I figure the 4x2x2 foot print will last a good while so I'm gonna go ahead and build another tank with the same footprint. I've got the front glass panel from an old 55.
I'm planning to use rubberizeit, two gallons should suffice. It will be made from 3/4 inch plywood. I'm going to coat the front planet in fiberglass resin, silicone on the glass panel, the cut off any excess silicone.
After that ill coat the entire tank, over lapping the glass by an inch. This is the part I'm most worried about failing. I'll brace the top with a 2x4 perimeter and cross brace.
Predicted Cost:
2x 4x8 Plywood: About 70
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...word=Maple+plywood&storeId=10051#.UO-KvP29KK0
(Does this plywood seen ok)
2x Rubberizeit: 150
1x Fiberglass Resin: 15
Sent from my iPad using
MonsterAquariaNetwork app
The quality of birch plywood at "big box" stores like Home Depot has gone down quite a bit in the last ten years, although at $35 a sheet it's not that bad. Do you have Menards in your area? They carry a grade of MDO that is rated for exterior use and has resin impregnated film on both sides. I haven't bought it in a few years but it was very good stuff for the price back when I did.
But why do you need two 4x8 sheets for a 4x2x2 build? I know you need five panels at 4x2 if you want to make both the front and top pieces out of a single sheet but I don't believe that's necessary enough to buy a whole second sheet. If you want the second sheet and want to use complete panels for the top and front you could go bigger.
Or did you have a need for the extra?
I would overlap more onto the glass. At least another inch.
If you're buying a quart of polyester resin I'd go ahead and coat and reinforce as much of the interior as you can. The glass contact area and interior seams are most important but after than some extra cloth and resin on the bottom if you have it left over adds abrasion resistance.
You didn't mention a budget build per se but since you're bringing up cost I assume you're wanting to keep costs down? If so the Rubberizit type sealers tend to be more expensive since they are low solids and require such a thick layer to waterproof. Now there are other compelling reasons to use these types of sealers and if it's what you want to use then go for it. But it will be a more expensive option. Is the $75 per gallon with shipping?
Two gallons of Rubberizit will only give you around 32 square feet of coverage at 50 mils dry film thickness, which is typically the recommended waterproofing thickness most of these liquid rubber type products mention. I'm having trouble with their site but can look into that more later. If my numbers are reasonably close that two gallons will only waterproof one sheet of plywood.
I've never used Max ACR epoxy but many have liked it and I think it's around the $75 per gallon mark. But it's 100% solids and waterproofs at 10 mils dry film thickness so that same two gallons would waterproof 320 square feet, or ten times as much. Now it will take more than that since you're using fiberglass cloth and most people use more than 10 mils anyways but you're not going to use anywhere near ten times as much. And you won't need the polyester resin since you'd be using epoxy.
Again, Rubberizit and other liquid rubber products appeal to people for a few other reasons so by all means use it if it makes you feel more comfortable.
