My wood tank build - Page 6

tank watch · #**126** 03/12/2007, 08:47 PM

Wow! 15 coats of 'poxy ! how many gallons so far? What are your plans for glass? what kind? where? how much?

I unrolled my first piece of fiberglass today. I didnt wet it, I got scared.

dsandfort · #**127** 03/12/2007, 08:56 PM

Only 15 coats on the weirs. 6 everywhere else inside and 3 outside. I finished off 5 gallons and will need another quart for incidentals.

You know, every time I see your location, all I can think of is shrimp po'boys. I'd trade you one for some figerglass work if I could.

Still planing low iron, just have not found it yet.

Remember on the first wet out, don't let the fiberglass float in the epoxy, sqeegee most of it out but make sure you get it all wet.

Tigger240 · #**128** 03/12/2007, 09:20 PM

fiberglassing wasnt as hard as i thought it would be, i was excited to do it actually, but its not bad at all. i just did it for the first time 3 nights ago. i had a full face shield and air filter in one unit that came in real handy it was nice not smelling the resin crap or getting dust in my face. just have lots of gloves, mixing cups ( i just used 2 acutally, you can just switch them out if your using plastic cups ) mixing sticks and brushes on hand. and mix the resin correctly and throughly too. plastic bondo blades came in handy to squeegie the surface.

cbui2 · #**129** 03/13/2007, 12:10 AM

great job on the fiberglass as seen in photos no air pockets, also noticed that you bought the thin woven materials, it's much harder to work with thicker materials but you don't have to lay a lot, coming out very nice dsandfort, i like it...also clean job makes it so easy to trim of the edges without having to sand a lot down..

Alphabet · #**130** 03/13/2007, 01:03 AM

nice job 15 coats!! Thats gotta have some depth to the finish!!

norskfisk · #**131** 03/13/2007, 02:45 AM

Wow, 15 coats! You know, they sell kevlar cloth too at boat stores. You could use that and get a bullet proof tank, literally!

I think some people are overdoing the fiberglassing a little. It's good to be on the safe side. And I guess it can be justified when everything else in the system, including the livestock, is so expensive. But I just want to say that you don't have to make it that expensive if you don't want to. Just so that the cost won't scare away people from building tanks in this way.

Putting fiberglass on the outside is a good idea, not only for surface strength, it stiffens up the walls in a really great way.

dsandfort · #**132** 03/14/2007, 06:48 PM

I think there might be some misunderstanding here. The 15 coats of epoxy and 4 layers of fiberglass is ONLY on the EDGE of the overflow. Exactly one half of one square FOOT. That's 0.5 square feet. I did it to retard "erosion" of this surface.

West System tech bulletin on tank building calls for 20 mil thickness or 5-6 coats of epoxy. The fiberglass serves multiple purposes. Strength is only one. It also helps prevent checking of the plywood veneer layer and adds abraision resistance in the event of a rock fall, etc. So, if one cares to follow the West System bulletin, 2 layers of fiberglass is an insignificant cost consideration relative to the cost of the epoxy which is going to be used regardless.

I would never steer anyone away from one of these builds because of fiberglass. There are other reasons that I might recommend another type of tank, but fiberglass is not one of them.

H20ENG · #**133** 03/14/2007, 06:53 PM

Epoxy is actually very brittle all by itself. The glass adds multitudes of strength, and really the best way to fly when building tanks like this. You did a great job.

erics3000 · #**134** 03/16/2007, 11:41 PM

Looks Great!!!

Fudge · #**135** 03/17/2007, 09:39 AM

I agree,

Waterproofing can be done with minimal coats, but all it takes is a single rock to fall off your structure to poke a little hole through it to ruin countless hours of work and a good chunk of change.

Part of the problem is just knowing when you do drop that rock...that it didnt poke a hole.
Because you cannot check it after to make sure that it didnt.

Try it on a piece of wood with even 4-5 coats brushed on...then drop a jagged 2 lb rock on it.

I would ask, why would anyone do any less than what was done here ?

Outstanding craftsmanship Del.

Marc.

erics3000 · #**136** 03/17/2007, 05:45 PM

I am planning on making a thick bottom with glass. The second part of my protection will be a sheet of acrylic on the bottom. Just for when something does fall.

dsandfort · #**137** 03/25/2007, 08:40 PM

I think she'll hold water. All the fiberglass/epoxy is done and I cut the bulkhead holes today. I like what I see. Plenty of thickness on the water side.

I want plenty of redundancy so I came up with a double durso. If this is something already used, I'm not sure what it is called. If it's a new disign, well, let's call it a DDD, or D cubed (Del's Double Durso). There will be 3 of these so 6 total routes for overflow to the sump.

dsandfort · #**138** 03/25/2007, 08:48 PM

A couple of other shots.

I've grown tired of stuff ending up in the sump and snails ending up in the impeller of pumps. My daughter found this stuff at a craft store. It's used by the needle craft crowd. Not sure what it's called but it has 5 squares per inch.

Next up is sealing the edges of the bulkhead holes. I needed 13 but installed 14. I did not want 13 holes in my tank.

JCTewks · #**139** 03/25/2007, 09:14 PM

Thats great idea on the overflow's...much simpler than a standard Durso. Are you going to cap the top with an airline tube to keep it quiet?

dsandfort · #**140** 03/25/2007, 09:18 PM

Thanks Jeff-
Actually, I have a plug that I sanded down and will drill a couple of holes through the cross and plug. that way, all you have to do is turn the plug to tune in the drain.

JCTewks · #**141** 03/25/2007, 09:25 PM

just by limiting the amount of air that can enter?? kind of creating a mini little almost vacum?

dsandfort · #**142** 03/25/2007, 09:29 PM

I did this on my last tank and it worked great. By drilling through the t and plug in 2 spots, you can turn the plug just enouth to allow enough air to avoid noise, but not so much that you can hear the "flush". I'll have 3 of these so noise should be minimal.

JCTewks · #**143** 03/25/2007, 10:41 PM

could you please ot som epic's when you get them done so i can get a better idea of what you are talking about??

cbui2 · #**144** 03/25/2007, 11:04 PM

love your ideas on ddd, also fiberglass looks great.

dparson22 · #**145** 03/25/2007, 11:24 PM

I was looking at this build but I have a question... glasscages.com
sells a 540 Gal. 3/4" glass commercial 96 x 37 1/2 x 36 1/2 for $2300 . are there any reasons other than the feeling of accomplishment in building the tank from wood or is it more sturdy? I was looking at building a wood tank but I found one there that just HAD to buy.. I was thinking of getting a bigger one later and was just wandering about the pros and cons between the two. also what is the life span of the wooden tank?

they also sell an 810 Gal. 3/4" glass commercial 144 x 37 1/2 x 36 1/2 $3500. and I think that is what I woiuld like to have for my final tank

dsandfort · #**146** 03/25/2007, 11:34 PM

well, just call me the village idiot. So far, I would do it again.

dparson22 · #**147** 03/25/2007, 11:43 PM

I hope you didn't take it in a bad way I was just asking if there is any advantages to doing it w/wood over glass. I am sorry if it offended you it wasn't what I meant.

dsandfort · #**148** 03/25/2007, 11:44 PM

That's not a good reply, sorry. And no need to couch your post. You have a legitimate question.

Yes, I considered OEM and still decided to go this route. I considered delivery, installation, custom bulkheads, etc. How much would glass cages charge to drill and install 14 bulkheads? (maybe I don't want to know). How much to deliver it to
Fort Collins, CO (maybe I don't want to know). Will they back it up if it leaks (oh jeeze, I'm im trouble now. I wonder how much liability insurance I have).
Anyhow. I have what I have and here I am.
For better or worse...this tank is going in. My wife is almost on board, so let's be careful here.

dparson22 · #**149** 03/25/2007, 11:50 PM

delivery would probably be EXPENSIVE for you so nevermind. the 240 I bought was 540 but after the 2-1" and the 2-1.5" overflows and everything it was 750 but I live within about 2 hours so it was not too far to drive. I wish my wife would get on board with it I have to rid myself of all my other tanks just to be ok with the 240 so you are lucky there.

cbui2 · #**150** 03/25/2007, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dparson22
I was looking at this build but I have a question... glasscages.com
sells a 540 Gal. 3/4" glass commercial 96 x 37 1/2 x 36 1/2 for $2300 . are there any reasons other than the feeling of accomplishment in building the tank from wood or is it more sturdy? I was looking at building a wood tank but I found one there that just HAD to buy.. I was thinking of getting a bigger one later and was just wandering about the pros and cons between the two. also what is the life span of the wooden tank?

they also sell an 810 Gal. 3/4" glass commercial 144 x 37 1/2 x 36 1/2 $3500. and I think that is what I woiuld like to have for my final tank

well glass tank that size 540gal would weigh in at least 1200lbs, so hopefully you have alot of friends or some equipment to get it in the house if your going that route, acrylic is what i have but all tanks and equipments are installed in garage, alot of ways things can be done, but i learn in this hobby that the tank is cheapest piece and everything else add up, dsand hope you dont mind me giving him my thread so he can read up on this...thanks
also bought 3 tanks from them and shipping to new orleans was $360

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1067858