1200 Gallon EPDM Pond Liner/Viewing Glass build

[stingray keeper]

sorry, busy as always my friend... all this work in the coral industry is rotting my fresh water brain lately. Good read u posted for me, i appreciate it. gives me some more confidence in using it on my next build... only way for me to be certain is to order some dow 795, test it out and feel for myself. i sure do like the price of $6.95...gold labels up to $49 a tube and noone wants to sell it to me at wholesale in bulk. as for professional places/zoos and liners.... they have the money not to use them lol... id rather not personally, but im poor over here and its the cheapest option for me. Jealous of ur new setup down there.... simply amazing! jaw dropper lol... i like the fact the fish greenhouse/room is bigger than the house .....

back to liners to keep from derailing.... cheap... pretty durable... can be patched or replaced fairly easily and there seems to be more than one way to put windows in em. every liner tank that pops up has got a different method. gaskets, sealants, bolts, seam tape like this one... very interesting imo... i recently had my first one leak (1400 gal) and too my surprise it was not the window or 3m5200 failure....not the fish chewing through either.... it was human error lol... a mag 24 and pump strainer was wearing down an area in a corner/seam and lead to a pin hole leak from a sharp corner of the strainer... nightmare lol...

i believe this tank by stingray keeper may be more efficient than my own with the use of seam tape and cutting the liner to fit each wall/floor... his tank corners are all doubled up, no folds, and no air gaps behind the liner. this method saves even more money as liner "pieces" are alot cheaper than one large sheet. just some food for thought lol... ive been rethinking my next tank lately to possibly be more like this one... maybe even double layer liner floors and seams for extra assurance. Really great job improving my own methods Stingraykeeper! now ill take what u did and change it up a bit again haha... thanks for MFK! we gotta keep it goin guys... the industry is going down hill lately and im not sure y.

Thanks for the kind words. I put a lot of work into this build and learned a lot from you. You made the process just that much easier. Looking back myself i would have put a whole other layer of epdm to play it safe. I have this constant fear of a failure but i guess ill just deal with it the day it happens if it ever does. I feel that its very important that we all learn from each other and improve on each others builds to maximize the overall efficiency of these tanks.

As for the industry i agree. I work within the industry and it seems as though we are in a slump 2014-2015 so far. There are fewer people getting into the hobby and more hobbyists dropping out of the hobby. I think it has a lot to do with the expense involved but i may be wrong.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

W13: ... as for professional places/zoos and liners.... they have the money not to use them lol... id rather not personally, but im poor over here and its the cheapest option for me.
TBTB: Same here. Large tanks are by far and large done most economically with liner. That's why I really want to see how rubber-liner to acrylic or glass seal is to be made well and to last decades. My next step up is a 25'x25'x8'-9' and I've been pondering for years if I can attempt this one myself. Such a tank from Dolphin Fiberglass, who made my two 4500 gal, would cost $30,000-$40,000 easily.

W13: ... Jealous of ur new setup down there.... simply amazing! jaw dropper lol...
TBTB: Thanks. You are too kind.

W13: ... i like the fact the fish greenhouse/room is bigger than the house .....
TBTB: I have not thought about it like that. Refreshing observation.

W13: ... every liner tank that pops up has got a different method. gaskets, sealants, bolts, seam tape like this one... very interesting imo...
TBTB: Yes. And little longevity information. I too was taken by surprise (in a good way) how Stingray Keeper went about this one. Seems obvious in the proverbial hindsight but quite creative.

W13: ... i recently had my first one leak (1400 gal) and too my surprise it was not the window or 3m5200 failure....not the fish chewing through either.... it was human error lol... a mag 24 and pump strainer was wearing down an area in a corner/seam and lead to a pin hole leak from a sharp corner of the strainer... nightmare lol...
TBTB: This sucks. I try my best to lay down a piece of rubber liner under anything hard, heavy, sharp, or vibrating. 1400 gal? Which one's that? I've only known of your 650 gal and the upcoming 3000 gal.

W13: ... i believe this tank by stingray keeper may be more efficient than my own with the use of seam tape and cutting the liner to fit each wall/floor... his tank corners are all doubled up, no folds, and no air gaps behind the liner. this method saves even more money as liner "pieces" are alot cheaper than one large sheet. just some food for thought lol... ive been rethinking my next tank lately to possibly be more like this one... maybe even double layer liner floors and seams for extra assurance.
TBTB: Can't say I understand what you mean by doubled up corners and double layer seams. Do you mean to use two more pieces of joining tape on each side of the main tape joining the seam? The main one would join two liner pieces, then run another one lengthwise, butted up next to the main tape and then tape with the third piece over the crack (where the first two butt up)?

Or do you simply mean to tape on both sides of a seam, front and back?

TBTB: I'd think one of the trickiest parts is to apply the wide joining tape without air bubbles. The tape's really, incredibly sticky, that's true, but bubbles may cause a leak.

Also tape cannot be applied to an unleveled seam that involves a step, that is both sides of the seam must be level.

I am not criticizing StingrayKeeper's build at all. It's a real nice job. I aim to understand it better to see if I too could make it work, albeit I'd only would need to seal the windows. I'd not tape a 25'x25'x8'-9' but use a whole rubber piece and then concrete on top to hide and protect.

 

[raubiy]

Very great thread for reading
Ultra build...

 

[stingray keeper]

W13: ... as for professional places/zoos and liners.... they have the money not to use them lol... id rather not personally, but im poor over here and its the cheapest option for me.
TBTB: Same here. Large tanks are by far and large done most economically with liner. That's why I really want to see how rubber-liner to acrylic or glass seal is to be made well and to last decades. My next step up is a 25'x25'x8'-9' and I've been pondering for years if I can attempt this one myself. Such a tank from Dolphin Fiberglass, who made my two 4500 gal, would cost $30,000-$40,000 easily.

W13: ... Jealous of ur new setup down there.... simply amazing! jaw dropper lol...
TBTB: Thanks. You are too kind.

W13: ... i like the fact the fish greenhouse/room is bigger than the house .....
TBTB: I have not thought about it like that. Refreshing observation.

W13: ... every liner tank that pops up has got a different method. gaskets, sealants, bolts, seam tape like this one... very interesting imo...
TBTB: Yes. And little longevity information. I too was taken by surprise (in a good way) how Stingray Keeper went about this one. Seems obvious in the proverbial hindsight but quite creative.

W13: ... i recently had my first one leak (1400 gal) and too my surprise it was not the window or 3m5200 failure....not the fish chewing through either.... it was human error lol... a mag 24 and pump strainer was wearing down an area in a corner/seam and lead to a pin hole leak from a sharp corner of the strainer... nightmare lol...
TBTB: This sucks. I try my best to lay down a piece of rubber liner under anything hard, heavy, sharp, or vibrating. 1400 gal? Which one's that? I've only known of your 650 gal and the upcoming 3000 gal.

W13: ... i believe this tank by stingray keeper may be more efficient than my own with the use of seam tape and cutting the liner to fit each wall/floor... his tank corners are all doubled up, no folds, and no air gaps behind the liner. this method saves even more money as liner "pieces" are alot cheaper than one large sheet. just some food for thought lol... ive been rethinking my next tank lately to possibly be more like this one... maybe even double layer liner floors and seams for extra assurance.
TBTB: Can't say I understand what you mean by doubled up corners and double layer seams. Do you mean to use two more pieces of joining tape on each side of the main tape joining the seam? The main one would join two liner pieces, then run another one lengthwise, butted up next to the main tape and then tape with the third piece over the crack (where the first two butt up)?

Or do you simply mean to tape on both sides of a seam, front and back?

TBTB: I'd think one of the trickiest parts is to apply the wide joining tape without air bubbles. The tape's really, incredibly sticky, that's true, but bubbles may cause a leak.

Also tape cannot be applied to an unleveled seam that involves a step, that is both sides of the seam must be level.

I am not criticizing StingrayKeeper's build at all. It's a real nice job. I aim to understand it better to see if I too could make it work, albeit I'd only would need to seal the windows. I'd not tape a 25'x25'x8'-9' but use a whole rubber piece and then concrete on top to hide and protect.

Just to clearify the seam tape to glass is flush. No step at all. Otherwise i would have gone about it completley differently. Just not sure if it was appearant or not in the build thread.

 

[stingray keeper]

W13: ... as for professional places/zoos and liners.... they have the money not to use them lol... id rather not personally, but im poor over here and its the cheapest option for me.
TBTB: Same here. Large tanks are by far and large done most economically with liner. That's why I really want to see how rubber-liner to acrylic or glass seal is to be made well and to last decades. My next step up is a 25'x25'x8'-9' and I've been pondering for years if I can attempt this one myself. Such a tank from Dolphin Fiberglass, who made my two 4500 gal, would cost $30,000-$40,000 easily.

W13: ... Jealous of ur new setup down there.... simply amazing! jaw dropper lol...
TBTB: Thanks. You are too kind.

W13: ... i like the fact the fish greenhouse/room is bigger than the house .....
TBTB: I have not thought about it like that. Refreshing observation.

W13: ... every liner tank that pops up has got a different method. gaskets, sealants, bolts, seam tape like this one... very interesting imo...
TBTB: Yes. And little longevity information. I too was taken by surprise (in a good way) how Stingray Keeper went about this one. Seems obvious in the proverbial hindsight but quite creative.

W13: ... i recently had my first one leak (1400 gal) and too my surprise it was not the window or 3m5200 failure....not the fish chewing through either.... it was human error lol... a mag 24 and pump strainer was wearing down an area in a corner/seam and lead to a pin hole leak from a sharp corner of the strainer... nightmare lol...
TBTB: This sucks. I try my best to lay down a piece of rubber liner under anything hard, heavy, sharp, or vibrating. 1400 gal? Which one's that? I've only known of your 650 gal and the upcoming 3000 gal.

W13: ... i believe this tank by stingray keeper may be more efficient than my own with the use of seam tape and cutting the liner to fit each wall/floor... his tank corners are all doubled up, no folds, and no air gaps behind the liner. this method saves even more money as liner "pieces" are alot cheaper than one large sheet. just some food for thought lol... ive been rethinking my next tank lately to possibly be more like this one... maybe even double layer liner floors and seams for extra assurance.
TBTB: Can't say I understand what you mean by doubled up corners and double layer seams. Do you mean to use two more pieces of joining tape on each side of the main tape joining the seam? The main one would join two liner pieces, then run another one lengthwise, butted up next to the main tape and then tape with the third piece over the crack (where the first two butt up)?

Or do you simply mean to tape on both sides of a seam, front and back?

TBTB: I'd think one of the trickiest parts is to apply the wide joining tape without air bubbles. The tape's really, incredibly sticky, that's true, but bubbles may cause a leak.

Also tape cannot be applied to an unleveled seam that involves a step, that is both sides of the seam must be level.

I am not criticizing StingrayKeeper's build at all. It's a real nice job. I aim to understand it better to see if I too could make it work, albeit I'd only would need to seal the windows. I'd not tape a 25'x25'x8'-9' but use a whole rubber piece and then concrete on top to hide and protect.

Oh and between each overlap of liner i applied 2 sided seam tape with the epdm primer that is super sticky. When the 2 layers come together they are practically welded together. Then i bridged the seam with 1 sided seam tape to creat a surface seam. So water needs to make it past the surface seam tape and then through amost a foot between the 2 layers of liner that are glued and taped completely. I dont see that aspect of the build being flawed. The only spots i feel a bit insecure about are the seam around the window, the bottom 4 corners for leak issues and then id say the glass letting go from an impact or whatever other reason. But even the seam around the glass is triple protected. Water needs to get by the seam tape, then make its way through the crack filled with 3M and then through the gasket i made with the 3M.

 

[MikebNJ]

omg...... I would swim in that. Gorgeous man

 

[stingray keeper]

omg...... I would swim in that. Gorgeous man

Thanks. Yes you could swim in it for sure.

 

[stingray keeper]

Update

 

[bbradtmiller]

Update

Looks amazing!!

 

[stingray keeper]

Update