Complete DIY Custom 144x15x15

[calvin415]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13083425#post13083425 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NanoReefWanabe
hehe forgot you have the whole thing drywalled...i would certainly put down a 3 or 6mil vapour barrier first then the cement...that epoxy is insanely expensive...though i guess cost isnt prohibitive when it comes to a set up like this..definitely worth it to go the best route possible as it would suck to crack a $1000+ tank...at least i cant imagine you would be overly excited about building new front and rear panels..

Amen to that. I planned on using a shower plan liner between the two. My wife doesn't want the dry wall ruined.

 

[wizsmaster]

I would be worries about the leveling cement/thinset cracking once under load .... if it's less than an inch or so ... you are still putting a decent amount of weight on it - even with the tank only being 12" tall. hence why i personally look into epoxy ... it would flex a little, rather than crack/break & crumble up.

You're drywall/frame will most likely sag & give just a little bit once compressed and under pressure. But enough for a thinset/concrete based product.

 

[calvin415]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13083427#post13083427 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
You might be able to make a frame and seal it to the top of the wall with duct-tape or packing tape (the kind with strings). Fill that form with self-leveling goo, let it cure for a day or two, then peel off the frame.

I don't know how self leveling that stuff is on a 12' span though.

There are very thin sheets of the foam that they sell in a roll. You might put a few layers in the center and then the rigid foam sheet on top. Look and test it, and taper the thin stuff until it looks perfect to you. It seems like the easier method compared to pouring some type of resin into a form.

I'd use either 3/4" or 1" rigid foam from Home Depot, and then put some type of trim to hide it.

Yeah, I was planning on trimming anyway to cover what ever I use, but if I did a pour, then I would trim first and then pour and then styro on top of the leveler... I know folks use this stuff for entire rooms so it should be fine for 12', 15" wide.

The issue with adding more and more foam (or remove) will require moving the tank repeatedly, and I really don't want to put the stress on the tank or my back. Once I have the tank finished I'll get serious on a solution but for now, I think I'm leaning toward the leveler for the simplicity of it, but also because it will give me a perfectly level surface to set the tank on.

 

[calvin415]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13083535#post13083535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wizsmaster
I would be worries about the leveling cement/thinset cracking once under load .... if it's less than an inch or so ... you are still putting a decent amount of weight on it - even with the tank only being 12" tall. hence why i personally look into epoxy ... it would flex a little, rather than crack/break & crumble up.

You're drywall/frame will most likely sag & give just a little bit once compressed and under pressure. But enough for a thinset/concrete based product.

True, but I'm only looking for the leveler to act as a shim, I will still have styro on top of it. So even if it cracks it will still serve it's purpose. But I do agree on an epoxy, just not sure how much I'm ready to drop on a leveler... Do you know of an online site so I can price it?

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[wizsmaster]

typed "clear epoxy" into google - this is the first that came up.

I'd also check with the guys that build the plywood tanks - they use epoxy for the coatings.
There is a guy in the AquaCulture section building a 4x4 plywood frag tank ...

http://www.epoxyproducts.com/bartop.html

 

[foofooree]

Get a big sheet of foam and slowly shave away at one end until it has a 1/16 inch slope to it. Might take some work, but I wouldnt want to use cement. I saw a guy who used it to make a huge tank he built level, but It didnt level properly. I'll se if I can find the link

 

[foofooree]

You can see the project here:http://wizardscave.com/aquarium5.html
Just scroll down the page to see this pic:

 

[DheereCrossing]

The clear epoxy liquid is sold by System 3. You can find it by the quart at places like Woodcraft or Rockler. Perhaps you could find larger quantities directly but I don't think you'd need any more than two batches at most.

You can probably make a 2x4 frame to clamp on the sides or maybe even hot glue some foam board on the sides of the stand.
Mix and pour. I don't know if you'd need to go the whole length of the stand but it may just look better if you do.

 

[slevesque]

Would it be possible to use a piece of acrylic as a shim? (full stand leight) You could shave some thickness here and there to mould it perfectly to the stand top. Easier to say than to do I guess

 

[calvin415]

Thanks for the links and ideas guys, I'm still in the air on this. Part of me is saying 1/8 piece of material in the middle will take care of most of the issue and then the styro should be able to make up for the rest. The other part of me says just do it right and pour a perfectly level slab on the top.

 

[calvin415]

Well after talking to a buddy of mine from work who just use a self leveler in his basement, it sounds like this will be the best way to go. Just incase, I'll be protecting the stand so I can redo it if needed. I'll install a shower pan liner the length and then install a frame the width of the tank. Caulk the corners and then pour... Based on what my friend used, 2 gallons should be enough, but 1 bag will mix plenty! Just have to finish the tank first.

I figure even if it cracks into tons of pieces it's still serving the purpose of a shim for the stryo that will sit on top of it.

I ordered my new applicator bottles yesterday and picked up a new can of WeldOn 3. The bottles are scheduled for delivery on the 7th, I hope there are no hiccups. More updates towards the end of the week.

 

[wizsmaster]

I think you'll sleep better in the long run going with anything, be it thinset or epoxy rather than nothing, or shimming it ...

 

[leoslizards]

I thought you used Weldon 40?

That is this self leveling thing? I've never heard of it.

 

[hahnmeister]

You should put a tunze wavebox on that thing, I bet you could get quite the surf going.

 

[MrSpiffy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13098067#post13098067 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by leoslizards
I thought you used Weldon 40?

That is this self leveling thing? I've never heard of it.

He means self-leveling concrete. Basically, since it's kinda soupy/pasty until it dries, gravity levels it out perfectly for you.

 

[MrSpiffy]

Oh, and WeldOn #40 is really thick stuff. Not good for making nice clean seams like his. #3 is more like water and makes much less of a mess. You'd use #40 for sump baffles or something, or fixing a crack. #3 or #4 is best for seams.

He did use #40, I think, to bond the long pieces together end-to-end, though. Like I mentioned, it's great for filling gaps. He just over-filled them and then sanded/polished them into nearly-invisible seams. But doing that on a corner seam with #40 isn't very easy.

 

[leoslizards]

Ahh I see. Thanks for clearing that up.
In weldon products, the lower the number, the substance is more liquid like and as the number rises, the thicker it gets?

 

[calvin415]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13097524#post13097524 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wizsmaster
I think you'll sleep better in the long run going with anything, be it thinset or epoxy rather than nothing, or shimming it ...

Oh yeah, I wouldn't fill it if it was not 100% supported.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13098126#post13098126 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
You should put a tunze wavebox on that thing, I bet you could get quite the surf going.

Thought about it, but after discussing it with some of the locals with wave boxes I don't believe it would be worth it. Certainly would be cool looking, but I didn't build the tank with a wavebox in mind and don't want any un-needed stress on the tank.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13098640#post13098640 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrSpiffy
He means self-leveling concrete. Basically, since it's kinda soupy/pasty until it dries, gravity levels it out perfectly for you.

Yep.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13098699#post13098699 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MrSpiffy
Oh, and WeldOn #40 is really thick stuff. Not good for making nice clean seams like his. #3 is more like water and makes much less of a mess. You'd use #40 for sump baffles or something, or fixing a crack. #3 or #4 is best for seams.

He did use #40, I think, to bond the long pieces together end-to-end, though. Like I mentioned, it's great for filling gaps. He just over-filled them and then sanded/polished them into nearly-invisible seams. But doing that on a corner seam with #40 isn't very easy.

Actually 40/42 is great for making perfectly clear seams, but it's difficult to work with and it's more expensive (42 is the same as 40 but in a cartridge form so it's easier to mix and apply). I wouldn't say 40 is for filling because I'd save the money and just use 16 for that. Don't get me wrong, it does help to fill, but it's actually welding the pieces together just like the solvents. The 2 part is stronger than the solvents and because it has a thickness to it, it helps to fill in at the same time. The solvents don't fill in, and 16 doesn't have the strength. 40/42 accomplishes both.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13099464#post13099464 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by leoslizards
Ahh I see. Thanks for clearing that up.
In weldon products, the lower the number, the substance is more liquid like and as the number rises, the thicker it gets?

Not really... 3, and 4 kind of work in that fashion, the lower the number the faster it sets up but they are all equally thin. I've heard there is a Weldon 5, but never seen it myself. 40 and 42 are the same thing just a different application, and 16 is equally thick, but not nearly as strong (not an epoxy instead imagine a weldon 3 or 4 with acrylic disolved in it to thicken it up, it's more useful as a filler/patch).

 

[runningstix]

Calvin,

I am debating building my own acrylic display. I have built numerous projects out of acrylic and feel that I have become comfortable with the appearance of my seems. Im just worried about the jump from "behind the scenes" to display.

Could You show a CLOSE UP of your seems, maybe a best and worse seem. I just think that I will spend all my time looking at the imperfections as I am a huge perfectionist.

Thanks.

 

[calvin415]

I see what I can do, it's always tought to see that kind of detail, even in a macro pic. If you're intersted in seeing it first hand, feel free to PM me, I'm only an hour or so away... Or if you're coming down in October for the frag swap, I should be available.