300 gallon build questions..

[fishmanbob87]

hi, i was considering buying a 300 gallon glass tank, but for the money i could save and put into other aspects of a new setup... i figured.. why not build one. plus it will be kind of fun for my father and i to finally take on this project. so i have two questions for you guys, i want this tank to be 300 gallons but at the same time i can only fit an 80 " long tank where it has to go. with an 80" length what would the height and depth have to be to acheive 300 gallons??? question #2, i want this tank to last a long long time so i was thinking about fiberglassing the whole thing. is this the right direction to go in or would an application like Pond Armor or Sweet Water be a better idea? i want the best water proofer that will last the longest. thanks for the help guys, when we start building i will be sure to post pics and progress as it goes on.

 

[Pharaoh]

Check out the conversions tool for finding the right size for you. You can play around with the numbers and find what you like.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/calc.php

When it comes to water proofing, there is not "best" way. Go with what you think will hold the best. With absolutely no plywood tank building experience, I would lean towards glassing it myself. Of course, I kinda like playing with fiberglass.

 

[fishmanbob87]

thanks for the advice, i have done alot of carpentry and custom woodwork for my stepfather's remodeling company.. so i dont think building the tank will be any problem. i was just wondering what some of the better products out there are. i figured there would have been some trial and error amoungst all the builds that go on MFK. thanks again

 

[imusuallyuseless]

80x30x30 would be a little over 300G
80x36x24 would be a little less than 300G

 

[fishmanbob87]

i think i will go with fiberglassing the entire thing, still though, what type of glassing brands are fish safe??? would West System be okay to use?? i feel comfortable using West because i have used it many times before in other applications.

 

[epond83]

i would use the search feature and see what others have used and how it worked out.

 

[pengu13]

i think i will go with fiberglassing the entire thing, still though, what type of glassing brands are fish safe??? would West System be okay to use?? i feel comfortable using West because i have used it many times before in other applications.

ya west system would be fine it was one of the products i looked at heres what they emailed me when i asked about building a 300g tank

First of all here is your parts list for this build:

(1) 300 Mini Pumps Set
(1) 105 Resin B Group
(1) 207 Hardener Special Clear B Group
(1) Tube of 610 Epoxy
(1) package of 800-2 roller covers
Some mixing pots and stir sticks
3-4” Roller cover frame

Procedure –

First of all wipe down all surfaces to be bonded with Isopropyl alcohol and allow to dry

Next sand to 80 grit. The surfaces that will be wet, roll on a thin coat of epoxy on all panels before they are assembled. Allow this to tack up, about 1-2 hours, next roll on a second coat of epoxy and allow that to tack up and tip it as shown in this video: http://209.20.76.247/ss/barrier-coating-2/

After that coat has fully cured, sand to a fair surface and then roll on a very thin coat and tip that – this should leave you with a fairly smooth surface.

After that final coat has a had a chance to cure to for 24 hours, cut your panels to shape and sand the joints to be bonded to 80 grit, next with a caulk gun, apply a small bead of the 610 thickened epoxy to the joints and clamp with medium to light clamping pressure. You should get a little squeeze out but not too much. After you have your assembly glued and clamped, we want to fillet radii in every corner with the 610 as shown here( see 1:22): http://209.20.76.247/ss/basic-bonding-techniques/

This should provide you a nice water proof interior. If you would like to finish the exterior in the same manner, that would make it bullet proof.

I hope this helps,

Best Regards,