Re: NANFA-- Building tanks.

Ron Anderson (yodeman_at_lycos.com)
Thu, 01 Apr 2004 02:23:37 -0500

Hey Moon, I fully agree about a maximum of 16" of exposed glass height when using 1/4" glass(and anything thicker is extremely expensive, unless you are using salvaged glass). Somewhere on the web, don't have time to look now, there is a great DIY article on a wood/glass tank. I helped a friend build a few 6 footers, and he now has maybe 20 or so in his fishroom. 2 feet wide is very cool, it adds nice depth of field to the tank (don't know how else to state that). Are you using 2 part epoxy paint for the inside or fiberglass or something else (I have heard some people say they used swimming pool paint). My friend has both fiberglass and 2 part epoxy tanks. They both work equally well I think. I thknk the paint was 60 or 80 bucks for the gallon system. One advantage of a plywood tank is its lighter dry weight, for ease of moving around. For a 125 though, it would pay to try to hold off for a used one, if you belong to a club they come up from time to time, least they do aroun
d
here. Just spread the word around that your in the market. Ron

------------
Ron Anderson
Warwick, RI
alt email: ron02886_at_cox.net

--------- Original Message ---------

DATE: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 23:44:16
From: Moontanman_at_aol.com
To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
Cc:

>In a message dated 3/31/04 10:47:57 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>archimedes_at_bayspringstel.net writes:
>
>> Quoting "Gastropodmania_at_aol.com" <Gastropodmania at aol.com>:
>>
>> Depends on what you build it out of. 125's run about $300 (last time I
>> checked). If you want to build one out of glass, then forget it. Plywood
>> would
>> be a bit cheaper but not by much (or at all if you don't have a salvaged
>> piece
>> of glass to use for the front. Other alternatives are concrete and
>> fiberglass -
>> not economical for a tank this small.
>>
>> At this size, I say buy one. If you want a really big tank, then build it.
>>
>Even though I build tanks and sometimes sell them I have to agree, I would be
>hard pressed to build a 125 (tank only) for less than $300 and make any money
>on it. I can make them with glass corners instead of a plywood box with a
>glass front but the main advantage of the ones I make is that I can make them
>with custom overflow fittings, plumbing and such. I have also found a way to use
>1/4 inch glass instead of the 3/8 to 1/2 many people use but it results in a
>tank with only 18" of exposed glass at most. A tank much deeper than 18" become
>impractical anyway unless you want to put your arm, shoulder and head under
>water every time you reach for the bottom. My 125 I use has 16" of exposed
>glass with 2.5" of plywood at the top and bottom which makes it 21" deep. With 3
>inches of sand I still get my shoulder wet when I reach for the back bottom
>with is 24" wide I wouldn't make a tank with a total depth of more than 24" for
>hobby use. It's just too deep to reach into. My next tank I have drawn up plans
>for will be 96" long 36" wide and 24" deep but the span of unsupported glass
>will only be 16" with 3" of support at the top and 5" of support at the bottom
>to hide the sand level. It should hold 360 gallons not including the sump.
>it's going to be my sturgeon tank.
>
>Moon
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