building a 500 gallon plywood tank

JBarnes said:
Shouldn't be any different than a acrylic tank. If the bulkhead is long enough to give you enough threads I just put the nut up against the base of the stand. You might want to consider getting the schedule 80 bulkheads as they are much stronger and will not break if your over tighten them. Watching your build with interest as I'm getting ready to build one this Spring. Keep the pictures coming. Jerry.
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very cool , i hope you have good luck , what sixe of tank you looking for and what kinda design for stand and tank , anything like my ? or rolling your own way ? or waiting to see if my crash and make a home slip and slide lol ,....
 
in another week or so ill be getting my glass and around x mis time..... im off work for little over week for holiday and i should have my glass then , so getting close .....
 
picture.php
 
i drilled the tank and stand for the holes same size and added the bulk head nut under the stand , but i change my mind , im real drilling the stand , the hole in stand will be least doulbe size as of tomorrow ,,,,,,,
 
This is a great build. Thanks for sharing. I would be curious as to the cost difference between this tank and a glass tank from a custom builder of same dimensions. Your labor is free but if you dont mind can u estimate how much materials cost you?
 
My tank is 96 x 48 x 32 (exterior). I'm going to go with 1.25" ply using the epoxy poor method. I checked on a custom tank in these dimensions and the lowest quote was $8600. Add the stand and cabinet and I was looking at $13K for the tank/stand. The plywood solution should come in less than $3K. Watching your build with interest. Hopefully we don't hear about a slip n slide in the house! Jerry.
 
jt48 said:
This is a great build. Thanks for sharing. I would be curious as to the cost difference between this tank and a glass tank from a custom builder of same dimensions. Your labor is free but if you dont mind can u estimate how much materials cost you?
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yeah i guess ill go way out of my way and tell you lol jk

one thing alot people dont do that i did with my tank is the top piece,, some use left over wood , and the front piece is most time made out of little pieces that left over i did not do that too , i use a full sheet and cutout the holes for top of the tank , now the front piece looks kinda seen wasted , cause took full sheet of plywood , cut down to 30 inch , then cut out the middle out , only left 3in edge on it , anyway i just thought it was for best

cost for me at lows

plywood 7 ( 3/4 inch ) sheets sanded pine little over (40 bucks a sheet ) 5 sheet for tank ,2 for stand , screw all different sizes 2in for tank every 2 inch , stand had 2.5 and 3 and 3.5 , and i was really surprise how many screws i have use in whole thing ( never thought i would say i was tired of screwing , but i did ( lol )


7 sheets plywood and 30 2x4 425
u haul , no truck 70
screws all sizes 90
glue and gun 50
clear pvc pipe for overflow 70 10 foot 1.5 in
bulk heads 25
3 gallon of clear epoxy with shipping 290
stuff need , tools level ,saw blades , paint brushes 90
soon 2 sheet of glass about 91 in long 30 in tall 1/2 thick and 42.5 inch long 30 in tall 1/2 thick with shipping 450 , that should be here and will install over x mis
in all 1,100now and soon another 500 for glass and silicone

everthing is with tax and more or less there ( and ps , labor was not really free , alot of attitude and dinners fo my woman while doing this project cause she was my right hand man , get this , hold this , needs screws , need drink , move this , you get it ,,, she help me alot 1 last thing the epoxy cost me 60 bucks to shipp , i could drove there but was 120 miles each way so for time and gas , only cost me little more to get shipped and i went with clear pvc which cost me 60 bucks more , just thought look cool too see water going threw
 
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JBarnes said:
My tank is 96 x 48 x 32 (exterior). I'm going to go with 1.25" ply using the epoxy poor method. I checked on a custom tank in these dimensions and the lowest quote was $8600. Add the stand and cabinet and I was looking at $13K for the tank/stand. The plywood solution should come in less than $3K. Watching your build with interest. Hopefully we don't hear about a slip n slide in the house! Jerry.
Click to expand...

yeah i price and couldnt find nothing to compare for price as to build 1 , what i found more tanks come longer and taller then wide which i didnt want , i wanted alot wider tank and no longer then 8 foot and didnt want to go higher cause once go salt water , lights wise , plus i wanted to really do a project too ,
 
cheapset glass tank found was right about 3 grand , close to another grand for stand , and then you have to do shipping and moving least another grand cause glass tank , 1,000 so pounds , need 6 people to move and cross your finger everyone ate their wheaties lol and 500 or so for canopy , its get really high price just to get empty tank in your house
 
JBarnes said:
My tank is 96 x 48 x 32 (exterior). I'm going to go with 1.25" ply using the epoxy poor method. I checked on a custom tank in these dimensions and the lowest quote was $8600. Add the stand and cabinet and I was looking at $13K for the tank/stand. The plywood solution should come in less than $3K. Watching your build with interest. Hopefully we don't hear about a slip n slide in the house! Jerry.
Click to expand...

let me know when you start , i luv watching and seeing how people roll with plywood tanks ,, everyone does things differently and thinks different which is cool too see ,

kev
 
once i get glass in and it hold water i will take a video of my tank and stand and filter system ok ok , well once i see it holds water i will be yelling , go me , who your daddy ,, lol lol then ill add the video lol
 
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