Building tanks using plywood?????

[StickyTuba]

Hey all,
I was just reading on the GARF website about this guy who built a 500 gal tank using plywood and glass. He also said that he put plexiglass on the bottom so his LR wouldn't scratch.

Maybe I am reading this wrong. I didn't think that you could have plywood as a surface in your tank. He did talk about sealing it.

Hopefully I am reading this wrong and someone will set me straight.
Does he possibly mean that he put the plywood behind the glass.

TIA for helping me out. I have attached the artice too.
IT really is a cool article but slightly confusing.

 

[StickyTuba]

Ok,
Here is the article.

http://www.garf.org/news21p3.html#jake

 

[bound_for_obx]

A while back there was a local pet shop that was building tanks out of plywood. I believe that he used an epoxy paint to seal them.

 

[BillyZ]

You can certainly use plywood as a construction material. It does, obviously, need to be sealed to make it and the tank water-tight. Either an epoxy or some even use a rubber liner.


(going to move this to the DIY forum)

 

[StickyTuba]

Well, I'll be darned.
I was unaware that you could do that. He did say that he used Epoxy paint.
I will have to look more into that.
Thanks for the help.

Huh, you learn something new everyday.
Thanks again!

 

[Bearfan]

Seems possible, but no thanks.

 

[BillyZ]

when you're researching you'll probably come across this, but you have to be careful what paint you use. It has to be non-toxic. You don't want the paint leaching any contaminants into the water. What they may end up doing, is painting the plywood, then sealing it all under clear epoxy. Of course, you could also use the info in some of the threads here that cover the 3D backgrounds and cover the plywood with something more, realistic.

 

[StickyTuba]

I don't think that I will be doing anything like this, but I was unaware that you could even use the plywood.
It's neat but I prefer glass over anything else.
Just Old Fashioned I guess

 

[Billsgate]

Not old fashioned, tanks just look much better all glass

 

[BillyZ]

if you want to view the tank from more than one side, absolutely. IMO, if you're not going to be viewing from more than one side then why spend all the extra money? You could make a trank hundreds of gallons if you use plywood instead of an average size tank using all glass or acrylic. Also, many folks find wood easier to work with than glass/acrylic.


and if you wanna go uber big... cement with a viewing glass/window

 

[StickyTuba]

I will keep all of that in mind.
I think that my wife would shoot me if I asked to build one using cement.
But I will remember that for the future.

 

[Chilly Willy]

Being a professional Painting Contractor I would use a product called Drylock on the interior of the plywood. I would then probably paint over the dry lock with 4 coats of a product by Sherwin Williams called Woodscape stain. It's a stain but applies like paint and dries like paint. Maybe if I'm going super crazy I would ProBlock inbetween the drylock coat and the 4 coats of woodscape.

I might even try to make a small version of a plywood tank just to see how it would come out. Seems odd but fun to do.

 

[StickyTuba]

I may give it a try, but I will have to wait because I am currently constructing a tank stand and 2 storage benches for our house. The stand is going to a friend and then I might give it a try.

Thanks for the suggestion of Drylock and the stain. I will probably use it when/if I attempt to build one.

 

[Guest]

Oh, well then you'll love this link. It's a guy from this other forum that I am a member of. He made a 125G from scratch out of wood! It's amazing. Pictures galore!!

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=64922&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

[Toirtis]

Very common practice and it has been around for years....as far as size goes, there is a chap online that a couple of years back built a 2700 gallon marine tank from plywwod.

 

[jgsketch]

Or this guy built a 1700 gallon shark tank http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_1700g_tank_1.php.

Toirtis, do have a link to that 2700 gallon tank?

 

[Guest]

Hands down to that guy. I wonder how you would water change that thing. So, like, 5% of 2700 is 135G. Yikes!

 

[krap101]

lol should have like a 500 refrigium type thing.

 

[Just_Stone]

Actually one of the main advantages I've seen for building your own plywood tank is the flexibility of size and shape.
Example a corner tank of 100plus gallons can be quite expensive to buy IF you can find the right dimentions, but building your own, you can make to fit, with the side towards the walls being plywood (don't need to be clear).

 

[DeFeKt]

be cheaper, and lighter to have one custom built all glass.
1000+ gal and you might be coming even.