300 gallon plywood and glass build

[rotccapt]

hi all after lots of planning i have finally got the ok to start building. work will begin in about a week or two waiting on a bonus from work to show up. so the tank will be kinda a hybrid build with 2x4's and 1/2 inch ply wood. the dimensions will be 72 inches long 36 inches wide and 30 inches tall. the stand will also be a dresser since the tank will be in my bedroom. i will be using 1/2 inch glass for two sides of the tank the front and one side. this tank will be sitting in the corner. i will be using max acr epoxy and fiberglass to seal the tank and ge silicone I for the glass.

so the stand will be made out of 2x4's and the back section of the stand will be a sump that will run the entire length of the tank and will be about 14 inches wide and 20 inches tall.

also i will be using tan PFS in this tank along with a large piece of drift wood that i found locally.

stocking will be:

- 1 ea western painted turtle
- 10 Cynotilapia afra
- 10 yellow lab
- 10 Labeotropheus trewavasae "mpanga red"
- 10 rusties
- 10 albino socolofi
- 10 yellow tail acei

also i will have a couple rapheal cats and perhaps a zebra pleco or some other bottom feeders

so here are some pics of the proposed tank and stand along with some of the driftwood i will be using in the tank.

more to come

 

[chris-b]

That is a really awesome looking design. I will be watching this build!

 

[mike_sema]

This will be a great set up

Sent from my SCH-I500 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[rotccapt]

so i started laying out my cuts and it is looking like i will need:

19 ea 8 foot 2x4's
3 ea 3/4 inch 4x8 ply wood sheets
1 ea 1/2 inch ply wood sheet
2 ea 1/4 inch oak plywood sheets

to get the tank built i will need other things for the drawers but that will come later

 

[rotccapt]

well i was doing some research and i think i will be using Max PCR instead of the max ACR.

the PCR version is designed as a wood penetrating epoxy that can also be used to apply fiberglass cloth so i am thinking that i can use it to make a more waterproof tank because the epoxy will actually penetrate into the wood and glass cloth. i just need to find out if it is fish safe first.

 

[stempy]

I would email them and ask them about it. The ACR is specifically made for aquarium use and it does get great bite into the wood, you just do the first coat thinned out with acetone or denatured alcohol, I used it on fiberglass cloth and it worked wonderfully. I don't know anything about the PCR but I'm sure they could answer the question about being fish safe for you, good luck!

 

[rotccapt]

well i talked to them and they said that the ACR would do the same job and is a better formulation for the task so i will be going with the ACR version. only wish it came in a smaller quantity but i will have extra. for future tanks.

(BTW what fish is that in your avatar stempy?)

 

[Nighthawk]

subscribed

 

[PDRed302]

I will definitely be watching this thread, setup and design look awesome, great looking driftwood as well.

Not to be a punk but I have to question closing off one of the sides (no glass window on the left). I understand that the tank will be positioned so that it would be unnecessary to have glass on that side; but what happens if you move? I do understand that the ply will be quite a bit cheaper than glass (buying glass myself right now for a build) but why not do it just incase?

...None the less, great looking setup, make sure to keep us updated.

 

[rotccapt]

well i am not planning on moving anytime soon, but if i did and i had to put the tank in a position that required the second window it would not be too difficult to add at a later date. i would just have to cut out the s=wood there seal the edge and add the glass. still waiting on the funds toshow up to start i hope to start soon. this is probobly going to be a little drawn out we will see once the money starts flowing