My wood tank build

[Butch 37]

A few post up, scbauer said you took out the plastic things between the glass and wood because of pressure points..Did you use them? I like your idea using them to have a thicker gasket.
So which way is the best way? LOL

BTW, Tank looks awesome!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dougie]

awesome setup! cant wait to see it finished.

 

[Brandan]

Wow, looks awesome, makes me want to build a HUGE plywood tank now. All the fiberglass work doesn't exactly excite me though. Looks like you did a lot of woodworking prior to this project. . . Very nice work.

 

[stugray]

Del,

tank is looking great! I definitely picked up a few tips for next time I move.

For the glass panel spacer blocks ( after reading some of the above concerns ) I thought of a cleaner way:

Drill & tap the front panel with 1/4-20 threads right into the wood in 10-12 places around the perimeter. Screw in nylon bolts with the proper stickout & set the front glass. Once the silicone sets, remove the nylon bolts and use the remaining holes to attach the trim.

Also - are you interested in getting a few frags of your old corals?
Your green polyp Sarco just dropped its entire rim, so you could get back either the rim or the stalk. I also have the big green hydnophora that needs fragging, and I think I got a psammacorra from you that has numerous frags. The red plating monti is even huge and we were considering cutting down. ( you gave me ~4" square - it is now like 12" square with three main plates ).

Stu

 

[H20ENG]

What about all those 1/4" holes that are not full of silicone? I realize it would be sealed around the edge of the glass, but I still wouldnt want holes under there.

I spoke to a guy at Waterdog years ago, and they used rubber or foam blocks. Just left them in.

 

[stugray]

H20ENG

"What about all those 1/4" holes that are not full of silicone?"

I saw that the main concern above was the point loading once you fill it with water ( Del has ~ an inch of seal all around )

By removing the "point" you would give the whole seam even loading even if you have the small void where you remove the screw. I think the tiny void every few feet would be a lesser evil than the point load.

Stu

 

[H20ENG]

I hear you.
If you used rubber blocks that had relatively the same durometer of cured silicone, I think that'd be ideal. That way it would have the same give all the way around.

 

[JCTewks]

that's how they do the BIG tank...check out the reefzilla thread at TRT and there is a good description of it with pics.

 

[dsandfort]

If I do it again (unlikely) here is how I'd do it. I'd buy some 1/8" square acrylic rods and lay them parallel around the perimeter in the center of the sealing surface, like a railroad track, with about 1/4" between the rods. I'd fill the void with silicone and screed it off and let it set up. Then I'd remove the acrylic rods. That would give a 1/8"x1/4" silicone bumber once cured.

I'd do the rest of the set just like I did it using the bumper as the offset.

However, I didn't do it that way this time and guess what, Still holding water as we write. I think there is lots of margin for error as long as the build has plenty of error margin.

 

[JCTewks]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10933165#post10933165 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dsandfort
I think there is lots of margin for error as long as the build has plenty of error margin.

Great words Del!!!

 

[morino]

great project

 

[slandis3]

Del, what glass thickness did you end up with?

 

[dsandfort]

I couldn't find 1/2" low iron locally and I didn't think 3/8" was thick enough so I had 2 pieces of 3/8" laminated to give me a 3/4" thick piece. Cost a little more than the epoxy but I didn't want to skimp.

 

[miwoodar]

Del - how about some new pics? I want to see the FTS when you have it! BTW - the rock work around the tank turned out awesome.

 

[dsandfort]

I've been out of country for some time and have not accomplished much at all.
I have become pretty good at building structure. I really like the pillar design with open space and overhangs.

I'm getting closer to the FTS but not yet. I did install the second OM 4-way and blew sand all over the place.

 

[viperdragon666]

looking good

 

[zombiereef]

looking good so far. cant wait to see it in a few years!

 

[dsandfort]

At the rate I'm going, the rock work might be just about finished in a few years.

 

[jnarowe]

don't sweat it. take your time and enjoy the ride.

 

[dsandfort]

The ride is great...it's the burns from dragging my arse that get old.

What's this I hear about no drinking?????