220gal Plywood/steel hybrid. Pull up a chair, this will take a while.

[ReefEnabler]

excellent craftsmanship so far! cant wait to watch the process for how you seal the tank with epoxy and everything else.

 

[AcroSteve]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13056548#post13056548 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by radone
Why such a steep overflow? Won't the velocity cause more noise?

I don't think it is that steep, but I also did not want to build it with less slope and then find out somewhere down the road it will not handle the flow I might want to put through it.

As far as noise, I am trying to keep it to a minimum, and the water level in the overflow box will be at least as high as where the water enters it from the through.

I went with birch because it has many more plys than regular b/c plywood. And the surface finish alone would have been enough reason not to use the b/c. I want something smooth.

 

[AcroSteve]

It is a lot of work compared to glass, but it will be cheaper - by a long shot, and it will be totally custom.

I imagine a tank of this design out of glass would be over 6k

You can check out my photobucket page for pics of some of the other stuff I have made. Click on the red house.

 

[SoFloReefer]

I am building one out of wood and epoxy now (frag tank). You can check it out in Coral Prop forum under 4' x 4' tank. Anyways if you are using metal halides you should take into account what UV radiation will do to the epoxy. Epoxy is UV sensitive and will break down with time. This could be an issue in several years time or less. Pigment helps as it lessens light penetration into the layers. I am still trying to figure out how to protect my tank. You might want to look into using graphite powder as a filler if you are going to dye the epoxy black. This adds some UV protection and abrasion resistance. Anyways I think you will probably need in the range of 4-5 gallons for a thick coat. I was originally going to use MAS but many of the new low viscosity slow curing epoxies dont have Amine blush. The stuff Im using cost 50 something for 1.5 gallons and didnt blush. I still sanded each layer though for better adhesion between the layers.

 

[AcroSteve]

Thanks.

I am aware of the UV issue and I was planning on using some epoxy paint from AquaticEcosystems.\\I found a vendor online that sells black fiberglass, so I wasn't planning on tinting or dying anything. I was thinking using the black in case there where any chips in the paint down the road. They would blend in better.

 

[miwoodar]

Wow Steve - nice project and fantastic workshop!

 

[AcroSteve]

Like I said, this will be a hyrbrid with some steel in it. And I know how everybody likes updates.

I while back, I got some 1-1/2x3/16 stainless angle at a scrapyard. It looked pretty straight, but was welded together in a couple of places. I got it home and cut the welds apart and tried to straighten the long pices I need. No luck. I can't get them just right. So there was $50 mostly down the drain. The short pieces are OK, though.

So I have to buy some new steel. I don't have it yet, but it will be 2x2x1/8 stainless.


I have been working on how to integrate/attach it to my plywood and am going to use a couple of different methods.


I mocked these up with some scraps of the angle I have right now. In both cases, the angle will be fully bedded in an epoxy adhesive mixture with the probability of adding some mechanical fasteners also.
This will be along the two sides of the bottom. The corner will be welded.

This will be along the top edges.

More pics of the frame later. I don't even have the steel yet and I still have to construct it.

 

[AcroSteve]

Now, you might be asking yourself how will I get a 2-3/16" deep groove in the edge of a large sheet of plywood. Me too. My mockup was done on the table saw and router table was quite easy.

When I started this project, I never figured I would need to use my 12" Skill Saw, but it turns out that I do. Because I do not have 80+ inches of clearance above my tablesaw, neither could I find a suatable router bit.







So I made a sled for my hand held monster. Oh, this was after midifying the arbor to accept the standard 1" hole rather than the diamond punch out that was the norm over 30 years ago.

Here it is in cutting position. I had to add a couple of handles - the thing weighs over 20lbs, easy.

And the inital groove. I will have to add a shim and make another pass to match the size of the angle, and do some more trimming to get it to fit flush, but this was a succesfull test.

 

[radone]

If there's a will there's a way,

Nice gonna have to see this pretty soon!!

 

[kcress]

Why bother with stainless?

If any of this stuff gets wet it means you have water getting to the plywood which would be untenable anyway.

Or am I missing something?

 

[AcroSteve]

1. because I overdo most things.
2.If there would ever be a small breach in the epoxy, I can fix it without scrapping the whole tank. If corrosion ever started with regular angle, it would be catastrofic.

Above the overflow weir, the stainless will be the most exposed. ,

 

[kcress]

Thx. Reason 1) was enough. LOL

 

[AcroSteve]

It may never happen, but whenever I think of regular steel around salt water, I think of a car with the sheetmetal rusing and bubling up from UNDER the paint.

 

[spleify]

Looking awesome!!
Keep up the great work.

Thanks for sharing

Spleify

 

[eznet2u]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13130077#post13130077 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AcroSteve
1. because I overdo most things.

 

[crázy clowntang]

arcosteve, when you say the glass will be 5/8 or 3/4 low iron, what does it mean? also what is the difference between low iron, tempered and starfire glass?

 

[wizsmaster]

Low E / Low Iron is the same as Starfire glass - I believe StarFire is a brand name?
Tempered glass is stronger, and will not shatter into large sharp pieces, rather bust into small pieces, like an automotive window. Tempered glass cannot be drilled, or modified in any way once tempered.

 

[wizsmaster]

Low E means the iron content of the glass is less. It does not have the green tint to it, it's more clear.

Regular vs. Low E

 

[RokleM]

If I recall properly, PPG makes "Starfire", other manufactures make "low iron" (basically the same thing). Likely the PPG glass in the picture is actually starfire.

I could be wrong though.

 

[cannarella]

Love the jig for the saw. It looks heavy but probably worked perfectly. I was wondering if you stood the plywood on end on the table saw then I scrolled down and there was the answer.

Andy