Around April 2011 I began researching/shopping my options for a large tank upgrade. At the time my Goliath African Tiger Fish was small but I knew it would not be long until a tank upgrade was needed. I began searching for a used glass or acrylic tank on craigslist and while there were a few good deals I was always nervous about the seals on a used tank of this size. After a few weeks of this I moved on to looking into the possibility of a DIY tank. After an extensive amount of research it became clear that a well built plywood tank may be my best option. They are significantly cheaper to build than an all glass tank and as light and easy to move around as an acrylic tank.
In June I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a number of posts by Klee79 going into detail on a few of his previous plywood builds. His craftsmanship and sealing process for the interior of the tank looked outstanding and he happened to be located in Ohio a couple hours away from where I live so I sent him a PM here on MFK. (one of the best decisions I have made in quite some time haha)
We communicated back and forth about the type of tank, size, dimensions, trim, wood type etc. The final tank dimensions I decided upon were 96"x32"x22". After we hashed out all the details and final price I sent him my down payment for materials cost and he sent me step by step picture updates of the status of the build as it went along.
He very cleanly used fiberglass tape in all the corners of the tank for added support and reliability and multiple coats of sweetwater epoxy on the interior. The final product was amazing, the tank was extremely sturdy and I would trust it much more than any large glass tank on the market.
I had a custom stand built by my Amish cabinetmaker for the tank. The tank hasnt had a single issue and has been up and running now for about a month with my Goliath African Tiger Fish living the dream in his new upgraded home.
This is just a start to the thread, I have pictures of the tank with the trim added before I had it painted and final pics of the finished tank and stand I will upload later when I get home. I just had to get the thread started and I cant thank Klee79 enough for all the hard work he put into the tank and I highly recommend his services to anyone looking for an affordable reliable custom plywood tank.
In June I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a number of posts by Klee79 going into detail on a few of his previous plywood builds. His craftsmanship and sealing process for the interior of the tank looked outstanding and he happened to be located in Ohio a couple hours away from where I live so I sent him a PM here on MFK. (one of the best decisions I have made in quite some time haha)
We communicated back and forth about the type of tank, size, dimensions, trim, wood type etc. The final tank dimensions I decided upon were 96"x32"x22". After we hashed out all the details and final price I sent him my down payment for materials cost and he sent me step by step picture updates of the status of the build as it went along.
He very cleanly used fiberglass tape in all the corners of the tank for added support and reliability and multiple coats of sweetwater epoxy on the interior. The final product was amazing, the tank was extremely sturdy and I would trust it much more than any large glass tank on the market.
I had a custom stand built by my Amish cabinetmaker for the tank. The tank hasnt had a single issue and has been up and running now for about a month with my Goliath African Tiger Fish living the dream in his new upgraded home.
This is just a start to the thread, I have pictures of the tank with the trim added before I had it painted and final pics of the finished tank and stand I will upload later when I get home. I just had to get the thread started and I cant thank Klee79 enough for all the hard work he put into the tank and I highly recommend his services to anyone looking for an affordable reliable custom plywood tank.
