A different type of pond idea.

cbrwheelieguy

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jun 23, 2007
5
0
31
Indiana
So, Id love a Salt pond in the house, But I want a viewing window. Ive researched the plywood builds and price a Pentair tank. I dont like messing with epoxy and the chance of cracks and leaks. Now for my idea.

What if I built a glass tank inside of a plywood box? Using glass and silicone..The idea beig, I can use thinner glass on all the panels besides the front panel which I would probably use 3/4 because I would like that panel to be rimless. the tank dimensions would likely be 72x36x24 with a viewable front of about 48". Im thinking that i can line the box with thin pink foam sheets and use 1/2" glass for the bottom, 1/4" for the sides, and 3/4" in the front. what do you guys think?
 

Tobiassorensen

Blue Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jul 23, 2017
1,808
2,084
439
36
Sweden
So, Id love a Salt pond in the house, But I want a viewing window. Ive researched the plywood builds and price a Pentair tank. I dont like messing with epoxy and the chance of cracks and leaks. Now for my idea.

What if I built a glass tank inside of a plywood box? Using glass and silicone..The idea beig, I can use thinner glass on all the panels besides the front panel which I would probably use 3/4 because I would like that panel to be rimless. the tank dimensions would likely be 72x36x24 with a viewable front of about 48". Im thinking that i can line the box with thin pink foam sheets and use 1/2" glass for the bottom, 1/4" for the sides, and 3/4" in the front. what do you guys think?

I know a couple of guys who have built 10000L plywoodtanks with formwelded pondliner made for the tanks dimensions instead of epoxy and glassfibre reinforcments. Dont know the prices on epoxy and glassfibre where you live but here in sweden its expencive as hell. So a formwelded lines is cheaper and works great to work with.

Im planing on start building a tank 260x200x120cm that holds 6240L this winter and a liner would cost me around 4000 swedish kronor so about 450 usd for the lines. And epoxy and glassfibre would cost me twice as much
 

Jez1992

Polypterus
MFK Member
Aug 7, 2015
612
477
87
UK
So, Id love a Salt pond in the house, But I want a viewing window. Ive researched the plywood builds and price a Pentair tank. I dont like messing with epoxy and the chance of cracks and leaks. Now for my idea.

What if I built a glass tank inside of a plywood box? Using glass and silicone..The idea beig, I can use thinner glass on all the panels besides the front panel which I would probably use 3/4 because I would like that panel to be rimless. the tank dimensions would likely be 72x36x24 with a viewable front of about 48". Im thinking that i can line the box with thin pink foam sheets and use 1/2" glass for the bottom, 1/4" for the sides, and 3/4" in the front. what do you guys think?
This sounds like a lot of hassle for a tank which isn't that large.
By the time you have bought glass, plywood, foam, silicone, you wont be far off the price of a proper glass tank.

Also to consider, if you buy a glass tank the viewing area would be better, ad you could easily resell it for a good price down the line.
You are unlikely to get someone wanting to buy a second-hand diy tank.

Id suggest save up and buy a proper glass tank, or just build a plywood one like joey did with a front glass pane.
 

Bertie07

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Aug 27, 2017
966
564
115
London
A 6x3x2 tank isn’t that common but I’m sure If you looked hard enough you could find one second hand. And if not buying the glass and building it would be easier than your idea
 
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