Making own aquariums

[rubinsteinnyc]

@ockyra215, funny you say that, I just discovered the magic world of "woodies", this stuff looks amazing, people making ridiculous monsters of out plywood and a pane of glass, do you think acrylic pane for a woody instead of a glass would be safer?

[ockyra215]

I would say it would be it will flex some but if you brace the top correctly it should be fine.It may be cheaper then glass. Oh i agree just dont get to carried away I had a 360 gallon reef tank a few years ago and I couldnt reach the bottom it wasnt a woody but it was over 3 ft deep lol

[rubinsteinnyc]

I would be making a 400 Gallon, but do tell, how was the maintenance of such a monster? And bills...

[dean9922]

if you build your own tank, as ockyra215 has said, make sure you brace the top properly. On my homemade plywood tanks, I used wood cross pieces and over time the water started to deteriorate them, so I dropped the water level down and used 3/4" X 3" plastic pieces I picked up at a plastic shop in town here and have not had a problem at all with them. I've still been tempted to build a "big" 8ft tank, but have not got around to it yet.....

[ericatdallas]

I've seen some outside tank builds... I think if I do a massive one, that's the way I would go... that way if I mess up, I just water the backyard :P

They also look pretty impressive at night from the pics I've seen. I imagine you're better off living in the south though if you do one like that so tha the winter heating bill is cheap.

[rubinsteinnyc]

I saw this guy doing a 1000 gallon tank he used a metal bolt, 36 inches long that he used to brace the thing together on the top

[uarujoey]

In my opinion most of the time it is cheaper and less of a risk to buy the tanks.

Exactly what i was going to say. But i would say this only applies to smaller tanks.

[rubinsteinnyc]

well... anyhow, picking up the pieces on saturday, 3(18x18)+2(17*7/16X18) hope 1/16 is enough of a space for silicone... garf.org doesn't even include spaciing... bottom is tempered, paid 36 and a change.

[dean9922]

I have 3" overlap on my glass to the wood.....

[Skip]

well... anyhow, picking up the pieces on saturday, 3(18x18)+2(17*7/16X18) hope 1/16 is enough of a space for silicone... garf.org doesn't even include spaciing... bottom is tempered, paid 36 and a change.

more like do you think 1/32 on each will be enough...

keep us up updated.. i would love to put together a CUBE tank

[rubinsteinnyc]

yes... i called in and changed it to 17*3/8 this way we get 1/16 on each side for silicone,
NOW! silicone. DAP brand?

[Skip]

yes... i called in and changed it to 17*3/8 this way we get 1/16 on each side for silicone,
NOW! silicone. DAP brand?

who says you don't use FRACTIONS after High School!

[roundfishross]

I use ge I silicone for resealing all my tanks and have never had any problems with it.

[rubinsteinnyc]

you don't if you don't make fish tanks WARLOCK do you think 1/16 on each side for silicone is enough?

[discolicious]

I never included a "gap" in my glass measurements on the ones I've built. I just ran a bead of silicone on the edges that would butt against glass. When these are clamped together, the silicone will ooze out and can be cleaned of, but you get a very tight bond. Then run your silicone around all the inside joints. good luck