My idea for a DIY plywood aquarium

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Okay, so quick question....
talked to the owner of the company that makes the MAX ACR and they told me that the fiberglass should be applied to the outside of the tank..
everyone I have seen on here does it inside.. does that make sense to anyone? should it matter which side it is applied to? just like external or internal bracing?

any thoughts or input is appreciated..gonna be applying the first coat of epoxy today, and then will be doing the fiberglassing next weekend when I get some more time off...that just threw me a curve ball with the exterior being fiberglassed vs the interior.

I have been trying to start the build thread but for whatever reason I can't get the pics uploaded...I will keep trying and post the link here when I can get pictures uploaded.
 
Big Fish Freak said:
Okay, so quick question....
talked to the owner of the company that makes the MAX ACR and they told me that the fiberglass should be applied to the outside of the tank..
everyone I have seen on here does it inside.. does that make sense to anyone? should it matter which side it is applied to? just like external or internal bracing?

any thoughts or input is appreciated..gonna be applying the first coat of epoxy today, and then will be doing the fiberglassing next weekend when I get some more time off...that just threw me a curve ball with the exterior being fiberglassed vs the interior.

I have been trying to start the build thread but for whatever reason I can't get the pics uploaded...I will keep trying and post the link here when I can get pictures uploaded.
Click to expand...

Fiberglassing the exterior is structurally superior vs the interior. Fiberglassing the interior makes the tank more leakproof though, which is the trump card here. Nobody wants a structurally superior tank if it leaks. There really shouldn't be much of a debate of which is better. You could do both, to get the best of both worlds. You really only need to fiberglass the corner seams. It doesn't take much extra epoxy and fiberglass to do that.
 
coolkeith said:
Fiberglassing the exterior is structurally superior vs the interior. Fiberglassing the interior makes the tank more leakproof though, which is the trump card here. Nobody wants a structurally superior tank if it leaks. There really shouldn't be much of a debate of which is better. You could do both, to get the best of both worlds. You really only need to fiberglass the corner seams. It doesn't take much extra epoxy and fiberglass to do that.
Click to expand...

okay, that's what I thought..the tank may be slightly overbuilt, but I am not complaining. I wasn't able to to get any epoxy down yesterday, but that might be for the best since I had forgotten to put my interior supports in..so all of that is done now, and I am gonna be doing my first layer of epoxy next weekend..
I am gonna be trying to start the new thread so I can get some pics up today..
 
So, with MFK moving to new servers and all that there are some glitches in the system, and unfortunately I am unable to upload pics right now..I've tried 2 different desktops, and my phone to upload pics, but no luck yet...

Once the problem is resolved, I will be posting pics and starting the new thread..so until then, you will just have to use your imagination to see what I have been up to..
 
Another question I had about epoxying and glassing...

What are the best rollers to use for applying epoxy? I have heard Lowe's sells some foam ones that don't soak up the epoxy, but I also found epoxy specific rollers at Home Depot..never worked with the stuff before, and I haven't found anything search wise on here about what rollers to use..

Also, when doing the impregnating layer of epoxy, what consistency should I be seeing? Watery? Gluey? Honey? I know the acetone thins it out so how thick am I applying? Just a thin layer to let the wood soak up?

Now I was thinking that probably the best thing to do when applying the epoxy is to let the first layer start to set, sand any wood fibers that lift before the epoxy has a full cure, and then lay down the next layer or epoxy so that the second layer can bond to the first and create an even stronger barrier. Also, I was thinking of doing this for all layers of epoxy..let the new layer harden with the previous layer versus hardening on top of the old layer..

If that is the case, then how long should I be waiting in between coats of epoxy? One day? Two days?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
I never used a roller, but that could make things go quicker I imagine. I used putty knifes/spreaders and chip brushes mostly.

The 1st initial layer should be the thinnest on the surface. Even if you don't use acetone, it will soak into the wood. If you use a spreader, you can work it along the wood surface to get a thin layer no matter how thick the epoxy is.

It takes about 6-10 hours for the surface tackiness to go away. In 12-24 hours it's cured enough so that it can be be sanded. I takes about a week for 100% cure.
 
From boat building pros they suggest chemical bonding coats ( apply next coats before prior coat is dry) rather then mechanical ( let coat dry then sand then apply next coat)
 
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