My idea for a DIY plywood aquarium

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Drstrangelove, I am not sure I follow you..are you saying as long as the bottom of the viewing window is no more than 36" below the surface it should be fine for float glass that is 3/4" thick?

and would you say that 3/4" tempered would handle it no problem? Or just better than non-tempered?
how can I best support the window? Would making a frame for the window be better than just applying directly to the face of the ply?
 
Yes. Although the width of the glass has some effect on the thickness required (to an extent), in your design it's the depth that is the most critical. In that case, depth is determined as the deepest point of the glass to the top of the water...not the deepest point of the tank.

E.g., let's say that you have a a 4 foot high tank and a 3 foot high piece of glass that is set to form part of a side viewing panel. If the glass is set at the top 3 feet of the tank, the bottom of the glass is 3 feet below the water line, and the pressure (and therefore the thickness) is based upon 3 feet. On the other hand, if the glass is set at the bottom of the tank, the lowest point of the glass is 4 feet below the water line, and the pressure is based upon 4 feet. Of course, some don't want to have the lowest part of the tank covered by 1 foot of plywood (or whatever the amount covered is), but the point is that it can reduce the glass requirements. Most people that want to (or need to) use thinner glass, solve the issue by building a tank that is not as tall. (There are other methods as well, but that is most pertinent.)

So, 19mm works for 36" deep and 28mm works for 48" deep, where "deep" equals the lowest point of the glass to the water line.

As far as tempered versus plain, tempered is more expensive but certainly much stronger at similar thicknesses. I can't provide a conversion of the measurements, so the problem with tempered is that one might get thicker tempered glass than is needed and thus pay too much. But yes, I think it's fairly certain that 3/4" tempered would be much stronger than 3/4" float glass.
 
I've heard lots and lots of horror stories. One guy here had his AG bust right through his lid, jumping out of the tank, then destroyed the plumbing on its way down, and drained the tank. So need to build an unbreakable tank for these guys. Need to protect/cover all plumbing on the exterior of the tank also. I'd use an acrylic window, not glass. Using the minimal glass thicknesses here is just asking for disaster.

Do you got a fish farm going yet? Before you know it, this AG will be eating 100+ pounds of food per month. So I'd be building this 1,000 gallon tank just for raising feeder tilapia. Will need at least a 20 ft x 40 ft pond for the AG, but even that will be be too small as this fish is capable of growing up to 15 feet long and 440 pounds. Also, need to build a strong fence/barrier around the top perimeter of the pond so the AG doesn't jump out.
 
Drstrange, so does that rule still apply if you are using a full sheet of glass that hasnt been cut?
Basically, I plan on getting a 4x8 sheet of glass and basically just adhering it to the front panel. I am planning on having a 6" border all around the front panel, so the glass will overlap the plywood 6" all the way around. Do you think that would be proper support? I was thinking 3/4" would be fine especially if it was tempered but my glass guy threw me off by saying 3/8" I'm starting to feel more confident in my initial gut instincts and feeling much better about this build..

I was also thinking about throwing some moulding around the bottom for not only looks but support too. That will help with not only strength but stability too right?
And not that I want to, but say I left a 6" strip of plywood vertically in the front panel, would that affect the thickness of glass I would need?
 
Coolkeith, I have been trying to ignore your negative comments, but it appears the only way to stop them is to address them. As I have already stated twice now in this thread, this tank I am planning on building is only to learn how to properly build this beautiful fish's adult home. Would it be smarter to just dump 10's of thousands of dollars into a project I knew nothing about? My bank account (and my better half) appreciates the "smaller tank first" approach...I would much rather fail and only be out $500-$1000 versus $10000-$25000...wouldnt you?


Now, I am new to this forum, but not to keeping monster fish. I have raised several monster red tail, tiger shovelnose, and leopard cats..(unfortunately due to a power outage the red tail is the only one left right now)
I am well aware of how much it costs to feed big fish, as well as their tank requirements. It does cost quite a bit of money to feed them, and to house them. And you may be right, it would probably be cheaper to send a kid through college...but I dont have any kids and that obligation does not apply to me. I am free to spend that money on a monster fish and tank if I choose to. I am by no means out of my league. A fun ride I am sure, but if I felt I was unable to care for the fish properly, i would not even attempt to own one..

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought this forum was a place where enthusiats of monster fish could come, talk about, share, and give positive feedback about their experiences and help others grow from their current standpoint in the hobby. I feel as though you are trying to talk me out of the fish and build(s) I have planned..whether that is your intention or not I don't know, but the only thing relevant to my questions that you said was that 3/8" glass is too thin..

I am not opposed to constructive criticism, and I will listen to just about everything anyone has to say. But when it feels like someone is trying to get me to give up on my passion and hobby because I am "out of my league", that is where I draw the line.
I have not started a fish farm yet no..I am not planning to start a fish farm either. I have plenty of connections to food resources that are less time demanding for my personal schedule. I also own the LFS in my town, so the feeder fish it has been started on are a resource I will always have on hand (although I plan on taking it off those ASAP) Yes I am only 22, and there are people on this site that have been doing this for longer than I have even been alive, but I know what I am doing. I knew the risks going in. Why would I spend $200+ on a fish to "see if" I can keep it alive and hopefully feed it..

now that's enough negativity for this thread from anybody..I dont hate you and I value your input, and you can believe me, my past experience with fish has taught me to protect the plumbing, I will for sure be making this whole tank system into a tank if you catch my drift...can we move past this and get this tank built?
 
I can’t wait to see this started. We only see build to this scale a couple times a decade.

I’m curious where this real build will be built.. free standing in a yard or something? I would first work out exactly what your real tank is going to end up being build-wise and where it’ll go. You might spend a bunch of time and expense with your test build to find that it doesn’t scale up like you want on the real build.

It this was me planning on building something this ambitious these are a couple things I would consider presuming that this thing is going to be gigantic (I didn’t see you post figures.. are we talking 10,000gals+?)

Pouring it underground foundation style, having it butt against the basement wall where a huge picture window can be put in. This would give the best longevity for the build and being underground would give decent insulation. Something the size you’re talking about for the real build.. might as well go concrete. It would also save on space above ground and be more secure. A utility shed above or below ground could house all the utility for it.

If it was going to be above ground, might as well build it as a house extension there too so that you could look into from picture windows in the house.

Don't mind me.. just throwing ideas around and trying to be helpful.
 
Spiff, I am for sure still in the planning stages of the big build, and from my research and calculations, 10,000 gal is too small, you may be able to get away with it if you make it longer and wider than deep, as Arapaima tend to stay close to the surface being air breathers, but I would much rather go bigger than that. I'm thinkin something like 30k + gallons for him..something I have to put on scuba gear to clean and really interact with him.
:headbang2

I am really planning on doing 2 bigger builds after this one. One is gonna go in my store, and will be 12'x5'x4' unless I want to flip the door to that room upside down so the tank can be more like 6'-7' wide instead of 5'...that one is gonna have a front viewing window, and one on the side and will be behind the counter at the register and butts up against a wall so you will be able to see through the whole length of the tank as well..will be pretty cool.
I am currently renting still, and I don't think the owner of the house will let me build a big pond, nor would I want to invest that money into something I can't take with me when I leave, and increase the equity of someone else's property.

But rest assured, I will be building all 3 tanks, and will be posting build threads on each tank!

I definitely am liking the idea of underground and against a basement wall. That could save lots of money on heating/cooling for the tank, and the plumbing would be pretty cool to have in a different location. I just might have to incorporate that into my builds! thanks for the good ideas. Keep em coming!

I have decided on using Ames blue max liquid rubber..I can get a 5 gal bucket locally for $180..
I was thinking about my glass and how liquid rubber doesn't really stick to silicone and vice versa..
What is everyone's thought about just putting an epoxy that will stick to glass/silicone on the front panel, as I am planning on using just a straight 4'x8' sheet of glass and use silicone to attach the glass to the front panel, and then use a glue that will stick to glass and liquid rubber on the outside edges of the glass and then just coat with liquid rubber? Seems like the simplest option in my head.

Or should I just have the glass cut to 7.5'x3.5' and go full liquid rubber and a glue that sticks to glass and liquid rubber, seal the window to the front panel, and then make a bead on the inside that will see water and then apply liquid rubber to that?
 
Thanks for giving us some background information. I apologize for my negativity. It would have helped a great deal if you said in the 1st post that you owned an LFS. Will you be building this tank at the LFS also? Just wondering about the space or building you have for this project. Before, for all I knew, you were planning on putting this in a crawlspace at a rental home. Yes, someone here has tried that. That's one reason why I'm skeptical of the some of the builds here. When you asked if 3/8" thick glass would work on a 4 foot high tank, that just rubbed me the wrong way. Made me think back of a few of the failed builds here.
 
Hah! no problem Keith, (assuming that is your name) and trust me, being here at the store I know that scenario all to well...just an hour ago I had someone come in and grab a 1/2 gal bowl, gravel, 1 plant and then proceeded to tell me they wanted "That orange cichlid, two neon tetras, and that nemo fish over there" and then says "yeah, those guys will be fine in that bowl"

This tank will be going in my garage at home, and replacing my current 135 gal that I have had for, like, ever..the garage stays cool in the summer and surprisingly warm in the winter..I think it's because the garage is in the sun the majority of the day during winter, and not in the summer..
I know there are plenty of people out there that will do risky things to save $1 or two, but I prefer to spend the extra $$ and make sure I didn't waste any money on the whole project..
That was why I asked the question on the 3/8" glass, cause it rubbed me the wrong way when he told me, but I have never built a tank that large and figured maybe I didn't know something that other people did..I didn't wanna be one of those failed builds...hahaha
 
Big Fish Freak said:
Drstrange, so does that rule still apply if you are using a full sheet of glass that hasnt been cut?
Basically, I plan on getting a 4x8 sheet of glass and basically just adhering it to the front panel. I am planning on having a 6" border all around the front panel, so the glass will overlap the plywood 6" all the way around. Do you think that would be proper support? I was thinking 3/4" would be fine especially if it was tempered but my glass guy threw me off by saying 3/8" I'm starting to feel more confident in my initial gut instincts and feeling much better about this build..

I was also thinking about throwing some moulding around the bottom for not only looks but support too. That will help with not only strength but stability too right?
And not that I want to, but say I left a 6" strip of plywood vertically in the front panel, would that affect the thickness of glass I would need?
Click to expand...

If the 6" border at the bottom is veneer (and I consider moulding to be basically veneer), then for determining glass thickness it's still 48 inches deep. That's because veneer isn't reinforcing the bottom and the glass at 48" depth is under unreinforced pressure. If on the other hand it's really strongly built to restrain the glass (not simply cover it), that is, the border is physically supporting the glass against pushing out, then the "effective" depth is 42". That reduces the thickness needed to 23mm, (although not 19mm.)

I believe that adding a vertical piece of wood dead center that strongly reinforces the center has the effect of reducing the pressure on the glass as if it's half as wide. That would reduce the 23mm to 17mm. I can't tell you exactly how that has to be done in order to get that effect. I know that people have built large deep tanks and used that method to have tall, rectangular windows with relatively thin glass by keeping the width to a minimum. For example, if you had two 4' by 4' pieces of glass, built them into the tank correctly and had a strong 6" border at the bottom, you could probably use thinner glass like 17mm.

People of course often don't want that strip because it breaks the vision. Personally, I would opt for a longer or wider tank with less depth because I prefer no obstructions. Ultimately, unless you need the depth, it tends to be the choice people make. Four feet deep of course also adds a serious issue in terms of cleaning and maintenance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom