Concrete tank - Aquarium Advice

pinda · 07-12-2007, 01:06 PM

I have a 55g but I want to build a concrete tank that is going to be about 8ft long by 3ft wide. A friend of mine told me that i could build a concrete tank with a glass front but line the bottom and the sides with pond liner. Has anyone out there done that before. I guess the pond liner is to stop the water from leaking through the concrete.

Agnate80700 · 07-12-2007, 05:37 PM

thats an interesting idea... but that tank would be heavy as sin. would u be putting it into a wall or something? i guess a liner would work *shrug* but id be wary about chemicals in the concrete leaching into the tank.

flanque · 07-12-2007, 06:11 PM

I'd be worried about the liner ripping.

pinda · 07-12-2007, 06:42 PM

I will be putting it into a wall and I will be lining the concrete with a soft barrier both at the top and bottom to ensure that the lining doesn't break.

flanque · 07-12-2007, 06:47 PM

Yeah. I wish you the best of luck, but this seems like a disaster in waiting.

**Devilishturtles** · 07-12-2007, 08:38 PM

I'd be worried about both leakage from the liner and the weight of the tank. 8 ft by 3 ft. and to be strong enough to support all the weight of the water, sand, rocks, etc. will need to be quite thick I'd imagine, and quite heavy... I would custom build a glass tank using steel supports or something before I went and used concrete, but that's just my opinion.

flanque · 07-12-2007, 08:49 PM

Yeah I agree. It seems very much overkill and lends itself to problems and to be very inflexible. At least with a steel frame and glass tank you can move it around.

seaham358 · 07-12-2007, 08:58 PM

Tanks don't cost that much, I would just buy one..

pinda · 07-12-2007, 10:30 PM

I am doing it because glass is so expensive where I live. I saw a similar setup at the zoo only difference is that they had piranhas in the tank. The tank will be heavy as it will be a concrete tank but it is a concrete tank attached to a wall in my house.

Innovator · 07-12-2007, 11:57 PM

You'd be better off in purchasing a fiberglass tank, which would insulate better, is lighter, and more cost efficient. Zoos have concrete because usually they are older aquariums and aren't given a choice of materials to work with and concrete is cheaper for them to build.

07-12-2007, 01:06 PM	#1
pinda Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 209	Concrete tank I have a 55g but I want to build a concrete tank that is going to be about 8ft long by 3ft wide. A friend of mine told me that i could build a concrete tank with a glass front but line the bottom and the sides with pond liner. Has anyone out there done that before. I guess the pond liner is to stop the water from leaking through the concrete.

07-12-2007, 06:11 PM	#3
flanque Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sydney Posts: 700 Images: 15	I'd be worried about the liner ripping. __________________ Kind regards, [flanque] View My Webshots Website Help save the Great Barrier Reef! Get involved in reef conservation!

07-12-2007, 06:47 PM	#5
flanque Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sydney Posts: 700 Images: 15	Yeah. I wish you the best of luck, but this seems like a disaster in waiting. __________________ Kind regards, [flanque] View My Webshots Website Help save the Great Barrier Reef! Get involved in reef conservation!

07-12-2007, 08:49 PM	#7
flanque Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sydney Posts: 700 Images: 15	Yeah I agree. It seems very much overkill and lends itself to problems and to be very inflexible. At least with a steel frame and glass tank you can move it around. __________________ Kind regards, [flanque] View My Webshots Website Help save the Great Barrier Reef! Get involved in reef conservation!

07-12-2007, 08:58 PM	#8
seaham358 Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2004 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY Posts: 3,296 Images: 21	Tanks don't cost that much, I would just buy one.. __________________ 9/02-125 REEF, 125 lbs LR,LS 4x160 VHO, Reef Devil /Sump, Fuge 7/03-55 FOWLR 60lb LR, 50 lb SD sand 2x40 NO strip light, Reef Devil/sump, Fuge TANK PICS http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=98202

07-12-2007, 05:37 PM	#2
Agnate80700 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Canton, MI Posts: 246 Images: 8	thats an interesting idea... but that tank would be heavy as sin. would u be putting it into a wall or something? i guess a liner would work shrug but id be wary about chemicals in the concrete leaching into the tank.

07-12-2007, 06:42 PM	#4
pinda Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 209	I will be putting it into a wall and I will be lining the concrete with a soft barrier both at the top and bottom to ensure that the lining doesn't break.

07-12-2007, 10:30 PM	#9
pinda Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 209	I am doing it because glass is so expensive where I live. I saw a similar setup at the zoo only difference is that they had piranhas in the tank. The tank will be heavy as it will be a concrete tank but it is a concrete tank attached to a wall in my house.

07-12-2007, 11:57 PM	#10
Innovator Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,606	You'd be better off in purchasing a fiberglass tank, which would insulate better, is lighter, and more cost efficient. Zoos have concrete because usually they are older aquariums and aren't given a choice of materials to work with and concrete is cheaper for them to build.

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