PLYWOOD AQUARIUM - BEST PRACTICES

[marine_hawaii]

I built a tank 16 feet x 34 1/2" inside x 24" tall using 2x4's 16" on center studded walls and joists, with 3/4" plywood only on the inside then lined with 4 x 8 foot sheets of FRP...the Fiberglass reinforced plastic sheet can be siliconed in the seams and to the glass, which allows for movment, a cheaper plywood could also be used being it would be covered......Duane

Got any photos?

I'd like to see how you used the FRP.

The reason I put plywood on the outside is to help with the force of the water depth (designed for up to 48"). Scaling the design would require heavier plywood with more depth, or less (none) for a shallower depth. Sounds like your right on that scale.

Please post some more details!

 

[400gal]

Checkout www.oceansmotions.com and www.rosco.com/us/filters/roscolux.asp#colors. This will get you started. The Roscoe site gives spectral graphs of engineered wavelengths of different gels. On the OM site you can look at all types of setups using 4 way or 8 way switching valves. If you feel ambitious you can call OM and he'll give you more information than you'd ever wanted to know about flow.

I like really like the idea of the remote DSB and cosmetic in the display. The only down fall is "animals" that you'd like to see in the display that burrow like jaw fish etc. I do love a clam or 4 also. Tour tank is a perfect size for a Deresa or Gigas or 2. I would just suggest to think about the animals you want to keep before you lock up the design and leave some room for variables.

Have you done any looking into Leds for supplemental? I have done a little myself. There is a lot of interesting things coming out. I'm very good friends with Sanjay Joshi and have been speaking with him about Led technology and availability. He also believes we are very close to a break through in economical lighting.