Help please!! they are selling this acrylic enclosure 4' x4' x2' formerly from a pet shop used for birds. Says it holds 6" of water. Does it look like I can convert it to a grow-out tank? looks simple enough to seal the doors and maybe reinforce the frame. Is this a doable project? How many gallons would it hold? thanks. Dan
Dan,
A bit over 200 gallons, I actually get 239.3766... but that is using outside measurements and the tank would be totally full of water. The calculation is length x depth x height / (divided by) 231. Personally this is something I probably would not attempt. As you are well aware, water is HEAVY, and using this enclosure would be a poor decision IMHO.
I agree, the plexiglass may not be thick enough to withstand the pressure of the water since it was not built to hold that much water. Why take the chance?
I would worry about the strength of the seams. Since it was made for birds and such, the seams probably are not manufactured to the same standards as a real tank.
i would say no way.
i bought a tank once..that was made by someone..it bent each day the sides bulged further. and..the heat of the water melted the top piece they had for covers. cheap junque. dont try it.
it has to be a decent quality and thickness..and braces..etc. theres a reason they have the cutouts at the top and not the whole top open. to support it.
I would agree with Mike on this one. It was not made to hold fish
It is actually a small animal pen used for rabbits, ferrets, rodents, reptiles and as the pet store had birds in it. The seams are not strong enough and the acrylic is not strong enough to hold the water.
Frank
It may hold water, but the question is, how long? Acrylic tanks tend to bow after some time. Since it was made for birds, the acrylic would not really be thick. For something that large to contain water, the acrylic should be at least (I believe) 3/4" thick. At that price, I'm assuming the acrylic is about 1/8" thick.