marinelife
Active member
Thanks that is kinda what I was thinking, I also was thinking inside layer 3/4" marine grade and outside layer 1/2 Fir or Birch
Plywood tank Question
- Thread starter marinelife
- Start date
marinelife
Active member
I ended up getting 3/4 Birch for the outside layer and 3/4 AC fir for the inside layer.
Right now I am looking at 96longx34widex72high with a 2" acrylic sheet for the viewing area.
Right now I am looking at 96longx34widex72high with a 2" acrylic sheet for the viewing area.
marinelife
Active member
I am getting ready to start this project and will do my best to keep this thread updated.
I have been researching this for several months now and purchased the wood panels today. I have what I need to get started and will purchase some more wood, fiberglass, and epoxy later.
I purchased so far:
20 2x4s for the base frame & bottom support and the top bracing.
2 boxes of different length outdoor screws
7 48"x96"x3/4" sheets of A Grade Burch Plywood - very nice wood!!!
7 48"x96"x3/4" sheets of A/C Grade Fir Plywood
1 large bottle of waterproof wood glue
One reason for two kinds of wood are 1. Price and 2. the fiberglass and epoxy are claimed to bond to the fir better.
I will be gluing and nailing together the two types of wood to make the tank walls around 1.5" thick.
I will be ordering a 1.5" thick sheet of acyclic once I am ready. So far I will only be having one viewing window because of the cost.
I have added a layer or two of fiberglass to my design as well as a few layers of epoxy.
The inside size of the tank will be 28-28.5" front to back, 96" long, and 78" high with the water level at 65"
The outside size of the tank will be 34" front to back, 100" long, and 78" high. Just enough to fit in the front door and the spot already missing wood in our wood floor.
At this time I plan to light the tank with 4 400W Metal Halide. I am thinking 2 14000ks on the ends and 2 6500ks in the middle. I will keep SPS corals at the top with my clams on a shelf. I will add some deep water Acropora corals and softies lower in the tank.
I will use a Panworld 250PS (1900GPH) on a closed loop system and my Iwaki 40RTXL as the return pump. I will also be running 2-4 streams in the tank. At this time the wave boxes will be sold as I am told they will not work correctly in a tank so tall. I am sad about this because I love the Tunze Waveboxes. Tunze is releasing new Streams later this year that I hope to purchase for this tank.
I will be building a cabinet for the one end of the tank to hold my one RO/DI unit for autotop off, Sump, CA Reactor, Co2 Tank, and anything else I need.
I will be adding my current fish, coral, clam, sand, and live rock to the new tank. I will add some more anthias and that is all for fish at this time.
The current plan is to move everything to 100gallon rubbermaid stock tanks and then change out the tank. Then sell the 375 with stand and also sell the waveboxes. This will help me keep the cost down for the new tank.
I have been researching this for several months now and purchased the wood panels today. I have what I need to get started and will purchase some more wood, fiberglass, and epoxy later.
I purchased so far:
20 2x4s for the base frame & bottom support and the top bracing.
2 boxes of different length outdoor screws
7 48"x96"x3/4" sheets of A Grade Burch Plywood - very nice wood!!!
7 48"x96"x3/4" sheets of A/C Grade Fir Plywood
1 large bottle of waterproof wood glue
One reason for two kinds of wood are 1. Price and 2. the fiberglass and epoxy are claimed to bond to the fir better.
I will be gluing and nailing together the two types of wood to make the tank walls around 1.5" thick.
I will be ordering a 1.5" thick sheet of acyclic once I am ready. So far I will only be having one viewing window because of the cost.
I have added a layer or two of fiberglass to my design as well as a few layers of epoxy.
The inside size of the tank will be 28-28.5" front to back, 96" long, and 78" high with the water level at 65"
The outside size of the tank will be 34" front to back, 100" long, and 78" high. Just enough to fit in the front door and the spot already missing wood in our wood floor.
At this time I plan to light the tank with 4 400W Metal Halide. I am thinking 2 14000ks on the ends and 2 6500ks in the middle. I will keep SPS corals at the top with my clams on a shelf. I will add some deep water Acropora corals and softies lower in the tank.
I will use a Panworld 250PS (1900GPH) on a closed loop system and my Iwaki 40RTXL as the return pump. I will also be running 2-4 streams in the tank. At this time the wave boxes will be sold as I am told they will not work correctly in a tank so tall. I am sad about this because I love the Tunze Waveboxes. Tunze is releasing new Streams later this year that I hope to purchase for this tank.
I will be building a cabinet for the one end of the tank to hold my one RO/DI unit for autotop off, Sump, CA Reactor, Co2 Tank, and anything else I need.
I will be adding my current fish, coral, clam, sand, and live rock to the new tank. I will add some more anthias and that is all for fish at this time.
The current plan is to move everything to 100gallon rubbermaid stock tanks and then change out the tank. Then sell the 375 with stand and also sell the waveboxes. This will help me keep the cost down for the new tank.
JCTewks
In Memoriam
man...you're just up the road from me (in ohio terms...about an hour drive :lol: )
will there be any walls that this will sit against to help support it? You will be fine with the plywood that you bought...I was posting more for the folks that say "you have to use marine grade", or "use any old junk you can find"
Will you be setting up a fuge on this tank and running skimmerless as well?
will there be any walls that this will sit against to help support it? You will be fine with the plywood that you bought...I was posting more for the folks that say "you have to use marine grade", or "use any old junk you can find"
Will you be setting up a fuge on this tank and running skimmerless as well?
marinelife
Active member
400w MHs will be enough for me, they may not hit the bottom but that is ok. This will let me get some odd ball corals.
The back will be against the wall and one side will have a cabinet on it to hold all the equipment.
At this time the plan is for a sump, CA Reactor, and a small amount of macro algae. No skimmer is planned at this time
The back will be against the wall and one side will have a cabinet on it to hold all the equipment.
At this time the plan is for a sump, CA Reactor, and a small amount of macro algae. No skimmer is planned at this time
Pbrown3701
New member
Do you know how to SCUBA dive? 
marinelife
Active member
I will soon
nice eric hey if you wanted a 1000watt my brother in law has one that hes not using. you could use that in the very center then have the 400w around it. and why arent you posting any of this over on our site. o wait you and i are the only ones on it lol jk. i need to come over and check it out soon. sounds like you got a lot of work a head of you. if you need any help you got my number
JCTewks
In Memoriam
the wall will give it some added (and needed) support, and you could builb some 2 x 4's into the end with the cabinet for more support. THen do a 2 x 4 (or better, a few laminated plywood vertical beams) support on the other end. You might want to look into a steel frame around the front wood that will hold the viewing pane...72" is a lot of pressure at the bottom of that, and 100" is pretty long!
Look into LumenBright reflectors...they are more focused (laser like) than the luminarc reflectors. You could prob get some more useable light to the bottom of the tank in them
Look into LumenBright reflectors...they are more focused (laser like) than the luminarc reflectors. You could prob get some more useable light to the bottom of the tank in them
marinelife
Active member
The equipment cabinet side I am not worried about, the other end has not been 100% voted on yet. For the front, I have tlaked to a few aquariums makers and they suggested a 2" or greater overlap and I would be fine. I have thought about adding some metal to the corners and covering then with wood.
Currently I have 3 of the 4 lights I will need for the new tank. I may change if I do not like the look of them once I set it up
Currently I have 3 of the 4 lights I will need for the new tank. I may change if I do not like the look of them once I set it up
I would strongly rec. reinforcing the sides... over building would be the way to go. I would almost build the walls as if you were building a wall to a house only using plywood instead of drywall. This will prevent bowing... may even advise to use 4x4s or doubling up the 2x4s.
check this site out: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_1700g_tank_1.php
check this site out: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_1700g_tank_1.php
marinelife
Active member
Thanks for the link, I have read that many times over the past several months. I think the ends are covered with the equipment cabinet and still unsure about how I am doing the other side. I am limited on space so I have to really consider everything first. There will be a shelf on the inside of the end to hold my clams which will also give some support against bowing
hmmmmm I dont know your exact plans, but I think that just doubling up plywood without exterior ribs will be a problem, even if you are up against an existing wall. I dont want to be a nay sayer, but the shelf wont do anything to keep the walls from bursting outwards. Think of an oak barrel with steel straps. The advantage the barrel has is the bowed wood and the fact that it is a cylinder. I think you really need serious "banding" around that tank with special attention to the corners... The shelf will not do anything to hold the sides in and may even split from the sides compromising the resin. of course... this is just my opinnion
marinelife
Active member
I will be putting supports in the corners and bracing around the top of the tank. I have spoken with several tank builders and several plywood tank builders and they feel with the two plywoods glued together and the epoxy/fiberglass I should have more than enough thickness to hold it together. I have not seen many large deep tanks and even less made out of wood so I am kinda going into the unknown. If I was to get them make out of just acrylic they would use 1.5 to 2" thick sheets only.
8BALL_99
New member
I think you will be fine.. Add Support to the corners either inside or out. Be sure around the window is very strong. Ofcourse have several braces across the top. Two layers of 3/4 Ply Glued and the joints staggered should be very strong!
From what you said it sounds like your going to try and build this outside and bring it in? I just dont think you will be able to do that. 1 sheet of 3/4 weighs in at about 70LBS you have 14.. Even if you dont use them all YIKES. Thats not even talking about your 1.5" thick acrylic window..Or your 2x4 braces or the Epoxy or the fiberglass lol.. I"m up to about 1400LBS in my head....
From what you said it sounds like your going to try and build this outside and bring it in? I just dont think you will be able to do that. 1 sheet of 3/4 weighs in at about 70LBS you have 14.. Even if you dont use them all YIKES. Thats not even talking about your 1.5" thick acrylic window..Or your 2x4 braces or the Epoxy or the fiberglass lol.. I"m up to about 1400LBS in my head....
