How to actually fibreglass plywood? - URGENT PLEASE HELP

[zappyitaliano]

Im dying to get started on my 150 gallon plywood aquarium but im not entirely sure on how to fibreglass it properly? This is my first time fibreglassing and i am planning on using A1 pond paint and with fibreglass cloth/matting of some kind. The fibreglass will be allowed to cure at a minimum of 20 degrees Celsius = 68 Fahrenheit.

So i have a few questions:
1) Should i add some kind of alcohol to the first layer of fibreglass to thin it out and allow it to absorb into the wood? and can i use acetone for this purpose?
2) Am i meant to use fibreglass cloth or roving or mat? and what weight of the cloth/roving/mat should i use?
3) how many layers of fibreglass resin should i paint onto the wood?
4) How long should i wait for the fibreglass to dry before painting on another layer?
5) How thick in millimetres will the total of all the layers of fibreglass be on the plywood?
6) How long should i wait for after i have painted my final coat before being able to silicone my glass onto it?
7) If someone could give me a step by step it would be much appreciated. Or if you have any reliable links for aquarium fibre glassing then that would be great.

Thanks for your time Monster fish tank keepers!

 

[xXEddieXx]

I am interested in learning this too


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[CJH]

I'm not sure I completely understand what you're doing. It seems like you're planning on wetting out fiberglass reinforcement with what you're calling "fiberglass resin"? I assume you mean some sort of polyester resin? The A1 Pond paint is to go over the fiberglass layers or is it the brand of resin you'll be using to wet out the fiberglass?

Question #1: I think you're asking if you should thin the resin, not the fiberglass. Fiberglass is the reinforcment (the cloth, roving, or mat). Resin, whether if be polyester, vinyl ester or epoxy, is what you wet out the fiberglass reinforcement with. If using 100% epoxy resin it would probably be a good idea to thin the epoxy a bit to make a seal coat that will bite into the plywood better. Polyester resin can be thinned with epoxy but that is typically done more if a thinner resin is needed for wetting out the particular fiberglass one is using.

Question #2: Us cloth for sure. It is easier to work with, takes less resin so it costs about the same as mat overall and is ideal for flat surfaces like a plywood tank.

Question #3: Do you mean you want to paint some resin on before starting to apply fiberglass layers? Or are you asking about layers of fiberglass (the wetted out reinforcement)?

Question #4: I would check with the manufacturer of the resin you're using. It probably depends on whether wax is present in the resin and it what proportions. With a waxed resin the wax rises to the surface and seals in the resin so it can cure. Then this layer is sanded to remove the wax and allow for a mechanical bond with the next layer. But there are resins that can be re-coated when it is slightly tacky. Usually tacky to the touch but your finger doesn't pull up any resin when pulled away.

Question #5: Depends on the weight of the cloth you use. Seven ounce cloth is about 10 mils (0.010") thick depending on brand. Resin adds a bit to that. Some people are more liberal with the resin so it ends up being thicker.

Question #6: Still not clear where the A1 Pond Paint comes into play so I'm not sure. If you're using that to topcoat polyester resin you'd have to check with the manufactuer of the Pond Paint.

Question #7: I'd look into YouTube videos on wooden boat building. Maybe even surfboard building, but make if they're a different type of resin you can only use the videos for general info.

 

[Deathinnumbers]

What's up with people posting urgent messages when there is no fish lives at stake

 

[CJH]

My previous reply should say that polyester resin can be thinned with acetone. I don't know how well denatured alcohol would work.

Epoxy can be thinned with either.

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[zappyitaliano]

The confusion i present in my question explains how little knowledge i have on epoxy /fibregass lol.
Firstly A1 pond paint is a 2 part epoxy resin to be painted directly onto the plywood.

Questions 3) What i plan to do is paint thinned out epoxy resin onto the wood and then immediately apply the fibreglass cloth onto it. Then immediately i will further apply epoxy resin onto the cloth to wet it out and then allow it to dry. I don't think i will use any more layers of fibreglass cloth. What i want to know is how many more layers of epoxy resin would i need to paint onto this layer to ensure good strength and good water tight seal?

cheers for your help mate! it has definitely helped

 

[zappyitaliano]

What's up with people posting urgent messages when there is no fish lives at stake

Im a student at university who has a passion for fish. I only have a 3 week window at home to actually build the aquarium. So I wanted all the information as soon as possible so that i could start buying all the equipment immediately in preparation for when I arrive home. Plus my black ghost knife and bichirs are getting pretty big now and need a larger aquarium. So if I didn't build my large aquarium this holiday then I would have to wait a full 4 1/2 months during my next holiday by which time they will be even bigger. Obviously by this time there need for a larger aquarium would be even greater

 

[rotccapt]

when working with epoxy you need to apply the first layer of cloth ,and all other layers of cloth, and insure there are no dry spots. all fiberglass cloth will turn clear when it is fully saturated so if you see white spots those are dry spots and you need to work more resin into those areas. after the first layer is applied you need to wait till the resin starts to gel, you can tell this by touching a spot and if it feels tacky but not wet it is time to apply the next layer. when i built my 300 i used 3 layers of 6 ounce fiberglass cloth. after the final layer of fiberglass cloth i applied 2 more layers of epoxy by its self to fill the weave of the cloth. also i added a black pigment to the last two coats of epoxy to turn the tank black

 

[CJH]

The confusion i present in my question explains how little knowledge i have on epoxy /fibregass lol.
Firstly A1 pond paint is a 2 part epoxy resin to be painted directly onto the plywood.

Questions 3) What i plan to do is paint thinned out epoxy resin onto the wood and then immediately apply the fibreglass cloth onto it. Then immediately i will further apply epoxy resin onto the cloth to wet it out and then allow it to dry. I don't think i will use any more layers of fibreglass cloth. What i want to know is how many more layers of epoxy resin would i need to paint onto this layer to ensure good strength and good water tight seal?

cheers for your help mate! it has definitely helped

I just looked up A1 Pond Paint (should have done that last night) and it says it's a waterborne epoxy paint? If so that's pretty different than an epoxy resin. They 2K waterborne paints tend to be low in solids so the normal rules of fiberglassing wouldn't apply.

I didn't find any info about its suitability with fiberglass reinforcement. Do you have an information from the company?

I would ignore my previous reply and and other advice you got until we know more.

If this waterborne paint will bond with polyester you might consider doing all of your fiberglass work with some sort of true resin and then top coating with the Pond Paint.