150g Plywood and Glass Aquarium

[CyclistMT]

When I was researching building a plywood tank I couldn't find a lot of resources to look to. So, in addition to my post, here are a couple others to get you started if you're thinking about trying this.

Instructions for plywood tank construction (http://www.garf.org/news18p2.html#plan)

scchase's build thread (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=674932)

jcanute build thread (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=751201)

Sean : EbN build thread (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=716410&perpage=25&pagenumber=1)

I'm no stranger to glass tanks and used to work at a LFS that manufactured all of the tanks we sold. I have built several glass tanks and was not afraid to build another, but when I started to estimate the cost to purchase pre-built or build my own, I began to consider other options.

The size and shape of the tank I wanted would require a custom build and it quickly became very expensive. The tank I wanted would be 48L x 24H x 32W. This would require fairly thick glass. At a minimum, a tank of these dimensions should be built with 1/2" glass on all sides and 3/4" for the bottom. Additionally a strong cross brace or a well designed Euro brace would be required. Just to purchase the glass I guessed it would be in excess of $600.00 and to have it custom built and shipped, well over a $1000. There are no custom tank builders near this piece of Montana. :) I didn't even want to think about how heavy a glass tank of this size would be. Acrylic wasn't an option for me as I've never worked with the material on this scale and wouldn't trust in my ability to construct it.

For me, that left a plywood/glass option only. I have reasonable woodworking skills and can wield a paint brush with the best of them so I figured I could get the job done. All tolled I have around $420 in to this build. I know, some will say that the cost of the tank is one of the least expensive investments in a reef tank. That may be true but you've got to try and save somewhere right? I am also going with 100% DIY rock and with a careful selection of good quality equipment I figure I will have $3000 or at most $3500 before livestock. With an all glass or acrylic tank and live rock, I would be well over $5000.00. That $1500+ I've saved will buy some nice corals and fish.

After much research I decided that I would trust in the epoxy to provide enough of waterproofing without using fiberglass. Many people talk about using fiberglass when building these tanks and you can see examples of that in the posts above. I have a strong feeling that most of them do it to enhance structural integrity of the tank and maybe they need to because of the massive sizes they build. I have never worked with fiberglass either and I didn't really want to hassle with the mess. Once the tank was constructed, I had no worries about structural integrity. With 3/4" plywood, Euro bracing and only 4' in length I am not worried about any kind of deflection at all. I used 3/8" glass for the front and side viewing panels because that's all that's necessary for the 24" height. The plywood is taking the pressure load here so it allowed me to reduce the glass thickness from what would be necessary in an all glass tank.

I used hemlock plywood I found at Lowes because it came in precut sizes that would work for me and was sanded on both sides. This saved me the hassle of filling in imperfections and minimized the cuts I needed to make. It was a little more expensive this way over a 4x8 sheet of plywood but it saved me a lot of hassle. I didn't even bother looking for marine grade plywood as suggested at some sites as I figured it would require special ordering at best and if the epoxy is applied correctly, water should never reach the wood anyway.

Here is my materials list and approximate cost:

Plywood- $120.00
Epoxy- $100.00
Glass- $150.00
Screws, filler, silicone, Liquid Nails- @$50.00

I don't have my receipts in front of me but that's in the ballpark.

If you've stuck with me this far and are interested in trying a project like this for yourself, let me offer this word of warning. If you've never picked up a saw in your life, this will be a very difficult project. You should have some basic workworking knowledge like how to square a corner and that you need to drill pilot holes before inserting screws. If these are foreign concepts to you, this project might not be up your alley. FWIW.

Plywood you can get at your favorite lumber yard or box hardware store.

Epoxy can be found at local paint stores but if you try to find anything even remotely out of the ordinary in Billings, MT you're usually met with a blank stare. I didn't even bother to try and just ordered mine from Aquatic Ecosystems. They have a variety of colors as well.

Glass can be custom cut at any glass shop but call around. You will get many different price quotes. The bigger glass shops will usually be cheaper as they deal in much lager quantities. I was quoted twice the price for my glass from one shop with only ground edges. Where I ended up buying it, not only was it half the price but they beveled the edges too.

For filler I used Dap Plastic Wood. Once cured, this is very strong stuff. It took a lot of elbow grease to sand it down. I used this in the corners to ensure a uniform surface for the epoxy coating.

For screws I opted to use stainless steel deck screws. Probably not necessary as again, no water should be getting to them anyway but it gave me a little more peace of mind. I found them at Home Depot. I used 2 1/2" x 10. In retrospect I wish I would have used a smaller gauge and length. Even with pilot holes I got some bulging but it wasn't bad enough that I'm worried about it. Perhaps my pilot holes weren't large enough but I think a smaller gauge would be better suited since you are fastening into plys and not solid wood.

For silicone I used GE 1 Window and Door 100% clear. I kind of wish I would have sprung for black silicone though. Ultimately black would probably be less noticeable. I don't know if GE makes an aquarium safe black but I think you can buy black silicone at Aquatic Ecosystems as well.

Ok, on to some pictures.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/107010Tank_2.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/107010Tank_3.jpg

I pretty much followed the Garf instructions. Sides on top of bottom, Liquid nails between the wood interfaces, and screws about every 2 inches.

Epoxied and outside frame painted:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/107010Tank_4.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/107010Tank_5.jpg

The epoxy is not a smooth as it could be but it was 90+ degrees when I did it so it's not perfectly pretty but functional. Rock will probably cover most of it anyway.

Preparing to install glass and front panel glass installed:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/107010Tank_7.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/107010Tank_8.jpg

After both glass panels were installed it sat in my garage for about 3 weeks with water in it. No leaks!

And now, in its final resting place. Obviously I still have trim work to do and please ignore the light. I was just playing with it. The tank will be lit with real MH reflectors. ;) I still have a lot of work on the fish room....err fish closet so I'm many months away from water but I though it might be nice to share my project thus far.

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/107010Tank_9.jpg

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/508/107010Tank_10.jpg

[jjmg]

The tank looks interesting. You can't beat the price! As you said money saved on the tank can go in it. I think I might sleep a bit better at night though if the plywood had a bit of bracing. Plywood isn't the best at taking screws into the end grain. I've been known to overbuild though!

Keep us informed of how it's going.

[WarrenG]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8521808#post8521808 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CyclistMT
[B] The tank I wanted would be 48L x 24H x 32W. This would require fairly thick glass. At a minimum, a tank of these dimensions should be built with 1/2" glass on all sides and 3/4" for the bottom. Additionally a strong cross brace or a well designed Euro brace would be required. Just to purchase the glass I guessed it would be in excess of $600.00 and to have it custom built and shipped, well over a $1000. ]

I recently got a new tank. I made a simple drawing (it's not really rectangular-it has an angled rear corner to fit in the corner of an special room) It is 48L x 27H x 30W. 1/2" cast acrylic all around with a cross brace. The material cost $350 from a local plastics supplier and the cost of getting it glued together and drilled by the plastic supplier was $240. Done in about a week.


Your tank does look nice.

[CyclistMT]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Plywood isn't the best at taking screws into the end grain.

jjmg, I hear what you're saying about the end grain. I completely agree. If I had any doubts once it was put together I would have beefed it up more. I think the Euro bracing really helps make it solid.

I recently got a new tank. I made a simple drawing (it's not really rectangular-it has an angled rear corner to fit in the corner of an special room) It is 48L x 27H x 30W. 1/2" cast acrylic all around with a cross brace. The material cost $350 from a local plastics supplier and the cost of getting it glued together and drilled by the plastic supplier was $240. Done in about a week.

Warren, that's an awesome price for an acrylic tank! If I thought there was any hope I could have found a similar deal locally on acrylic you better believe I would have considered it. Unfortunately I live in a city of 100,000 people surround by farm land. We are the biggest city in at least a 600 mile radius. It is very likely I would have had to special order the acrylic at 3 times the price you paid and I doubt very much that there is anyone around here with enough experience to assemble it that I would trust. You got a great deal though!

[sunfishh]

Nice work. I really like the way your project turned out :)

[wmfsoll2]

Nice Work!

I have been thinking about doing something like this but I am still not sure.

Looking forward to seeing this build progress.

Bill.

[wmfsoll2]

By the way, did you coat the screws with Liquid Nail prior to screwing it together?

Bill.

[CyclistMT]

Bill, it took me a couple of years to decide that this could be a successful way to build a tank. There are not a lot of people that built plywood tanks or at least not a lot of documented cases. I did find a couple of horror stories too that gave me pause. But I figured in those cases the human factor caused the error. Either someone went too fast or tried to do something different then what had been documented successfully (usually a shortcut). These things enevitably led to failure. Becuase of the documented successes of the people here on Reef Central, I decided to give it a go.

If you have even moderate woodworking skills and understand basic construction techniques, this won't be a problem for you. Just take your time both in planning and execution.

As for coating the screws with Liquid Nails, I never even thought about it. It may not be a bad idea but honestly, I'm not sure there is a real need. I have no fear of the screws turning out so no need to ensure they're glued in place. And if you're thinking of doing it to waterproof the screws, well, if water is getting as far as the screw, your wood is already compromised.

Good luck if you decide to build a tank!

BTW, thanks for serving in the Navy and helping to keep our country protected. :thumbsup:

[devgru]

Im not new to aquariums but I am to saltwater(less than a year).I had an old 55g sitting around and decided to give it a try.I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT!Now after having my 55g up and running for some time now I want to go bigger.Ive been researching everything I can about saltwater systems(even taking trips to SEA WORLD and talking with the men and woman behind the scenes of maintaining their systems).I came across a sheet of glass the other day(7'x4'x3/4") and have decided to go BIG.I hope to have it completed by mid Feb.It wont be up and running for a long time after that(need large sump,larger PS,plethora of pumps etc...)I will be posting pics as it comes around.I would like to thank everyone here for their posts which have helped me to learn more about this lovely hobby.

[bkwudzjeep]

[welcome] devgru

Make sure to check out some of the local reef club forums if you need some help with your project!!

CyclistMT:
This plywood tank looks great! Take lots of pics!! :)

[wmfsoll2]

Thanks CyclistMT, I have a part-time Carpentry Business so my carpentry skills are pretty good.

About the screws it was more of a permanent security issue for me than anything else.

I may try doing this as a 40 Gal. corner tank first to see how it works. It could be fun.

Thanks for the info and good luck on this build. I will be tagging along to check out your progress.

Bill.

[CyclistMT]

For those that wanted to follow along and were hoping for updates I just wanted to let you know that I decided to post my ongoing build log in the Reef Discussion forum. Here is the link.

CyclistMT's 150 Gal Plywood and Glass Build (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1037854)

Thanks for looking everyone!