Is a glass viewing window for wooden pond possible?

Crumbs · #1 12/03/2007, 03:04 AM

I am constructing an above ground pond out of wood with a pond liner and I am planning to install a viewing window. How can I make a frame for the glass that will not bow and secondly can I simply use Marine Goop to adhere the glass to the pond liner? I have bin pulling my hair out on this one for a while and need some suggestions.
Here are a pic of the wall that the window is going on. The front wall is 48" x 18h
Any help or links would be greatly appreciated!

addo · #2 12/03/2007, 03:28 AM

I dunno how you would adhere the glass to the pondliner, but I would be worried about ice-pressure breaking your glass or your entire pond for that matter.

kgross · #3 12/03/2007, 03:35 AM

Could you just use epoxy paint and skip the pond liner? If so it would be real easy to do, just do a search on plywood aquariums. I don't know how you could seal the pond liner to the window, unless you used atleast a small amount of epoxy paint or fiberglass or something to seal the wood. Put in the glass in a wooden frame that was sealed with something.. then run the liner to the frame, and screw an inner frame to the outer frame with the liner in the middle. As long as you had the frames sealed, the clamping should seal the liner like a gasket..... Or this might work also. Let the water pressure use the pond liner as the gasket for the window. Build your window frame to allow the glass to set into the frame against a stop near the outside of the frame. Have the pond liner go into this frame use the glass to push the pond liner against the stop sealing the window in the process. I hope this makes since I am a little tired at the moment....

Kim

Crumbs · #4 12/03/2007, 03:53 AM

Thanks guys.

Addo, the pond is saltwater and indoors so no freezing will occur

Kgross, I think that the framing sounds doable. I really want to stick to the pond liner instead of epoxy of fiberglass because I think it is far more leak resistant. I guess it would not be possible to just allow the water pressure to push the glass in place with the goop?

I hear that Marine Goop is a great adhesive for different surfaces.

I wish I had an example.

8BALL_99 · #5 12/03/2007, 09:27 AM

I would use a peice of Acrylic.. Bolt and silicone it to the pondliner.. I've got a 3800gallon koi pond.. When I was going to install floor drains I was told by two different pond shops to use Clear silicone between the plastic flange and the pond liner... Ofcourse just like with fish tanks.. Only use window and door without the mold additives.. GE 1 Window and door seems to be one of the few that doesn't have them..

Crumbs · #6 12/03/2007, 01:49 PM

Thanks alot for the info 8BALL.

I think that I will pick up some MDF wood because it is as tough as it can get for the glass to be pressed up against. What type of screws did you use for the bolting. Do I have to use nylon or stainless steel?

I take it that your pond was constructed from wood as well?

Regards,
Chris

NanoReefWanabe · #7 12/03/2007, 02:50 PM

i would do it as mentiond above something like this...obviously the bolts would have to be further down on the glass/ arcylic...but you get the idea...the red would be a continuous gasket on the face of the tank and inside would just have to be around the bolts...you will proabably need bolts every 10 inches or so depending on how big the pane is...

tkeracer619 · #8 12/03/2007, 03:08 PM

I would skip the pond liner and use the epoxy coatings.

I made one with a pond liner and it leaked after a month and a half =[

Also MDF really messes up when it gets wet. 3/4" ply saved me 100g on the floor and a ton of coral when the pond liner failed.

FWIW I havent found the cause yet, I might just toss it.

scatty25 · #9 12/03/2007, 04:49 PM

My biggest concern would be small holes made by fish or inverts via there tails, (tangs) crab claws, falling rocks, or other various problems. I have searched this and found that most people use epoxy paint. As for the window I would use acrylic and silicon and bolt it to the painted wood. As for the bolts and nuts, others have just painted those with a couple coats as well with some touch-up paint. Hope this helps.

Crumbs · #10 12/03/2007, 05:20 PM

Thanks for the advice everyone!

NanoReefWanabe, The gasket idea is a good one. Do you know where I can find elongated gaskets by chance? Thanks for the diagram.

tkeracer619, I think that the epoxy paint is a good solution. It would be cheaper then a liner anyway. Should I prime the wood first or just layer on a few coatings? As anyone heard of problems arising using epoxy paint such as leaks?

Here is the paint that I will purchase http://aquaticeco.resultspage.com/se...0&Image3=Go%21

scatty25, are you refering to holes made in a pond liner or in the epoxy paint? How would one protect the paint from scratches from LR?

I already have the glass plane so I could have it drilled. If this is a bad idea I will purchase acrylic instead. I guess nylon bolts would not be strong enough and I should go with stainless steel?

Cheers

reefergeorge · #11 12/03/2007, 08:49 PM

I saw a shark tank with this idea. He used a few beads of silicon around the perimeter. Held the glass in place with a 2x4 until the water was about half full. Then the water pressure did the rest.

Crumbs · #12 12/03/2007, 09:16 PM

reefergeorge, do you was this at a private aquarium or somewhere I may be able to find out more info?

I dont trust that the epoxy paint will be as leak resistant over time. Im sure that the frame will settle a little once it is full of water and then the epoxy will give at a corner.

Im going to stick with the pond liner and purchase an acrylic window.

I heard that Marine Goop bonds to surfaces like a pond liner better then silicon. Has anyone else heard of this before or can confirm that it is safe? Here is what i think im going to do then

First the pond liner will be glued to the frame of the pond.

The ply wood frame will be cut out and the acrylic window will extend 2" beyond the frame on the sides and bottom. The 2" overlap will be directly glued to the liner with Marine Goop.
It will then be bolted directly the threw the acrylic then the (gasket if I can find one) followed by the liner, plywood and then 2x6 frame.

For the top I will a 2x4 (painted with epoxy paint) that has a slit cut out of it for the acrylic to sit in snugly. The 2x4 will be screwed to the rest of the uprights as the top ledge. The acrylic will be glued to the 2x4 support with marine goop.

Does this sound right? and thanks again

insinuacion · #13 12/03/2007, 10:23 PM

Have you seen this?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-11/totm/index.php

This tank was built using plywood and epoxies and has only one side viewable. Is something like this what you are trying to do?

Crumbs · #14 12/04/2007, 05:24 AM

I wish I had the carpentry skills to pull that off. haha I honestly dont trust myself to do a seemless job like that. Thats why I dont really want to go the epoxy route. If the epoxy gel seals the corners that well and is a little flexible I think it could work. Otherwise I feel alot safer using a pond liner. I still need my training wheels for now. lol

I could still use opinions though. I have seen some threads in the past where fiberglass and epoxy did not hold up so that is why Im so worried to about going that route.

johno4 · #15 12/04/2007, 08:30 AM

I would feel alot safer using the epoxy. The pond liner will rip much easier than the epoxy will leak. That is the same stuff they paint inground pools with. Check out garf.org for a basic plan on how to do it. It is very easy.

Crumbs · #16 12/04/2007, 03:28 PM

Thanks for the link. I will check it out. How many gallons should I purchase to paint the pond with a length of 86" x 48" x 18"H?

Sk8r · #17 12/04/2007, 03:31 PM

You could even use an inverse periscope, with mirrors, up and over, with lighting, no breach of seal.

Crumbs · #18 12/04/2007, 04:35 PM

I am sorry but I dont have any idea what inverse periscope is. Could you please elaborate a little and thank you.

mightyreefer · #19 12/04/2007, 04:38 PM

This guy did it with fiberglass. I'm getting ready to build something similar and I was going to go the fiberglass route because I couldn't find a good epoxy paint. I'm thinking now that I might go with the fiber glass and then a couple of coats of the epoxy paint from the link you posted. Thanks.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article...00g_tank_1.php

Crumbs · #20 12/04/2007, 04:58 PM

I think that I am starting to lean towards the epoxy paint with epoxy gel to seal the cracks. That was Joe's combo to seal his tank and my tank will only be 18" high so there will be far less pressure.

Would it be necessary to use cross braces if I am going 18" deep? I will still make a strong top brace following the diameter.

reefergeorge · #21 12/04/2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mightyreefer
This guy did it with fiberglass.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article...00g_tank_1.php

That's the one. I'm glad you found it so I didn't have to look for hours. Thanks

mightyreefer · #22 12/04/2007, 05:08 PM

I think you should put a couple of braces accross the top. Also make sure there is absolutely no flex at the joints of your plywood. If you push on them and there is any flex, it will break down and eventually they will leak. One more thing.... I noticed you nailed everything. you're going to have to be carefull with the heads of those nails poking through with any movement they will wear down on the epoxy. I screwed my box together and counter sunk them all. Then used wood filler over all the heads. good luck and post more pictures of the progress.

mightyreefer · #23 12/04/2007, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefergeorge
That's the one. I'm glad you found it so I didn't have to look for hours. Thanks

I have that one book marked so I won't lose it. It's an amazing build.

Crumbs · #24 12/04/2007, 05:16 PM

Actually I have screwed all of my joints and counter sunk them from every angle using 2.5" to 3" screws.

Well I bit the bullet and purchased two gallons of epoxy paint, epoxy gel to seal the corners and 10 tubes of Marine Goop.

Still looking for gaskets and I would like to try to have my 1/2" glass drilled instead of purchasing an acrylic window. Any thought and thanks.

kgross · #25 12/04/2007, 05:33 PM

You don't need to have your glass drilled. The water pressure will hold it in place. Since you are doing the epoxy rather than the liner, it will actually be very easy to do. Build a window frame that has a 1x1 stop on the outside that will hold the glass in place. Make the frame just large enough that you can slide the window into it from the inside of the tank. After you epoxy the tank, put a large bead of silicone on the inside of the frame in the corner of the frame and the 1x2 stop. Let the silicone setup for about 5 to 10 minutes, then put the glass in and lean something up against it inside the tank to hold it in place. The silicone will form the gasket for the window and the water pressure will push the window against the gasket keeping it sealed.

Kim