700g Plywood build.

K

KW-Reefer

Premium Member
Well, I suppose that I can start my build thread now. I will get some pics this weekend of the progress.......... All of my equipment was purchase from a company here in Canada call J&L Aquatics, Awesome guys.

Specs:

Display: 96"x48"x36" Plywood tank
Sump: 180g (Standard glass 180g tank)
Refuge: 90g (standard glass 90g tank)
Pumps: 2x Reeflo Dart 1 closed loop, 1 sump return.
Skimmer: Euro-Reef cs8-3+RC Going to upgrade to a larger one when I
have the time to build one base on the new Dart
needle wheel.
Lights: 3x 250W MH 10K supplemented with 48" t5


And More I'm sure...........


I am going to be ordering my Glass though and am unsure if 1/2" Float will do for an 88x28". Any help here would be great........

Construction: 3/4" Exterior plywood with front being made up of 2x6 and 2x4 doubled up (Laminated) so I have a 2" lip for the glass to sit in and have 4" of thickness in the front to help with deflection and avoid the need for a center brace.........Please speak now if you do not think that this will work...... Standard 45* corner bracing nailed and Gorilla glued. 2 layers of 6oz. Glass mat and East Systems Epoxy ( Canadian company equivalent to West Systems. Lower anime blush when used with the slow hardener so I have been told...... Final


Any questions ask, I will try to answer what I can.......Also please offer suggestions as I'm sure I am missing or not thought of the things you all have experienced as of yet..

Thanks for the time to look @ my thread.


KW-Reefer (James)
 
You know what? I'm glad it's you and not me. I'm about tired of the process. Your specs better work or we're both in trouble.
Good luck and keep us posted.
 
What is going to be the TOTAL HEIGHT of the water inside the tank?

I agree frankie33, this monster should be fun to follow.
 
Thanks for the interest thus far guys.


@ChisB: I am thinking that the water column will be about 34" or so. The glass will sit about 4" from the top and bottom. On the sides it will be in 4" from the edge.

Timeline is to pull some all nighters and have most of the work done by this weekend. Then tackle the little stuff like plumbing and order the glass.........Think that I might go with 3/4" @408 CDN although I would like a controller and the money saved on the glass could go to that. 1/2" is around 250 CDN.......

I'll keep you all posted and take pics of the whole messy process....

Stay tuned.

James
 
I tend to always overkill everything, but for me there would be no doubt.... 3/4 inch glass for 34" of water, especially without a center brace. I am no expert, but I thought I remembered reading that 30" was the consensus "cut off" for 1/2" vs 3/4".

That $158 extra for the 3/4" might buy you a lot of peace of mind. Just a thought...
 
@ChrisB

Dude I'm with ya 100%, But the height of the glass itself is only 28" as there will be 4" thick wood on the top, sides and bottom. The glass will sit in a "rim" with 2" of wood in front of it. Like this,
(bad drawing Sorry)....LOL!

< 4" >
----------------
| | |
| 2x4| 2X6 |
| | |
------ | |
| |
glass| |
----------


Hope that explains it better. Please continue the thoughts as I am leaning towards the 3/4" also.........Does the above Diagram change your train of thought at all?


Thanks

James
 
Sorry, that Diagram thing did not work out.........I will do up something when I get home.............


Talk then.

James
 
@ Del

Nope, I am on a time deadline and will be working at it LONG HOURS as in little to no sleep. I suffer from insomnia @ times and think that this will cause most of it in the next couple of weeks. With the exception of the Glass, (Still trying to figure out the thickness) I would like for it to be done by Monday........Time will tell and I will have help. I know that you have been soloing this yourself. I need to have this thing running in aprox. 5 weeks.

You still the man Del even if I do pull it off *fingers crossed*...........

Will try and document as much as possible.

Do you have any thoughts on the glass Del?


Thanks again for the time guys.

James
 
I went with 3/4" laminated. Mine is 92"X 29.5". I also went Starphire. I figured that way, if one side cracked, I'd have a chance to save the day.

I'm guessing you are at least 50 years younger than me. With this kind of work ahead of you, you need to be young and stupid.

I, on the other hand, am old....and stupid.

James....build your tank, be proud of it, and enjoy it for years to come. Not many reefers have done what you are about to do.

My best to you, (and, wear your ppe. I bet I went through at least 10 dozen pairs of vinyl gloves.)
 
Del,


Thanks for the input.......With all that has been said I will spend the cash and get 3/4" Glass......

Thanks all

James

Here is a diagram of what the front will be built like. Hope it will hold back the force of 700 gallons of water......LOL

Thoughts on this would be appreciated as I will be Euro bracing the top and do not want a center brace....

url]


PS.. Del I doubt that you are 80, But I could be wrong.....LOL!
 
hehe working all throughout the night till morning is so cool. been there done that and sometimes I get so caught up in the project make time go by so fast.:smokin: :hammer: and don't forget keep pics coming. I love working through the night since no kids and wife to bother me.
 
couple of things..
yes you absolutely need 3/4'' glass unless you go tempered.
if your trying to save a few bucks on glass now then be prepared to how $$$ this will get! I'm in well over $10,000
do not pull all nighters! theres nothing worse than making a mental error because your tired, you know it takes patience in this hobby so don't make any time lines.

I built my own 500g glass tank
 
Ewww !

Sounds sweet! , but unfortunatly to do the proper fiberglass layups is a hella lot of work to try and cram into that much time.
Good luck though.

Id love to see some pics of the progress.

Im gettin flashbacks of my ithy clothes again...how bout you Del ?

Any other drawings to show us KW ?

Marc.
 
Last edited:
@john rochon

I have decided to do 3/4" glass, Thanks for your input though. As far as the all nighters, I am one of the rare people that can function with less than 5 hrs of sleep and function fine. If I get tired I will stop as I always do......Safety first as Del said.


@Fudge

Thanks for dropping in. I have read your build and it is also one of the tanks that helped me make my decision to build a "Woody". I will have help from a friend on the Epoxy/fiberglass mat.He has worked with it before and is going to show me the ropes.......From what he said we will apply the second layer when the first is tacky to get a proper bond between layers and essentially making them one with out having to sand between coats. We will see how that works out as I just set a goal of having most of the work done in three days. I do have conceptual drawings but @ present time I do not have my scanner installed on my pc and the build is starting tomorrow I will see what I can do in paint (my skills suck though).

Thanks all for the input and I will be posting my progress as the build goes.......My Father and I start on the stand tomorrow.

James
 
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