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07-11-2008, 01:07 PM
| #1 (permalink) |
| Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Northeast Nebraska
Posts: 34
|  Building My Own Tank I've been giving this some insight for a school shop project next year. I was thinking about building my own tank and stand. I just don't know how to go about it. Plywood and glass? All glass? All plexiglass? A 2x4 frame with glass or plexiglass windows? How do you guys think it should be done. And is it even cost effective to build my own tank? I've heard unless you're going super big it really doesn't make sense. I was thinking something like 20x20x50. Thanks. |
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07-11-2008, 01:24 PM
| #2 (permalink) |
| Little Fish  Join Date: May 2008 Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 198
| I'd try a metal frame. Wood's not going to hold it very well to my knowledge. Make sure the material you use for the walls is thick enough. Otherwise you'll get some MAAAAJOR water pressure issues.
__________________ ~20 Gal~ 2 Kribs - Picard (M) Data (M) 1 Golden Algea Eater - Silver (?) ~30 Gal~ (long) 1 BN Pleco - Davey Jones (?) 2 Otto - Zim (?) 2 Angel Fish - Nacht (F) Tag (M) 3 'Dwarf Weather Loaches' [Suspected to be Khuli loaches.] - Bandit (?), Vandal (?), Theif (?) 1 Crowntail Betta - Jae (F) ~Others~ 1 Cat - Kit Cat (F) |
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07-11-2008, 01:45 PM
| #3 (permalink) |
| Large Fish  Join Date: May 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 626
| How long do you have to build this? Most people going the DIY route just build their own stand - which can be as involved as you want. I can't offer any advise on building the actual tank other then this: Make sure you build it around some kind of standard width... otherwise you may never find lighting that works for your tank.
__________________  One person can make a difference. Indeed it is only the individual that ever has. Welcome to the Tank where some fish are big and some fish are little but everyone is wet. |
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07-11-2008, 01:49 PM
| #4 (permalink) | |
| MFT Staff  Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 8,508
| Well, there are a number of ways to go about it. Plywood with glass/acrylic windows or all acrylic. Or even all glass if you want. Another option would just build a stand and canopy for an exsiting tank. A plywood tank isn't going to be as nice, but usually used for really big tanks. An all acrylic tank would be nice and you can go from like 1gal to however many gallons. A bit trickier to work with because you gotta use special glue and stuff not normal silicone. All glass is probably the easiest. Silicone bonds to it, you can get glass fairly cheap compared to acrylic (plexi) and its probably just the easiest. May cost more to build your own but gives you a good satisfaction. Personally i'd go with a glass tank and a really nice stand and canopy.
__________________ Matt  Quote:
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07-11-2008, 05:35 PM
| #5 (permalink) |
| Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Northeast Nebraska
Posts: 34
| That's what I was kind of thinking. Just make the tank out of glass and then use wood for the stand and canopy. With glass too as long as I had the precise pieces all I would really need to do is silicone it into the box shape and let it cure, correct? But would it be cheaper to make an aquarium out of glass? |
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07-11-2008, 05:41 PM
| #6 (permalink) | |
| MFT Staff Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 8,508
| Yes thats correct. Aquarium silicone and glass cut to size. I'm not sure on costs, prices might vary place to place. I know good cell cast acrylic is expensive.
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07-11-2008, 08:51 PM
| #7 (permalink) |
| Medium Fish  Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: California
Posts: 386
| all i got to say is make sure it wont leak...and if you plan on trying different shapes for the tank, make sure they are level and able to hold up to the massive weight of water being put inside.
__________________  BOOGIE NATION! -1 Gallon= Empty... -1 Gallon= Betta... (Being upgraded to 10 Gallon Tank) -10 Gallon= Cycling... -22 Gallon= Live Bamboo, 2 Oto's, 5 Tiger Barbs... |
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07-12-2008, 07:12 PM
| #8 (permalink) |
| Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Northeast Nebraska
Posts: 34
| I think I may try to make a stand and tank just like this. My canopy design may be similar on the electric system but I'm not so sure about the 2 front cabinet doors on it. Maybe just one long one on mine...but here's the link. Tell me what you guys think. Google Image Result for http://ovas.ca/images/articles/darkdep-diy-stand/images/large/Stand_001.jpg |
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