worth $2000? Well, do you really want to trust your expensive coral and fish to plywood?

[StormSwift 1]

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.athiel.com%2Flib 6%2Ftank.htm

Fiji check out GARFS home page on this.I built 1 out of this material and covered and trimed it out in oak and it would take a bomb to bulge or hurt this tank.i did one 72x30x24.I used laminated gel coat first before i used the totally organic ,NSA,USDA approved epoxy potable water tank liner paint on the inside and urathaned the stand,hood and outside of the tank.I'll get my camera going soon and see if i can figure out how to post a Pic.It does take a person with capentry skills to get it to be soild and look right.I built the Stand,tank and hood so they all matched.I also coated the bottom of the inside of my stand so if i had a unknown leak the inside of my stand would hold 4 inches of water without getting anything wet instead of getting the carpet soaked.It does work and looks great :mrgreen: .

[Fiji Live Rock]

Well, I have decided to do it.

I am going to build a 210 Gallon Plywood & Acrylic tank. The cost of the entire construction should be around $500-600. That includes the tank, custom stand, electrical, and finishing trim.

Here is a drawing I made of what the main, basic construction will be like. The exterior frame will stand 8' high in the front and 10' high in the back. The tank will be built in our living room which has a "A" vaulted celling.

http://www.xtremecustomdesign.com/images/fish/customplytank.bmp

[phistio]

actually, plywood tanks have been around for years, and if done properly, can last just as long as glass or acrylic tanks. most all tanks used for coral propigation are plywood. and i can almost guarantee that most holding tanks for tropical fish import in the south pacific are made of plywood. :wink:

[Irisservice]

fiberglass works well to

http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1/itempg.icl?orderidentifier=ID1063733463825686B3E&eflag=0&iteminfo4=0&itmid=3288&passitemid=3288

http://www.aquaticeco.com/aquatic1v1/itm_img/fga1_rgb.jpg

[Fiji Live Rock]

$1,000 for a 150 Gal tank?! :o :shock:

Heck no! LoL U can build everything: stand, tank, electrical, etc. for under $700 and it will be a 210 gallon tank. 8)

[Irisservice]

I know it can be made for cheaper!!!!
Just for reference for what can be done.

[Fiji Live Rock]

If you don't have experience in working with raw fiberglass and fiberglass resin, then there isn't much of a chance in beep that you will make a tank out of fiberglass. :wink:

Fiberglass is a PAIN in the arse to work with! :|

[StormSwift 1]

Well, I have decided to do it.

I am going to build a 210 Gallon Plywood & Acrylic tank. The cost of the entire construction should be around $500-600. That includes the tank, custom stand, electrical, and finishing trim.

Here is a drawing I made of what the main, basic construction will be like. The exterior frame will stand 8' high in the front and 10' high in the back. The tank will be built in our living room which has a "A" vaulted celling.

http://www.xtremecustomdesign.com/images/fish/customplytank.bmp

If you run into questions i might can help since ive built one and it might save you some grey hairs :D .You can add trim to do the same thing as those metal corner brackets your gonna use.Also add trim around the top and have it flush to the inside of the tank with a 1 1/2 over lap on the outside adds strength to the top.i would also screw the 2x4s on your stand directly to the 4x4s instead of those brackets also.Use water proof liquid nails on all your joints of your tank when assembling and also your stand joints.Also i would add another leg to the center of the front and back of the stand for weight in the center.Predrilling with a counter bore bit is a must to keep for splitting the plywood but not to deep.Look at srew head and thats your depth.Galvinized screws a must.Think strength,rust proof and trim for appearance.Fill and sand smooth all screw holes.Take you time.It took me a month to build mine and its worth it.

[Fiji Live Rock]

Thanks for your imput Storm.

I should have stated that I use to work for my best friend's, father's business... "Laslo Custom Kitchens" so as for wood working...I am complete. :wink:

Thank you for your time in replying! :wink: :D

I will be adding 90°x45° corner braces for each corner where the base meets the legs. That will aid in the support. As for the center leg...that will remove a good chunk of my flexibility in the filtration area. The main supports are 2" x 6" construction as the diagram shows...are vertical...which will be able to hold a significant amount of weight. I will also counter brace them between each with floor joist braces to keep them from flexing under the pressure.

ANYTHING I build...I build it RIGHT from the start...I NEVER cop-out on my construction. :wink: 8) :D

[Irisservice]

Have you started yet?

Please take many photos.
PS don't take any pictures while running power tools!!!!
My friend got a call on a cell phone and wanted to see who it was,and o yeah was using a table saw. you get the rest.

[scroll:b2f908c994]So safety first.[/scroll:b2f908c994]

[Fiji Live Rock]

I will start as soon as I get the hardest thing on the list. The 2 part epoxy! This stuff is HARD to get ahold of! :o

[Fishmonger]

I got mine from the hardware store, i went through ALOT of it

[RandyStacyE]

Anyone thinking about building a wood aquarium should first check out this website. www.sanitred.com

They offer 100% life time warranted, flexible, waterproof coatings. They show everything from multi million gal wood tanks to waterproofing card board boxes. The products flexibility outperforms fiberglass or wood. That means NO EPOXY, NO SILICONE, they are reef safe, and will last forever.

I found a BIG round 5' tall fiberglass tank one day, the only problem was that it had no bottom. He sold it to me for $30.00. I cut it to make 2 decent size tanks that total to 175 gal (both together). I cut 2 round piece of plywood 3/4" and droped it in for the bottom.

I found this site and ordered what I needed to seal it up perfectly. My total costs for these 2 tubs were minimum.